New app for mums-to-be

Hilary Jones – Doctor Hilary Jones that is; renowned media GP – has launched a new App for mums-to-be.

If you’re wondering about Dr Jones’ credentials (other than TV doctor), the man is a practising GP, has delivered many babies, has five children, has appeared on British TV for 21 years… and has a website.

The App aims to help mums find everything they need to know about pregnancy and their baby (or babies) sans medical jargon, which can be mighty confusing.

The App – for iPhone and iPad – gives exclusive access to 30 videos and scripts that address common concerns from conception through to delivery.

The vids cover five sections – early pregnancy, a week by week guide, complications, concerns, and the birth. Each is then subdivided into topics including conception, nutrition, smoking and drinking, your body week by week, ultrasound scans, coping with common problems, pre-eclampsia, and pain relief in labour.

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Help for restless leg syndrome

When I was preggers I developed Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and it drove me crazy. It didn’t really affect my sleep but when I was sitting watching a movie, or my favourite show, my legs would start jittering around.

For me; I felt the overpowering need to move my legs, which I would do, expecting to feel relief but would feel nothing – other than the subsequent need to move my legs. No position was comfortable. Grrrr.

It was annoying and uncomfortable but apparently a common side effect of pregnancy – which usually manifests in the later afternoon and through the night.

The twitching, tingling and cramping I felt in my legs was not conducive to pleasant sitting. And boy, did I complain about it – my poor husband.

Do you need some help for restless leg syndrome? Two practical ways to combat RLS, as suggested by Babycentre.co.uk, are:

1. Regular exercise: gentle exercise in the evening and stretch your legs before bed, and a leg massage is never a bad idea.

2. Reduce caffeine intake: caffeine may make your symptoms worse, so avoid tea, coffee and the usual suspects six hours before bedtime.

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The Pregnancy Planner

Baby brain: it happens when you’re pregnant and continues for the next 18 years (possibly ever – children are permanent after all) in the form of ‘mummy mush brain’.

It’s a disease of the mind that is rooted in preoccupation, and unless you are really good at compartmentalising thoughts ‘baby brain’ will take over at one point or another.

The good news is: there IS a solution! It’s called the ‘Pregnancy Planner’ and is the creation of Organised Mum. Combat the chaos in your mind by using the planner to keep track of all those important milestones during your pregnancy.

The Pregnancy Planner is perennial, so it can be started as soon you find out you are pregnant and it carries on throughout your pregnancy, including weeks 41 and 42 (when you’re just waiting, wishing and hoping…).

The Pregnancy Planner includes 120 colourful stickers that you can use to highlight important dates such as first movement, midwife visits and blood tests. There is also space to track appointments, scans and hospital visits as well as space to note ideas, plans and photos.

Add in photos of your growing belly and record milestones and special events in the pregnancy planner. There are also pages to plan the nursery, create shopping lists and write down what you need in your hospital bag.

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Pregnancy and pelvic floor exercises

I’m going to keep it real here mums: pregnancy stretches things that aren’t really all that keen on being stretched.

For those who have braved the battle of natural birth, you will remember your midwife emphasising the importance of ‘pelvic floor exercises’ after birth. Distracted by my beautiful baby girl, I vaguely listened as the health visitor blabbed away about ‘pelvic something or other’… I have a feeling I may come to regret that my disinterest – thank goodness for Google!

So, for the mums (and prospective mums) who don’t know or have forgotten…

Your pelvic floor is a broad sling of muscles, ligaments and sheet-like tissues that stretches from your pubic bone at the front of your body to the base of your spine at the back. It supports your bladder, bowel and uterus (womb) and gives you control over when you empty your bladder and your bowels.

The pelvic floor can stretch in response to weight, like a trampoline, but its elasticity can be overstretched and thus weakened. So, you know when you cough and out leaks a little wee? That’s a result of a weakened pelvic floor.

Birth affects the pelvic floor.

Babycentre.co.uk explains that during labour and birth, your pelvic floor stretches to allow your baby’s head to pass out of your uterus and through your vagina.

And your pelvic floor may have been over-stretched during labour if you:  had to push your baby out for a long time, had a big baby, had a severe tear or had a forceps birth. It is therefore important for women who have had babies to do pelvic floor exercises.

The NHS says that pelvic floor exercises should be done as follows

* close up your anus as if you’re trying to prevent a bowel movement.

* at the same time, draw in your vagina as if you’re gripping a tampon, and your urethra as if to stop the flow of urine.

* at first, do this exercise quickly, tightening and releasing the muscles immediately.

* then do it slowly, holding the contractions for as long as you can before you relax: try to count to 10.

* try to do three sets of eight squeezes every day: to help you remember, you could do them once at each meal.

You can also exercise your pelvic floor with the help of the Pelvic Toner – a registered medical device that is clinically proven to help tone and strengthen the pelvic floor by making pelvic floor muscles exercises much more effective.

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Best Maternity cream?

There can never be too many maternity creams to choose from – anything to keep the skin moisturised and those stretch marks at bay!

And if a product has won an award, we assume it’s a goody, possibly even the best maternity cream.

The Lovedbyparents Bronze award for ‘Best Maternity Product’ was awarded to Shea Mooti for its Mama’s Everything Balm. And the award was voted by the public and a panel of parents.

Mama’s Everything Balm is a blend of ethically sourced virgin Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and nourishing omega rich Baobab, and Jojoba, Oils. It is fragranced with soothing lavender oil and skin rejuvenating Mandarin Oil.

The ingredients are organically produced, and the product is not tested on animals and is suitable for Vegetarians.

The balm helps to: moisturise and soften dry, itchy skin; improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scar tissue.

And best of all, the body butter is an all-rounder that can also be used to soften lips, elbows, knees and even heels!

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