I recently held an information session with mothers talking about the importance of prenatal care and the preparations that are required pre-conception, post-conception, and postpartum and the significance of each stage with regards to the nutritional requirements of babies and mothers as well as the importance of birth plans and general first-aid home remedies that every mother should have at disposal!
Bringing new life into the world is both a great joy as well as a challenge which can become the source of a lot of potential stress if care is not taken to familiarize oneself with the requirements of such an event. It is said that bringing new life in the world is best prepared for through many generations past. This is understandable since we are shaped for the most part through our upbringing where our general health is dependent on our parents health in some aspects and our children’s health on ours and our ability to provide the best care that we can for them. Irrespective of previous generations however, there’s a lot that can be done years prior to conception, immediately a few months prior to conception, during pregnancy and postpartum to ensure the best outcome possible for the physical and emotional health of both mothers and babies.
If you are debating pregnancy (whether you are male or female) there’s much to take into consideration and to become aware of in preparation for this joyous event! I’d highly recommend you enlist the support of a knowledgable health professional, apart from your OBGYN -who unfortunately due to our current medical system are unable to spend much time answering questions or being of support to new parents- to assist you along this process!
There are some general areas that most mothers are concerned about. Read below for the general outline of the key points that we discussed in our mommy group this weekend and if you or someone you know is interested in holding such an event, please get in touch with me nmisaghi@gmail.com as I’d be more than happy to hold such an event either at the clinic or a location of your convenience!
General Health:
- clean diet consisting of balanced amounts of proteins, good fats, and carbohydrates from unprocessed foods and supplementing with a daily multi-vitamin.
- Active! Exercise to maintain muscle mass, increase bone density, and prevent disease.
- Mental/spiritual health: meditation and prayer as a way of remaining aware of your higher purpose in life, gives strength to withstand life’s constant stressors (shown to help treat depression, anxiety and addictions). Changes perception!
Concerns during Pregnancy:
Nausea/Vomiting; Supplementation/prenatal vitamins; when to stop intake of certain vitamins and herbal supplements during pregnancy; Caffeine intake; General Diet guidelines;
Natural Birth Preparation:
Role of midwife; Childbirth preparation classes; guided imagery & self hypnosis; birth plan; Evening primrose oil; Staying active
Labour:
Best position; acupuncture for labour induction; uterine supporting, nourishing and relaxing herbs.
Breast feeding:
“Breastfeeding is a behaviour which shapes and sculpts the brain and that brain shaping stays for life. Skin to skin contact is what the newborn requires in order for the brain to be shaped in the best possible way, and breastfeeding in the fullest sense is not about eating, but about brain growth, and the development of good relationships.”
Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland. Press Release. 17 March 2005
Skin to skin contact:
Babies who are skin to skin with the mother for 1-2 hours after birth: are more likely to latch on, are more likely to latch on well, will cry less, have higher blood sugars, have higher skin temperatures, will breastfeed longer and more exclusively!
Infant Colic:
Prevention and treatment using dietary modification, herbs, and acupressure for babies.
Childhood concerns:
Prevention and treatment of red eyes, ear ache, fever, eczema, constipation, etc.
