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Mindful Meal Prep for Expectant Mums
In today’s busy modern society, the importance of sitting down together as a family at meal times and eating together and sharing about your day is a lost tradition for many. It is instead often a time that is busy, chaotic, and full of distractions with parents and children eating dinner at different times. There has been a plethora of research conducted around the benefits of family meal times, these benefits are said to include reduced rates of obesity, that adults tend to eat more slowly and often consume less food because they are engaged with other family members and discussion. This leads to less fast-paced mindless eating, chewing food adequately, and time for satiety ques to signal you are full more effectively. Something as simple as slowing down at meal times and chewing food effectively is an incredibly powerful health habit as this allows for the first phase of digestion to happen more efficiently. Cephalic phase digestion, meaning ‘of the head’ occurs at the sight, smell and taste of food and results in the excretion of approximately 20% of the gastric secretions required for digesting foods. Being mindful to slow meal times makes a huge difference in allowing the body adequate time for `these digestive phases to take place, chewing food is an incredibly important part of this process as it not only begins the mechanical breakdown of food but allows foods to be effectively mixed with saliva that is full of enzymes required to break down and digest foods. As a busy mum of four myself, I admit at times that when dinner rolls around at the end of a long day it feels like a chore, and can feel like a ‘job’ that I just want to be over as fast a possible. I have become aware that when I approach meal times in this way I end up feeling more stressed and don’t take the time to cook meals that are as nutritious as I would like, often resulting in me feeding the kids first which almost always leaves them not eating much of their dinner. My kids also don’t wind down as well when we approach meal times in this way and can easily flow on to a more challenging bedtime. In contrast, when we cook and eat together as a family, I usually feel less stressed, my children feel a sense of pride in having helped, and because I have put more thought into that meal time its generally a nutritionally superior meal. I almost always find the kids will eat more of their dinner and be far less fussy when meal times are approached in this way. I also notice my children are more relaxed at bedtime when we have had a relaxing family dinner together also. The research has also indicated that eating together builds stronger family relationships as it allows you all to come together and discuss your day, and feel connected and heard which helps to build a stronger sense of belonging which is thought to build self-esteem. Children learn through an example so role modeling good eating habits and table manners provides a great learning opportunity. As I always say aim for progress, and not perfection when it comes to health, if family meal times are not something that you currently do often in your house aim to implement a day a week and build on that. Don’t let it be a source of stress or guilt but instead a new fun tradition to start as a family. In my next blog, we will take a look at fun ways to get kids in the kitchen to teach them the valuable life skill of cooking. Kylie Stowe @melawholefoods Veggie loaded meatballs with salad and kumara wedges Serves 4 Meatballs 400 grams of prime minced beef 1 grated carrot 1c of thinly sliced baby spinach 2 cloves of crushed garlic 1 egg 4 tbsp of grated parmesan 2 tbsp of almond flour 1 tin of Ceres Organics Cherry Tomatoes Handful of freshly chopped thyme Kumara wedges 4 small kumara cut into chunky wedges Drizzle of olive oil Seasoning Side salad 4 cups of salad greens 1c of halves cherry tomatoes 4 tbsp of toasted pumpkin seeds 4 diced gherkins ½ a diced cucumber ½ a diced capsicum Drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette Method Preheat the oven to 180c fan bake Combine and mix through all of the ingredients for the meatballs (besides the tinned tomatoes and thyme) shape into golf ball sized meatballs. Mix the tinned tomatoes and herbs then pop in the fridge while you prepare the kumara wedges. Toss the kumara fries in oil and seasoning. Line a shallow baking dish with baking paper then evenly arrange the kumara wedges and put into the oven. Remove the meatballs from the fridge, lightly brown in a cast iron pan and top with the tomato and herb mixture. Put into the oven. Bake both for approximately 20 minutes depending on your oven. While the kumara and meatballs are baking combine the salad ingredients. I like to serve mine with a dollop of coconut yogurt. Enjoy!
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Baby Shower Gifting
The baby gifting gauntlet – how to get it right. Bright pops of primary coloured toys, sleek Scandi-style nursery decor, temptingly tiny booties and seriously drool-worthy bibs. It’s easy to get carried away by the abundance of cute when shopping for a new baby, but what do new parents really need? Choosing the perfect baby shower gift to help make the lives of soon-to-be exhausted parents easier and brighter doesn't need to be complicated. Sticking to some tried-and-true, useful items will have them praising you for your clever gift – day and night. Dress for success That adorable tutu with matching headband and ballet-style booties may seem irresistibly cute, but the reality of dressing and undressing a small baby (several times a day) is likely to have overly fussy outfits quickly relegated to the impractical pile. Top points are given for something that delivers on the baby clothing trifecta – cute factor, easy to put on or take off, and easy to wash. Items like our organic cotton romper will tick all three boxes with minimal effort. While it’s easy to be drawn to the itsy-bitsy doll-sized newborn clothing, new parents will appreciate having a stash of larger clothing their baby can grow into (and some babies may skip newborn sizing all together!) Consider shopping for clothing in the 6 or 12-month range, but beware of seasonal variations. Add a gift of your time – it’s truly mind-blowing how much washing a tiny person can create – help a new parent by offering to put on a load of washing, or simply help fold that endless pile. You are feeling sleepy While gifting the (often elusive and always cherished) necessity of sleep to a new parent isn’t usually possible, products that can help on this front are always appreciated. Most parents will find themselves working their way through a bevy of sleep-related products (swaddles, sleeping bags and sleep aids) to find what suits them and their baby best, so complementary products like sleepwear, our beautiful merino bee blanket or the multipurpose muslin swadle make great gifts. Our merino or cotton gowns are a clever way to dress a baby at night, making night-time nappy changes easy. Anything that saves tired parents from trying to match up dozens of domes in a dimly lit room will have them thanking you for making life that little bit easier. And yes, boys can wear gowns too! Add a gift of your time – Offer to take the baby off their hands for an hour post-feed, so they can catch up on a little sleep. Splish splash, it’s time for a bath The delicate skin of a newborn means bath time in the early days is less about colourful bath toys and more about gentle muslin flannels paired with non-irritating skincare. New parents usually have something in mind for larger essentials like a baby bath, but accessories (think an essentials baby pack or a cosy hooded towel ) always go down a treat. Add a gift of your time – Instead of stopping by for tea and a chat, watch the baby for half an hour so they can take an uninterrupted, leisurely shower. The messy business of mealtime Starting a baby on solids isn’t typically on the radar of parents-to-be, and the associated products don’t often feature on new-baby essentials checklists. This makes baby-feeding accessories seriously useful gifts with some longevity. In the first year of a baby’s life, food seems to be more of a fashion item (to be worn) rather than a source of sustenance, meaning a decent stockpile of bibs is essential. Pretty bibs like the this are perfect for catching spills and staying crumb-free while out and about, whereas the more industrious silicone bib offers the practicality of being dishwasher-safe and stain-resistant. Add a gift of your time – bring over a hearty, home-cooked meal that can be easily frozen or reheated. Exhausted new parents will truly love you for it. The days are long, but the years are short It’s so easy for those precious early years to pass by in a blur of broken sleep and nappy changes, which is why a keepsake baby book makes a thoughtful and memorable gift for parents-to-be. Our beautiful monochrome Marlee + Jo Baby Book allows parents to record everything, from their first thoughts when the new babe arrives, right through to favourite memories of the not-so-new babe’s first day of school. Add a gift of your time – Take your camera along to the baby shower and snap away. Compile and print these special memories for entry in the gifted baby book. Still not sure? Dimples gift vouchers are available for purchase online and in-store, and allow new parents to hop online and pick up those forgotten items...all while still in their pyjamas.
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Music for Babies
Is it a myth or a must? You may have heard that Mozart in utero is essential to healthy brain development, and Baby Einstein on repeat will produce an intellectually advanced toddler. But is music for babies really a thing? Exposing babies and toddlers to music might not necessarily be intelligence-inducing, but it definitely has its benefits for both parents and babies. Here’s what the science really says! Music in utero From around 20 weeks into pregnancy, your baby’s ears start functioning – taking in all the familiar and soothing sounds of the womb and the outside world. That might be mum’s favourite music, the sound of her voice or the constant drum of her heartbeat. So, if classical music isn’t your thing, do you need to suffer through it in the later stages of pregnancy to produce a high IQ human? The jury is out on the intellectual impact of womb-tunes, but listening to music with your unborn babe can be a nice way to schedule some regular time to unwind and bond over your favourite melodies. As a bonus, using this time to de-stress gives you a valid excuse to belt out your greatest hits in the shower. If it makes you feel good, chances are your baby will love it too. While it might be tempting to share an earphone with your belly buddy, playing music through your stereo is a much better option. Amniotic fluid acts as a conductor and can make an earphone too loud for tiny ears. If you’re happy and you know it… We all know that music has the magical ability to transform your mood, and it can do the same for babies and toddlers. Even when they’re little, babies sway or bounce to the beat and can be calmed down with their favourite songs. Using the mood-altering magic of music can also be a helpful way to set up routines for babies and get toddlers on board with chores. Upbeat numbers can get things started in the morning, and special bedtime songs signal to toddlers it’s time to wind down and get ready for sleep. Similarly, music can make chores fun. Rather than asking toddlers to tidy up at the end of the day, take a leaf out of the childcare professionals’ books and learn a ‘clean up’ song – less nagging, more dancing! Learning through music Exposing babies and toddlers to music during their early years helps with learning sounds and the meanings of words. Songs like ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ expand their vocabularies and coordination, while singing the ABCs teaches sounds and early literacy. On the maths front, popular nursery rhymes are full of repetition, a great way for young brains to learn about patterns and what comes next. Lots of nursery rhymes also include numbers – it’s practically maths for babies! Getting physical Getting their tiny groove on helps toddlers build key motor skills like jumping, balancing and clapping. Body and mind work together as they move to the beat. Spatial awareness and social skills are also learnt through movements like dancing – avoiding bumps and noticing how other toddlers move in group settings. Music for bonding Life as a new parent can be all go, so it’s nice to schedule some regular bonding time and fun with music. If you feel lacking in the creative department, check out what’s on offer at your local library or church – many offer preschool music sessions which double as a great (and easy) opportunity for new mums to escape the house. Ears and imaginations Is there anything better than a toddler who is good at listening? Music cues toddlers to move and react, a great way to develop early listening skills. Similarly, songs that call for them to stomp like a dinosaur or snap like a crocodile sharpen their ability to listen and exercise their creative brains. The best musical instruments for your mini maestro Music doesn’t need to be expensive and can easily cost nothing. Aside from singing (free), other beats like clapping, clicking fingers or stomping are easy (and also free) ways to create music at home. Once you’ve exhausted those, there are plenty of things around the home that can make a serious sound – a good old wooden spoon and pot, or clanging two pot lids together. Looking for something slightly more tuneful? The best instruments for little fingers are things that can be hit or shaken. Think soft rattles for babies, simple wooden drums, maracas or xylophones. Music to your ears The good news is, there’s no real evidence that one type of music is better for your baby’s development than another – but there is evidence that music is a good thing overall. All that really matters is that you’re having fun and enjoying music with your little one. Because if you’re happy (and you know it), chances are your baby will be happy too!
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Making a Baby First Aid Kit
10 essentials for your baby’s first aid kit Be ready for emergencies and trips away You’ve Pinterested your dream nursery, sussed the decor and ticked off all the big purchases like a cot, pram and capsule. The reality of being responsible for a tiny person can take a while to sink in, and usually, a first aid kit for your baby isn’t top of mind. While you might have a couple of items like a thermometer and tiny nail clippers on your radar, a comprehensive first aid kit will set you up for years to come. It’s also easy to pop in your bag for trips away. Be sure to include these ten essentials: Thermometer – a thermometer you can trust can give you so much assurance. A non-contact thermometer like the NUK Baby Flash Thermometer makes the process super easy, and can even be used to see how hot your baby’s bath or food are too! Nasal decongestant and saline spray – unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before your little one gets their first cold and it usually means trouble feeding and sleeping. Since it’s a good few years until they can learn to blow their nose (usually around aged 2), a nasal decongestant combined with a saline nasal spray can help de-stuff and make feeding and sleeping a little easier. Nail clippers – cutting tiny nails for the first time can be a truly frightening experience and even worse, they seem to grow at lightning speed! Having some specific clippers on hand to keep nails short will prevent him from scratching himself. Emergency contacts – avoid scrambling on your phone by keeping important numbers like PlunketLine , Healthline and your local GP in an easy-to-find spot in your first aid kit – consider taping them to the inside of the lid. Pain relief – some form of over-the-counter pain relief such as liquid paracetamol or ibuprofen in your baby first aid kit can come in handy at all hours of the day or night. While you should always consult a professional (either your GP or an after-hours service) before administering any type of medicine, having this at the ready for fevers and minor aches and pains saves a trip to the pharmacy. An oral syringe – getting medicine into a baby can be tricky. The Haakaa Oral Syringe is an affordable, reusable syringe that is easy to use and easy to clean. Tweezers – even babies can get splinters! Rubbing alcohol swabs – grab a stash of these sterilising wipes to keep thermometers, tweezers and scissors clean. Plasters and antiseptic spray – even before they’re on the move, cuts and scrapes can happen. When they start moving, cuts and scrapes seem to happen every day! Disinfecting these and covering them with a small plaster will help them heal much faster. Gas relief drops – when burping doesn't seem to cut it, try infant gas relief drops. Learn more – take a course In addition to a well-stocked first aid kit for your baby, going along to a course specifically designed for dealing with littlies in an emergency is a great investment. Organisations like Plunket and Red Cross regularly hold affordable short courses designed to give you the confidence and basic skills needed to deal with emergencies until help arrives.
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Exercising while pregnant, yay or nay?
Should you exercise while pregnant? Optimise health for you and baby by keeping fit For the majority of women, pregnancy will mean being uncomfortable, one way or another. Research shows that energy expenditure during pregnancy is at the upper limit of what humans can maintain physically — it’s hard work. It’s no surprise that lots of women find it difficult to keep on exercising throughout this – especially when you already have kids running you ragged. But exercise is important for you and your baby’s health. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that expectant mums try to complete half an hour of moderate exercise every single day. Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? Yes. In general, if you were physically active before your pregnancy, you can continue exercising as long as it’s comfortable. But – and this is a big but – pregnancy is not the time to exercise for weight loss. Your goals should be about maintaining your fitness and keeping your muscles in tune, so you’re ready for birth and those early newborn days. Benefits of exercise when pregnant Even if the goal of 30 minutes a day seems unobtainable, try to do something. Here’s why it’ll be worth the effort. You’ll: Be comfier: exercise helps to minimise backaches, bloating, swelling and constipation Stay healthier: exercise can help prevent and control gestational diabetes Have more energy Feel happier Cope with the weight of that big belly better, with improved muscle tone and posture Get better sleep Have an easier time in labour Find it easier to regain your fitness after the baby is born How to exercises safely during pregnancy If you already have an exercise regime, you may not be able to complete it at the same intensity as before. That’s to be expected. Here, we have a variety of options for low-impact fitness. Swimming – Low to no-impact, swimming lets you exercise without feeling the added weight of baby. You’ll relieve stress on joints, alleviate nausea and sciatic pain, and help to reduce water retention. If you’re not a swimmer, try aqua jogging. Just be gentle on yourself and don’t jump or dive into the water. Your baby can’t handle the bubbles that are created inside when you change altitude underwater. Walking – Probably the easiest and cheapest form of exercise is walking. You can do this right up until your due date, you can go as quickly or slowly as you like, and you don’t need any special gear. If you have kids already, walking to the park is a great way to fit exercise into your busy schedule. Running – If you’re already a runner, it’s fine to continue during pregnancy. Whether it’s on a treadmill or outside, whatever you’re used to and feel comfortable doing is fine. However, just be aware that your ligaments and joints will loosen during your pregnancy, which can put you at risk of injury. Group fitness classes – Low-impact workouts are great, from Body Balance to Zumba. They pump your heart rate up, get the blood flowing, and make you feel great. However as your body changes, so does your center of gravity. This can make balancing difficult and jumping can be challenging. Ask the instructor for alternative moves that will accommodate your pregnancy. Excercycling – Using an exercycle is great during pregnancy. It’s low-impact, you can pedal with as much resistance as is comfortable, and with little risk of a fall. You can do spin classes if you tell your instructor you’re pregnant and avoid pressure and standing. Martial arts, kickboxing, pole dancing – If you have been doing these activities for a long time already, it’s fine to continue doing them for as long as it’s comfortable. Avoid impact/pressure to the stomach and stop if you feel uncomfortable. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – This can be very intense, so it’s not something you should be trying for the first time during pregnancy. If you’ve been doing it for a while, make some modifications and you should be fine. Avoid jumping and high-impact moves, and use lower weights than normal. Be careful with anything that involves balancing, and stop if you feel short of breath or dizzy. Outdoor sports – Give skiing and snowboarding a miss, because a fall could be catastrophic. Things like ice skating and horseback riding may be fine for the first two trimesters, but once your balance is affected they may become difficult. Pilates, yoga and barre – These are ideal pregnancy exercises. The practitioner should be able to tailor them to suit your needs. Focus on your core, pelvic tilt and floor exercises, core strengthening and flexibility. Look for classes that can be adjusted for pregnant women, as these will require less balance, more breathing focus and appropriate strength exercises. Weightlifting – This is a great way to increase strength and tone. Use lighter weights for more reps and it may be more comfortable to use machines rather than free weights, to help control movements and limit injury. Exercises to avoid Most things are safe, as your baby is nestled in protective fluid in the amniotic sac. However you should avoid: High-impact exercise that you’re not used to Lying flat on your back, as this may put pressure on blood vessels and reduce blood flow Contact sports, such as rugby Skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey or gymnastics, where there is a high risk of falls Scuba diving, as the baby has no ability to avoid gas embolism Anything in high altitudes, as you are more at risk of altitude sickness Exercising in high temperatures, as you may overheat the baby Get moving, mama! If you’re pregnant, exercise is one of the best things you can do for your and your baby’s health. If you’re already active you can continue doing what feels comfortable, unless your sport of choice is high intensity or potentially harmful to baby. Do warmups and cool downs to give you time to adjust and take notice of how your body feels. Adapt exercises to lessen the impact on your body, but in general you can do what feels good. If unsure, please seek advice from your healthcare provider. Make sure you eat enough, drink enough water, and listen to your body. Give your baby the best possible growing environment and the best entry into this world.
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Pregnancy Stages - Third Trimester
Can’t wait to meet you! Here’s what happens during your third trimester of pregnancy. You’re on the home stretch! It’s your third trimester, the final stage of your pregnancy, marked from week 29 to 40 (or even week 42 or 43, if you go over!) Anything uncomfortable that started getting niggly in the second trimester will continue, and probably get worse. You can expect a bunch of others to join the party, too! The good news is that it’s now possible for your baby to survive outside of the womb with some medical help, and every day that passes it’s getting stronger – something you’ll sure feel as it begins walloping you. This growing little person is now taking up more space, which pushes your internal organs up into your ribs, presses on your bladder and makes digestion difficult. You may get breathless and need to pee a whole lot more often. This is totally normal and will go away almost the second the baby is born. As your due date approaches, your body also begins getting ready for birth. The baby will start sitting lower in your belly, and your cervix will begin to thin and soften, which can feel like period cramps. You may also begin to feel Braxton Hicks, which are like tiny contractions and make your whole belly go rock hard. What happens to your body? This is the month of big physical changes on the outside for you-you'll look really, obviously pregnant, and begin to feel heavy and slow. Sleeping may also get harder – the weight of your belly means sleeping on your back is uncomfortable (and even dangerous), while side sleeping may feel more comfortable with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Here are some other things you may experience • Swollen feet, ankles, face or fingers. If you puff up suddenly or gain weight quickly, call your doctor – it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, which is serious. • Constipation • Hemorrhoids • Tender breasts, which may begin making colostrum (pre-milk) • A popped-out belly button • Shortness of breath • Heartburn • Difficulty sleeping What’s going on in there? At 29 weeks, your baby is pretty much fully formed but is still busy getting everything into working order. Weighing in at about 1kg, and 38.5cm long, your baby’s soft bones are getting harder, with more calcium deposits. The brain is also fired up with neurons, gaining folds as it gets more complex. At 33 weeks, and kicking up a storm, your baby is 1.5kg and is losing living space by the day. Your baby is gaining about 200g a week, filling in that wrinkled skin The eyes can now open and close, but the lungs are still not quite ready yet. Even so, your baby has begun practicing breathing, by inhaling amniotic fluid. The fine covering of hair is now beginning to fall off, but many babies are born with much of it – and it falls off completely after birth. Your 36-week baby is counting the days until you finally get to meet. In the meantime, it’s in there packing on the pounds. The vernix, that waxy coating, is thickening and your active wee one is almost certainly pummeling you from within – you may even be able to tell whether that bump in your belly is a foot or a hand. At 40 weeks, your baby has organs that all work on their own and is technically ready to come out – although many babies stick around for two or three weeks longer. As your due date approaches, your baby will (hopefully) move its head down, facing backward. This is the ideal (but not the only) birth position. While you’re pregnant it can feel like a never-ending journey, and then suddenly you meet that little person you’ve been carrying for close to ten months. The range of emotions you might feel at this point is enormous – the first days with your new baby can be exhilarating, exhausting, heartbreaking and utterly wonderful all at the same time. You might suddenly see your pregnancy as a strange dream that happened to someone else! Getting ready for a baby? Click here to view our newborn essentials checklist.
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Pregnancy Stages - Second Trimester
Hello in there! Here’s what happens during your second trimester of pregnancy. The second trimester, marked from weeks 13 to 28, is often when pregnant women feel at their best. The major developments in your baby’s growth have slowed, which means the hormones (and all the horrible symptoms!) tend to ease now, too. Your baby bump will be popped out – so people stop wondering if you’ve just been eating too much cake – and you can also begin to feel a bit more reassured that your pregnancy will be viable. It’s extremely unusual to miscarry after week 12, which is why many parents wait until the second trimester to announce their impending addition to the family. Your baby is busy refining the developments made in the first trimester, which means you’ll still feel reasonably light and mobile. The second trimester is arguably the most exciting period in pregnancy. On top of feeling a lot better, you’ll also begin to see obvious signs of life. Some women feel movement as early as 13 weeks, but some don’t feel those first flutters until closer to 25 weeks. It all depends on your baby’s positioning, and where your placenta is. It’s in the second trimester that you’ll have scans that will tell you your baby is growing as it should, and, if you like, what sex it is. While the external sex organs are more clearly male or female now, scans can get it wrong – it’s not unheard of for parents to take home a little girl when they were expecting a boy (and vice versa!) What happens to your body? While your body is saving up all the really big changes until the third trimester, you’ll still notice a big shift. Here are some symptoms you may experience: Feeling achy in your back, tummy, groin, or thighs Stretch marks on your tummy, breasts, thighs, or bum Darkening of the areola (skin around your nipple) Development of the linea nigra – a line on your skin running from belly button to pubic hairline Patches of darker skin on your cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip Numb or tingly hands Itchy tummy, palms or bottoms of the feet. If this is combined with fatigue, nausea and yellowed skin, call the doctor – it could be your liver. Swollen feet, ankles, face or fingers. If you puff up suddenly or gain weight quickly, call your doctor – it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, which is serious. The good news is that this is the trimester for the famous pregnancy glow. If you’re lucky, you might notice your hair getting lush and shiny, your nails growing faster, and your skin looking radiant. Not too bad right? Remember to treat yourself kindly – lots of good food, sleep and gentle exercise. You may notice feeling a little slower, or short of breath now, too – this is normal. Listen to what your body is telling you and try not to push yourself too hard. What’s going on in there? At 16 weeks, your baby is about 11.5 cm long and weighs a hefty 85 grams. This trimester is all about putting the finishing touches on its little work of art. The bones and muscles are still forming and the skin appears – it’s nearly transparent. Your baby will also be making its first poo! This is called meconium and develops in your baby's intestinal tract. The sucking reflex is working overtime, practising for the breast or bottle. Whether or not you can feel it, your baby is also getting frisky in there, kicking arms and legs, and swimming around in that still-roomy sack. At 20 weeks, the way your baby is measured changes. Before, your baby was measured from head to bum – it’s hard to measure those tiny legs when they’re all tucked up. At 20 weeks, people generally begin measuring foetuses from head to heel – so it can seem your baby has stretched from 15cm in week 19 to 25cm in week 20. Your baby’s skin is now covered by fine, feathery hair, called lanugo, and a waxy protective coating called vernix. Other hair comes in too – eyebrows, lashes and the first tufts up on top. Your baby can swallow, and also has working ears – you may notice your baby’s movements respond to sound. By 24 weeks, your baby is over halfway done – and babies born at this stage have even been known to survive, with a lot of medical help. There’s still plenty more left to do, though. Your baby needs to fatten up, and still has important elements developing: bone marrow begins to make blood cells, taste buds, footprints and fingerprints form, and sex organs are all present and accounted for. Your baby’s lungs are formed, but still don’t work. What happens next? Read about your third trimester.
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Pregnancy stages – First Trimester
Welcome, little bean Here’s what happens during your first trimester of pregnancy. You’re pregnant! Congrats – this is both an unbelievably special moment, and one that’s totally ordinary. It should come as a comfort to you that while this may be your first time pregnant, there are billions of women who have gone before you. The first thing to remember about pregnancies is that each is unique – our founder Jane Anne had 14 children and tells us that none of her pregnancies were the same. There are, however, some things you can predict. Most women experience similar things at similar stages, and you can expect your baby to grow and develop at predictable periods. The first trimester begins at the official date of conception, which oddly enough is counted from about two weeks before you actually conceive. That’s because doctors count from the date of your last period – you’ll have ovulated and conceived about two weeks after, but there’s no way of knowing exactly when. What happens to your body? During the first trimester, your baby’s development is at its most visibly startling, developing from a cluster of cells into something that looks pretty much human in a matter of weeks. That takes a lot of effort – and hormones – on the part of your body. While most women won’t start to show until the second trimester (and a bit earlier if this isn’t your first pregnancy), many women feel very pregnant very quickly – bloat can look a lot like a pregnancy belly. Some other symptoms you may experience are: Feeling really tired Sore and swollen breasts and nipples Morning sickness (that actually appears around the clock!) Food cravings or aversions Mood swings Constipation Needing to pee more Headaches Indigestion Weight gain or loss Such glamour! But don’t worry – this is only a short-lived period in your pregnancy. It gets easier. The best way to manage it is to stay as healthy as possible. Eat and sleep well, and get as much gentle exercise as you can manage. That means you may need to go to bed earlier, cut out foods that make you queasy, eat smaller meals more frequently, and shift away from high-impact exercises to walking, swimming, and yoga. For many women, morning sickness peaks in weeks 8 and 9 and then will begin to taper off – along with their other symptoms – as they head into the second trimester (counted from 12 weeks). What’s going on in there? Your baby is getting busy! These early weeks are when your baby is building all the components of its body. By week 12, your baby will look like a person (just with odd proportions). At four weeks, your baby is still called an embryo. At a teeny tiny 0.5cm long, your baby has already begun work on its brain, spinal cord, and heart. Four little buds have sprouted, which will eventually become legs and arms. By week eight, your baby is 2.5cm and is now officially a fetus. All major organs are under development (hello, tiny lungs) and the heart has begun to beat. Little details are underway too – fingers and toes (with minuscule nails!) sex organs and facial features. The end of the first trimester is marked by the beginning of week 12. At this point, your baby is about 7.5cm long, with nerves and muscles that work together (which is why some parents catch their little one sucking a thumb on scans!) Eyelids close and won’t open again until about week 28. If you could peer inside, you’d see that your baby looks quite a lot like… a baby! The head, however, is still a lot bigger in proportion to the body and the arms and legs are still quite short. What happens next? Read about your second trimester here.
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Choosing a Baby Name
Small baby, big decision 10 tips for choosing the right baby name Thinking about baby names can be one of the best parts of pregnancy – or the worst. Some parents agree on a name quickly, while others agonise over popularity, spelling, flow, and family names. Some announce the name early on, others wait to meet their baby before making the final decision. No matter where you fall on the baby-naming spectrum, you might need a bit of help when you’re first starting out. Here are our top ten naming tips: 1: Check the family tree If you’re struggling to find names you love, your family can be a good place to start looking. You could choose to honour a living relative with a namesake or look further back to find an unusual or classic option. Either way, a family name can be a nice way to connect your child with their history. 2: Consider your surname Choosing your future child’s last name can narrow down your options for first names. Whether you go the traditional route and pass on the father’s name, switch things around by passing on the mother’s, hyphenate, or combine the two into an entirely new name, it’s important to have it sorted before you start thinking about first names. When you are considering firsts, write the options down with the surname and say them out loud – some names simply don’t sound right with some surnames, and others can create embarrassing phrases or words when said aloud. It’s better to find out before you name that adorable baby. 3: Don’t worry (too much) about popularity Some parents want a solid, well-known name for their child – others dread meeting another baby with the same name. Remember that popularity isn’t what it used to be. Because the spread of baby names is much broader than it once was, the top ten names are not used for nearly as many babies as they used to be. It’s more about luck and location – if you live in a trendy suburb, your Archie or Lucinda could be one of three in the class, while children with once-common names like Thomas and Lucy stand out. 3: Nickname or not? These days, more and more parents are choosing to give their children longer names without using a nickname. Once you’ve established that you don’t call your child by a nickname, most people tend to accept that decision and move along. But, as he gets older, your child could end up choosing a nickname for himself, so it’s worth considering the possibility. If you adore the name Timothy but hate Tim, it’s probably best to keep looking. 4: Spelling mistakes Many parents choose to alter the spelling of a name because they like the alternative better, or because they want their child to stand out. Although there’s nothing really wrong with changing the spelling, tread carefully – complicated or unusual spelling choices can end up being more trouble than they’re worth. Not only will you end up spelling the name and correcting people frequently, but your child will need to deal with misspellings when they grow up. 5: Ask around When you’re a first-time parent, popularity can be hard to gauge, unless you happen to be a teacher or paediatrician. Many parents make the mistake of thinking a choice is uncommon because they don’t know anyone with the name, but forget that their thirty-something friends don’t represent the current crop of babies and toddlers. If you’re concerned about popularity, ask your teacher and parent friends for help. They’ll be able to tell you whether Mia is really the unique choice you think it is, or whether they already know three little girls with that name. 6: Unfortunate initials For most people, initials are pretty far down the list of baby-name considerations. And in most cases, they don’t really matter. But do have a quick look at your first, middle, and last initial choices, particularly if you’re using a middle name that starts with a vowel. Peter Ian Gibson, Anastasia Sara Smith, and Fiona Amy Thompson are all perfectly lovely names – with not-so-lovely initials. Although it can be hard to give up a beloved name, it’s probably better to find out earlier, rather than later. 7: Future focus The more children you have, the harder it can be to choose names. That’s why, if you’re planning on more than one, it’s smart to consider sibling names at the same time. You don’t have to decide on full names for four future children, just think about your naming style and whether you have enough options to fit. If you love the name Echo for your first, but usually prefer more mainstream choices like Lucas and Mila, think about whether those names will work together. On the other hand, many parents don’t care about sibling name co-ordination, so it’s really a matter of personal taste. 8: Test it out It’s easy to come up with a list of names you like, but harder to imagine whether they’ll work in real life. Once you’re down to a couple of choices, testing the name can be a good way to figure out how you feel about it. Use the name at a coffee shop or when you order takeaways – does it sound good out loud? Do you have to spell it? Do people understand it's the first time? If you’re too embarrassed to even use the name, that’s good information as well. The yell test is another good one: shout the name across your garden or a crowded playground. Is it easy to say? Does it feel natural or odd? It’s not about how other people react, it’s about whether you can realistically use the name yourself. 9: Google it One of the final tests for a baby name is Google. Once you have the first and last choices sorted, it’s worth a quick Google search to see whether there’s a serial killer or other unfortunate association with the full name. Some parents also use a search engine to check out how unusual the name really is – and it’s not about avoiding popularity. In theory, if your child’s first and last names are unique, it can be a negative, as he won’t have the luxury of online anonymity. But, as always, this is a matter of personal opinion. 10: Your baby, your choice Ultimately, your baby’s name is up to you and your partner. It can be useful to get feedback from trusted friends or relatives but don’t set too much store by other people’s opinions. No one name is going to please everyone, and since you’re the ones making the baby, it’s really your choice. Many couples choose not to share names before the birth to avoid unwanted opinions – and once there’s a gorgeous baby with the name, people are far less likely to be negative. Preparing for your baby’s arrival? Check out our advice on everything from sleep to strollers here.
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