PRE PREGNANCY and ANTENATAL ADVICE      

Want to have a healthy baby?

Stop Smoking [You and your partner

Avoid alcohol [You and your partner].

Take folic acid for 12 weeks before pregnancy- this has been shown to decrease the risk of Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida

                       –400mcg daily

                       –5mg daily if there is a family history of the above

Healthy balanced diet including

                        -5 portions of fruit/vegetables [portion = apple, 1 glass orange juice, ½ cup peas etc]

                        -Iron rich foods [red meat, spinach, broccoli etc]  

                        -Calcium rich food [dairy products, soya foods ]

Vitamin D -During pregnancy and while breast feeding it is necessary to take Vitamin D 10mcg daily. These can be bought from the chemist or obtained though the ‘Healthy Start’ scheme if eligible [i.e.-under 18 or on income support, income based jobseeker’s allowance, income related employment and support allowance or child tax credit].  Tel : 0845 607 6823 to ask for an application form or check with your Health Visitor/Midwife                              

Check with your GP to see if you are Rubella immune -this may involve a blood test and vaccination if you are non-immune but is important as getting the disease during pregnancy can be dangerous to your baby.

If you have concerns about inherited conditions talk to your GP about referral to Geneticist or Specialist.

If you have a chronic illness see your GP for advice

DO NOT take illegal substances or abuse solvents

Avoid all medications unless prescribed by a doctor

Continue to take folic acid for first 3 months of pregnancy

Avoid certain foods e.g. pate, soft cheese, chilled precooked   products such as chicken [freshly cooked is ok], liver, peanuts, raw eggs and rare or uncooked meats].

Take some gentle daily exercise e.g. walking, swimming etc

Cut down on stress if possible.

What to do next

• Make an appointment with your GP within 2-3 weeks.
• The doctor will make a referral to the hospital and care will be shared between them recent guidelines recommend seeing your GP at 25, 31 36,38 weeks and attending antenatal hospital appointments at 12, 20-22 (scan) 28, 34, 41 41 weeks
• You can come to the Midwife-led Antenatal clinic in Cornmarket on a Friday by making an appointment at reception.
• If this doesn’t suit you can make an appointment to see your GP in the usual way          
• You are also welcome to contact your Health Visitor during your pregnancy to arrange a home visit
• It is important to attend parent-craft classes if you can.

IMPORTANT -Vaccinations in Pregnancy

• Flu vaccine is recommended in early pregnancy as some flu virus is particularly dangerous to mother and baby
• Whooping cough vaccine from 28-32 weeks –this is to boost the baby’s immunity in those first few weeks of life.

Who looks after me?

•    Midwife Catherine McAlinden [team leader]
•    Health Visitor [Newry]- Liz Crowley
•    Health Visitor [Camlough] -

How do I contact them?                                                  

• Midwife-Friday Antenatal Clinic by appointment or ring Daisy Hill Community Midwives at 028 30835000 ext 2235 9-10am Mon-Friday

• Health Visitor- please ring 028 30834238 to speak to you health visitor

AFTER MY BABY IS BORN

• Your Midwife will visit you during the first 10 days
• Your Health Visitor will look after you and your baby and will contact you around Day 14 and can also be contacted by phone

THE WELL BABY CLINIC

• At this clinic your GP and Health Visitor are present
• Immunizations and special examinations are carried out
• You will be sent appointments for these provided you have remembered to register your baby with a doctor
• The programme includes new-born examination, agreed screening procedures, support as needed in the first weeks with particular regard to breast feeding, review at 6-8 weeks, provision of health promotion advice, the national immunisation programme, weighing when the baby attends for immunisation and reviews at 8 or 12 months, 24 months and between 3 and 4 years. However, it is expected that staff take a flexible approach to the latter three reviews according to the family's needs and wishes, and face to face contact may not be necessary for all families    

• These are important examinations as they check your child's typical development including weight, height, hearing, vision etc
• Immunizations are carried out at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 12 months and 3 years                                      

• DO NOT BRING YOUR BABY IF YOU THINK THEY MAY BE ILL- THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM TO BABIES GETTING THEIR VACCINATIONS
• Sick babies can be seen every day as an urgent appointment- contact the receptionist to arrange this

 WHEN ARE THE WELL BABY CLINICS?

• Cornmarket-Monday 9.00-12.00
• Camlough-

DON’T FORGET YOURSELF!

• The Health Visitor is there to help you as well as the baby and will be glad to help you with any problems
• You may make an appointment to speak the doctor for your Postnatal check at 6 weeks if you wish
• At your 6 week check you may want advice on contraception, pelvic floor exercises, cervical smears etc
• If you are due a cervical smear this will need to be carried out at least 10 weeks after delivery as this can affect the results

CONGRATULATIONS!