Prenatal Care

Where the mother is her own midwife. She tests and records the results.


Weight: There is no need to worry about your weight if you are getting good nutrition in your diet. However, if you have a sudden weight gain due to fluid retention. Your wrists and ankles will be the first to swell up. Eat more protein, drink more water and look at how much magnesium and calcium you are getting in your diet. You may need a supplement.

Blood Pressure: Take a reading before you are pregnant. If you can't, take one as soon as you know you are pregnant. This reading will be used to compare other readings taken during your pregnancy. A rise of 20 over the top number and 15 over the bottom number of your baseline reading is considered  high.

Cucumber and watermelon help to lower high blood pressure along with magnesium and calcium supplements. Drink plenty of water. If blood pressure is high and you also have protein spillage in your urine, you should be increasing protein intake to 75-100g a day. Click Here to go to the Centre for Unhindered Living & learn how to take your blood pressure.

Urine Analysis: Test strips for protein and other things (usually glucose) can be bought from a chemist. The kit will come with instructions and a colour map. Just remember that testing for glucose does not increase the chances of a good outcome for mother or baby. If you have more than a trace of protein in your urine, make sure that you are getting 75-100g of protein daily.

Fundus: Measure with a tape measure from the pubic bone over your belly to where the top of the uterus is. After 24 weeks the number of cm you measure should correspond to how many weeks you are. Of course your baby could be big/small or you may have more amnoitic fluid than is usual, so don't worry if you measure bigger or smaller!

Heartbeat: FHT range is approx 120 to 160 beats per minute. 

Fetal Position: Check out Spinning Babies for details on how to map your baby's position. Just paying attention to your baby's movements and feeling your belly will help you get an idea of where your baby is at. Dreams as a diagnostic tool can be very useful as well. The position of the baby doesn't really matter though because vertex or breech positions are fine for birth. The only concern is that of a transverse lie baby that does not turn in labour, and this is rarer than a breech presentation.

Which type of care to go with?

This has a lot to do with each woman's personal philosophies.

If you choose to do some or all prenatal care, be aware that it is possible you may have some unresolved fears over a particular area Eg. Trying to determine position of baby - not quite trusting in your ability to give birth without assistance regardless of position.

This can cause worry or hidden negative expectations which can result in the problem you're stressing over.

Part of preparing for birth involves processing your fears surrounding birth, so be consciously aware of what you are doing.

Some women do both self and prenatal care, choosing to have a medical record of their prenatal care so that if truly necessary medical care is needed, she will have a prenatal history that may come in useful.

IF YOU FALL ILL

Find out why you are ill and what you can do to remedy that. Try the alternative ways first and only resort to allopathic means if necessary and at last resort (because of the risks associated with the allopathic model) - only you will be able to determine necessity for yourself.

Probiotics (acidophilus and bifidobacterium powders) are GREAT for keeping infections at bay and colonising the birth canal with good, healthy and beneficial bacteria.

Grapefruit Seed Extract is nature's antibiotic, like garlic. GSE is very powerful, you must never take it undiluted. You can take it for infections, colds, pretty much anything. It is very good at killing off bad bacterial invasions and viruses.

Transfer Factor is the substance that your body takes to make antibodies and other substances that fight invaders. They are in colustrum in very high quantities and are thought to be how the baby creates his/her own immune system. If your immune system is lagging and seems in need of extra help, Transfer Factor provides that.

To support the immune system, there are many different kinds of herbs and homeopathics available that are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Pregnancy tea of red raspberry leaf, nettles, alfalfa, and dandelion is full of nutrients and immune supporting properties. It prepares your uterus for birth by strengthening, toning and relaxing it. You can also add yellow dock root for iron problems if you wish.

Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Homeopaths, Acupuncturists and so on are great for alternative care. You just have to find the right one for you!

Note: Going to a GP or allopathic doctor for a diagnosis/test to discover what the illness is exactly, can aid you in caring for yourself at home. Knowing what you are facing will make it easier to empower yourself with information regarding your illness and be able to make your own decisions regarding your preferred method of treatment.