Following Maha’s article on Belly dancing, I have had so many emails from readers, asking how they can get more info about belly dancing.

The good news is…as from NEXT WEEK I will have Maha’s book and DVD available from my website as I have ordered some in. If you would like to reserve your copy before they all sell out, just drop me an email and add your name to the list. I will let you know when they arrive.  They should be here by next week.

Maha will also be coming to Perth next August/September next year to run a ‘Bellydanceforbirth’ training session, for anyone wishing to learn this skill to pass on to others. She will also be doing these sessions in many other locations.  Stay tuned and I’ll bring her schedule to you next week if possible.

It’s important not only when you’re pregnant, or a new parent, but at all times to have a good support network around you. It can make all the difference between sanity and insanity.  I’m sure these networks have helped prevent many people, both male and female from plunging into the depths of depression when things get tough.

Different places you may wish to look, to find these networks of support are:

•    Family and friends
•    Co-workers
•    Church
•    Sporting clubs
•    Hobby groups
•    Pregnancy Resource Centre’s
•    Libraries
•    Women’s health centre’s
•    Maternal and Child Health Centre’s
•    Playgroups
•    Schools
•    Local pool or club

There are many more places you can look.  Start getting active in your local community and I’m sure you’d be surprised at what’s actually out there.  Get a hold of your local paper, as this is a GREAT resource for finding people and groups close to you.

As we come close to our ‘due date’ we become quite conscious of the position of our baby inutero. Is there an ‘Optimal position’ for the baby to be in?  Yes there is. Preferably we want the baby’s head to be down and bottom up (known as ‘cephalic’). Labour is generally quicker and easier too if the back of the baby’s head is towards the front of your belly.  We also look for the head to become ‘fully engaged’ by the time you are in labour (meaning, it has dropped right down into the pelvis). When the baby is in the optimal position, labour generally progresses quite well.

If your baby is not in the optimal position, there are several things you can do to move it to a better position.  These can include:

• Leaning forward or on all fours as often as possible to move it around to the front.
• Belly dancing can be a terrific way to help the baby move into the right position or to help it move through the pelvis with ease.
• Communicating with your baby and ‘asking’ it to move
• Gentle regular massage to the belly in the direction that you want bub to turn
• Reflexology, shiatsu, acupuncture, acupressure, homeopathics etc. There are many different types of natural therapies that can be used, depending on your preferences.  Always seek the advice of a professional practitioner though when using any of these modalities during pregnancy

There are many other things you can try.  I suggest  doing a google search.  A fantastic website to visit for this is:

www.spinningbabies.com

Also a great book to read on this topic, if you can find a copy, is ‘Understanding and Teaching Optimal Foetal Positioning’ by Jean Sutton and Pauline Scott.

Everyone is different and as such it seems, some women are more prone to stretchmarks than others.  I don’t know that you can completely prevent stretchmarks from forming in all women, as it depends on your skins integrity and pigmentation.

You can however, do a lot to help your skins suppleness and moisture level.  Often as our belly grows, the skin is stretched so far out of it’s normal range.  The skin tends to become very dry and itchy.  We can apply nourishing body oils, ‘stretchmark blends’ and body butters.  These generally tend to use some essential oils (that are safe to use in pregnancy) that are particularly good for the skins elasticity and moisture retaining properties.  There are a lot to choose from out on the market.  Shop around and find one that suits you and use it on a daily basis.  While massaging it in, be conscious to soothe and nourish the skin and take time to connect with your baby.  This way, it will have a two way benefit for both you and your baby.  I’m sure your baby will love the massage!

If you want to keep your birth as natural as possible then practice regular relaxation, listen to your intuition and trust your body! Listen to what your body is telling you, not what other people are telling you. No-one knows your body like you do. If you feel comfortable with this and trust what your body is telling you, you will know if everything is okay, or if you need to make changes.

Avoid interventions wherever possible, otherwise you may start the ‘cascade of intervention’, whereby one intervention leads to another, then another and another. Work with your body’s natural endorphins and oxytocin.  They are there for a reason and make labour so much more comfortable, as long as you don’t block them out with artificial substitutes. Find out more ideas on what you can do in my eBook on ‘Childbirth Preparation’.  Available at:  www.childbirthpreparationebook.com

I am often asked this question by women, who have been told by their caregivers that because they are over 35 years old, they are ‘high risk’ and unlikely to be able to birth naturally!

Firstly, let me say…35 is not old!  Neither is 40!   I can say this because I’m older!! 

But it totally depends on the individual and their health and flexibility. There is supposedly a higher ‘risk’ of having a baby with ‘Down’s Syndrome’ which they usually test for early in pregnancy, but this shouldn’t affect your body’s ability to birth. So, if you are fit and healthy, don’t have any medical problems or complications and the pregnancy is going well, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be able to birth naturally! Admittedly our bodies ain’t what they used to be when we were 20, but there’s no reason why you can’t prepare yourself well ahead of time by staying active, joining a pregnancy yoga class, having regular massages (partners listen up) and generally gather knowledge and educate yourself. Almost all the women I have known to birth beyond their 35 years, has labored and birthed beautifully. So…YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!

The simple answer to this one is to read the article below and take URGENT ACTION…otherwise the option of homebirth may be lost to Australian women. Even if you don’t want a homebirth, many other women do and our children may…so help keep choice alive for ALL women…PLEASE!

Ever heard stories of people giving birth on the roadside on the way to hospital? If this happens to you, the main thing is NOT TO PANIC! Usually when this happens, everything will be okay.  You need to remain calm, ring for the ambulance and allow the birth to happen calmly and naturally.  Below is a full article on EXACTLY what to do. It is written for an at home scenario, but adapt it for the roadside and just make do with whatever you do have available to you. The main thing is to stay calm. So read on and worry no more!!

Stress is never good for us, but when we’re pregnant it is even more important to reduce stress levels, as we now have our baby to consider also. If you work in a stressful job, think about a change or taking on less stressful duties. Finish work as early as is practical in your circumstances so you have plenty of time to relax and prepare for the upcoming birth. Find relaxing pastimes, such as yoga, meditation, gardening etc.

See the article below about relaxation during pregnancy.  Consider listening to meditation CDs, or specially designed tracks for pregnancy, such as the ‘Pregnancy Relaxation’ Natal Hypnotherapy CD, which you can find at:

http://www.soulbirth.com/natal_hypnotherapy_cds.77.html

Try to avoid stressful situations as much as possible, as stress release adrenalin into the system and can cause a stress reaction in the baby also. Find things that make you ‘Feel good’ instead as this releases endorphins, creating the opposite effect.

Due date is calculated by adding 7 days and 9 months to the start of your last menstrual period.  This is of course, assuming that you have a regular 28 day cycle! If not, the dates may be out by 1-2 weeks.  That is why ‘due date’ can be anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks gestation!  So don’t let your doctor tell you that you’re ‘overdue’ when you get to 40 weeks and 1 day (or earlier!). You’re not technically ‘overdue’ until you go past 42 weeks! Of course, if there is a concern for the mother or baby’s wellbeing before this date, there may be an indication to start labour sooner.

Generally though, mums know their cycles better than anyone else and should know by how they’re feeling and how much their baby is moving, as to whether anything is wrong.  So listen to your body, trust your intuition and allow the baby to choose it’s birthdate.