Within this section you can find articles relating to Pregnancy including a week-by-week guide which takes you through each stage of your baby's development, a Due Date Chart to work out your 'EDD', facts about labour including some recommended positions and much more.
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9 Month Miracle
40 weeks is the average time it takes for your unborn baby to grow from the size of a tiny dot to a complex human being. We have put together a week-by-week guide, which takes you through each stage of your baby's development, explaining how each of the organs grow and how your baby is experiencing the world.
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Backache
During pregnancy ligaments become softer and stretch to prepare you for labour. This can put a strain on the joints of your lower back and pelvis which can cause backache. As the baby grows, the hollow in your lower back may increase and this may also cause backache.
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Birth Positions
Your position can make a big difference during labour. Some women like to kneel, walk around or rock backwards and forwards. Some like to be massaged, but others hate to be touched. We show you some recommended positions to help ease the pain during labour.
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Constipation
You may become constipated very early in pregnancy because of the hormonal changes going on in your body.
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Cramp
Cramp is a sudden, sharp pain, usually in your calf muscles or feet. It is most common at night but nobody really knows what causes it.
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Due Date Chart
Use this pregnancy due date chart to work out your 'EDD' - expected date of delivery (or 'EDC' - expected date of confinement).
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Faintness
Pregnancy women often feel faint. This happens when not enough blood is getting to the brain. If the oxygen level gets too low you may actually faint.
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Feeling Hot
During pregnancy you're likely to feel warmer than normal. This is due to hormonal changes and to an increase in blood supply to the skin.
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Headaches
Some pregnant women find they get a lot of headaches. A brisk walk may be all you need, as well as a little more regular rest and relaxation.
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How Big?
In the very early weeks, the developing baby is called an embryo and from about eight weeks, it is called a fetus.
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Indigestion & Heartburn
This is partly caused by hormonal changes and later the growing womb pressing on the stomach.
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Itching
Mild itching is common in pregnancy because of the increased blood supply to the skin. In late pregnancy the skin of the abdomen is stretched and this may also cause itchiness.
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Labour
The birth seems a long way off when you first find out you're pregnant. But as the week roll by, you'll want to get ready for the big day by finding out as much about labour as you can.
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Labour Signs
You're unlikely to mistake the signs of labour when the time really comes but, if you're in doubt, don't hesitate to contact your hospital or midwife and ask for advice.
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Nausea
Nausea & morning sickness is very common in the early weeks of pregnancy. Some women feel sick, some are sick. Some feel sick in the mornings, some at other times, some all day long.
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Nipple Discharge
You may notice a discharge from your nipples. This is very common and nothing to worry about.
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Nose Bleeds
Nose bleeds are quite common in pregnancy because of hormonal changes. The nose bleeds are usually short but can be quite heavy.
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Obstetric Cholestasis
Severe generalised itching, particularly in the last four months of pregnancy, may be the only sign of an uncommon condition called obstetric cholestasis.
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Pain Relief
It's important to learn about all the ways you can relieve pain in labour and how your partner or labour supporter can help you. Ask your midwife or doctor to explain what is available so that you can decide what is best for you.
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Passing Water Often
Needing to pass water often is an early sign of pregnancy. Sometimes it continues right through pregnancy. In later pregnancy it's the result of the baby's head pressing on the bladder.
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Piles
Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, are swollen veins around the back passage which may itch, ache or feel sore. You can usually feel the lumpiness of the piles around the back passage.
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Pre-Eclampsia
During pregnancy your blood pressure will be checked at every antenatal appointment. This is because a rise in blood pressure can be the first sign of a condition know as pre-eclampsia - often called pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) or pre-eclamptic toxaemia (PET) - which can run in families and affects 10% of pregnancy.
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Secret Life
An unborn child has a secret life of its own, but we'll let you in on 10 amazing facts.
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Self Hypnosis
The story of using natal hypnosis, hypnnotherapy and relaxation CDs for an easier, more comfortable pregnancy and birth.
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Skin & Hair Changes
Hormonal changes taking place in pregnancy will make your nipples and the area around them go darker. Your skin colour may also darken a little, either in patches or all over.
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Sleeplessness
Late in pregnancy it can be very difficult to get a good night's sleep. You're uncomfortable lying down , or just when you're beginning to get comfortable you have to get up to go to the toilet.
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Slow Growing Babies
Many of the test in pregnancy check the growth of your baby. If you have previously had a very small baby, or if you smoke heavily, the midwives and doctors will already be monitoring your pregnancy closely.
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Stretch Marks
These are pink or purplish lines which usually occur on the tummy or sometimes on the upper thighs or breasts. Some women get them, some don't.
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Swollen Ankles
Ankles, feet and fingers often swell a little in pregnancy because the body holds more water than usual. Towards the end of the day, especially if the weather is hot or if you have been standing a lot, the extra water tends to gather in the lowest parts of the body.
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Teeth & Gums
Bleeding gums are caused by a build up of plaque (bacteria) on the teeth. During pregnancy, hormonal changes in your body can cause the plaque to make the gums more inflamed. They may become swollen and bleed more easily.
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Tiredness
In the early months of pregnancy you may feel tired or even desperately exhausted. The only answer is to try to rest as much as possible.
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Work
New Survey blames employers for 1 in 5 pregnant women over-exerting themselves at work.
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Vaginal Bleeding
Bleeding from the vagina at any time in pregnancy can be a danger signal. In early pregnancy, bleeding may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage, although many women who bleed at this time go on to have normal and successful pregnancies.
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Vaginal Discharge
Almost all women have more vaginal discharge in pregnancy. It should be clear and white and it should not smell unpleasant. If the discharge is coloured or smells strange or if you feel itchy or sore, you may have a vaginal infection.
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Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are veins which have become swollen. The veins in the legs are most commonly affected. You can also get varicose veins in the vulva (vaginal opening). They usually get better after delivery.
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Vasa Previa
Vasa previa, reported in 1:3000 pregnancies, is a condition in which fetal blood vessel(s) from the placenta or umbilical cord cross the entrance to the birth canal, beneath the baby.
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