Alison Canavan's Pregnancy Experiences and the Mothercare Midwife's Tips

Alison Canavan, international model and the 'Face of Mothercare', was joined for her pregnancy series on TV3’s Ireland AM by the Mothercare Midwife, Margaret Merrigan-Feenan to look back over the last eight months and identify times when she needed an additional boost.

Margaret also identified some common questions that Mums-to-be ask regarding medication for pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy and diabetes and offered the following advice:

Pre-existing medical conditions - for example: epilepsy, asthma, diabetes

• No self medication of drugs during pregnancy
• Check with GP that any medication you were taking prior to becoming pregnant is safe to use during pregnancy
• Do not come off medication without consulting GP
• If you notice any change in or worsening of your condition, contact your GP immediately
• Notify your midwife and obstetrician of any pre-existing medical condition and any medication you are taking

Recommended nutrients for a healthy balanced diet for both Mum and baby:

• Folic Acid
• Iron & Vitamin C
• Calcium & Vitamin D
• Omega 3 and 6

In addition, some common ailments experienced throughout pregnancy include tummy bugs and head colds. Margaret’s advice if you experience these is as follows:

If you have a tummy bug:

• Keep hydrated
• Get plenty of rest
• If bug continues after 24 hours, seek medical advice from midwife or GP

For head colds / nasal congestion:

• Take extra fluids, especially hot drinks
• Vitamin C
• Plenty of rest

If you have a mild fever, take two paracetamol but always check the label
If temperature continues, seek medical advice from a midwife or GP

The Birthday Party: TV3's Sybil Mulcahy gives some tips on how to keep a gang of four year olds entertained - and not get ripped off in the process

Hugh turned 4 on July 5^th and for weeks beforehand my husband kept saying to me that we must organise a party. I was initially intrigued by the 'We' concept; was my other half actually going to get involved in the planning, preparation and buying for this momentous event? Not a chance as it turned out! So, as the weather forecast predicted, it was going to be a whole day of rain on the chosen date for the celebrations, I started panicking about what I could do to keep 18 four year olds entertained!

I had never thrown a kids birthday party before, but how hard could it be and how high were their expectations? I never remember being four, do you? I think I may remember my first day at school and then a couple of other days in my early childhood but seriously I can’t remember much before 8 so I figured if any of the little tots thought the entertainment was rubbish they would soon forget!

Anyway, I figured you can’t go wrong with the old reliable, the bouncy castle and gosh you can get ripped off when it comes to hiring these things. I initially got quoted €250 for a rather large looking green dinosaur but was told I could get a deal on it and could get it for €200. Now I have never hired one of these in my life so I believed €200 was the going rate. That's until I was in the make-up room in TV3 getting ready to film and beside me was Geraldine O’Callaghan from The Apprentice who was about to go on the Midday panel. I mentioned to her about bouncy castles and she said her brother Gerard did them for €80 and you could keep them for as long as you wanted. €80 - bloody hell, I couldn't believe it, straight away that perked up my party budget. I immediately got on the phone to himself and on the chosen Saturday a large bouncy giraffe arrived at my house (in the lashings of rain) and it was just as good as any dinosaur! If anyone is interested in his contact details just email me in TV3.

So with some extra euros in my wallet and with the weather forecast looking increasingly worse I decided a back up plan was needed in case the garden would be too wet. So I got onto a local toy shop to ask them who would they use in the face painting world. Face painting is big business. Google it on the net and there are hundreds around Ireland all charging different rates from €100 to €160. A basic face painting kit in a toy shop is around twenty, so if you’re stuck draft in a teenage cousin and get them to work.

Hugh ended up being Batman on the day and welcomed his crèche friends with black paint covering much of his face and funnily enough the first thing they all did was head into the toy room. I had to practically hijack the kids to get onto the bouncy castle, all they wanted to do was play with the toys we already had. So on reflection a party need not be a big pain in the ass. Stick the kids in your playroom and let them roam around with bits of Lego for the afternoon.

We rounded off the day with chicken nuggets and chips from Marks and Spencer and a big Lion cake. The cake was eaten. As for the food - well a few chips were had. Isn't that always the way?

All in all, I just needed one glass of wine once they were all gone. That's it on the birthday party front in my house though, my husband can arrange the next one! Two words though: Fat Chance!

About Sybil:

Sybil Mulcahy is well recognisable as a former reporter on TV3's XPOSÉ and now she's at the centre of family issues as presenter of The Morning Show with Sybil and Martin.

Sybil joined TV3 nine years ago after returning from San Diego where she worked on the Education Channel as a reporter and as an editor in a CBS affiliate.

She was TV3's entertainment correspondent for several years and has interviewed famous faces such as Tom Cruise, Beyoncé, Pierce Brosnan and Bill Clinton.

Sybil is from Ballsbridge, in Dublin and studied Arts at UCD and afterwards Communications in UCG. She has also completed a marketing diploma.

August's Midwife Question of the Month: When Will The Baby Kick?

Our Mothercare midwife, Margaret Merrigan-Feenan answers this month's Question of the Month.

Question:

When should you first feel the baby kick? I’m 21 weeks this week and I haven’t felt anything yet, and am starting to get worried.

Answer:

The first time you feel the baby move is called quickening, and is one of the most exciting moments of your pregnancy. Quickening usually occurs between 18 and 22 weeks, but variations are common.

With first time mothers, it often happens towards the end of the range, 20 to 22 weeks. It can be felt sooner by thin women and in women who have had a baby before as they are likely to recognise movement earlier, because they know what to expect. In overweight women, they may not be aware of movements until they become more vigorous. If a woman is unsure of her due date or her expected date has been calculated incorrectly this will throw the timing out.

The feeling varies from woman to woman. Many compare it to a fluttering sensation, or butterflies in your tummy, or a bubble bursting. It’s not unusual to be unaware of early foetal movements, but a routine scan after 22 weeks will reassure you.

During the second half of pregnancy, your baby’s soft movements will become stronger and more lively and is a sign of foetal wellbeing. You’ll probably be able to distinguish when your baby is asleep from when they are awake. Often babies are more active when you sit down to rest or lie down to sleep as it’s easier for baby to move around when you are lying down. When you are on the move the gentle rocking of your pelvis is likely to send the baby to sleep.

After 28 weeks foetal movements become more regular. If you notice any change in the way the baby moves, you should mention it to your midwife or doctor.

About Margaret:
Margaret Merrigan-Feenan is a Clinical Midwife Manager, Antenatal Educator and Family Planning Counsellor at the Rotunda Hospital,Dublin.

She also runs Private Antenatal Classes and is a speaker at the Mothercare Mother and Baby Evenings. Margaret can be contacted through her website which can be found at www.newbaby.ie

Special Guest Blogger: TV3's Sybil Mulcahy talks about the messy life of a Mum!

Sybil Mulcahy, from TV3’s The Morning Show with Sybil and Martin, shares her favourite moments as a Mum!

The title of this blog is going to be 'The Mess' because that's the way things are in my house most of the time. At the moment my three year old son Hugh is sitting on our cream couch with his shoes flat down. We bought the (expensive) couch with vouchers from our wedding six years ago never really thinking of what would happen to it down the track. Unfortunately these days it’s got marker, paint, foodstuffs and dirt all over it and I have long since past the days of turning the cushions over onto the other side.

Walk into our kitchen (in our rental) and all you notice is pen on every single wall. Felt tip, pencil, biro, paint you name it, it’s been used to scribble on every surface by my two year old Genevieve. We put down a deposit of about two thousand on this place, I can't see us getting any of it back unless I can find the paint match and how exactly do I explain that request to the landlord?

These days Genevieve is permanently dirty. Her latest is rubbing yoghurt or ice cream in her newly washed hair after every meal and if it’s not in her hair it’s on the dress. As for her mouth well nothing much gets in there, Guantanamo is less closely guarded. How she survives is a mystery to me. She will eat part of a slice of toast for breakfast and about two chips and half a fish finger for dinner and lunch. No matter how hard I try and hide vegetables in sauces or make chicken look attractive the child simply will not eat. Pesto pasta is about the only bit of food I can rely on her to pick at but surely it’s not healthy for her to have that five days a week?

As for Hugh well his problem is that he never sleeps. Back in 2006 when I wasn't woken up every three hours life was rosy. These days like clockwork I will see the moon shining on quiet streets around three times a night. Mostly it’s just putting him back from our bed into his but this process could take up to an hour at a time.

Reading back on this I sound like an awful moan, I mean who wears white jeans around children at breakfast without expecting consequences!

But seriously the hugs and laughs tonight will make up for it all. Hugh told me the other day I was prettier with make up. Those three year olds are more perceptive than we give them credit for!

About Sybil:

Sybil Mulcahy is well recognisable as a former reporter on TV3's XPOSÉ and now she's at the centre of family issues as presenter of The Morning Show with Sybil and Martin.

Sybil joined TV3 nine years ago after returning from San Diego where she worked on the Education Channel as a reporter and as an editor in a CBS affiliate.

She was TV3's entertainment correspondent for several years and has interviewed famous faces such as Tom Cruise, Beyoncé, Pierce Brosnan and Bill Clinton.

Sybil is from Ballsbridge, in Dublin and studied Arts at UCD and afterwards Communications in UCG. She has also completed a marketing diploma.

June's Midwife Question of the Month: Morning Sickness

Our Mothercare midwife, Margaret Merrigan-Feenan answers this month's Question of the Month.

Question:
I am 10 weeks pregnant and have terrible morning sickness and am oh so tired, please help.

Answer:
Nausea and vomiting is an early symptom of pregnancy for many women and often called “morning sickness”, as it is usually worse in the mornings, but can occur at any time of the day.

What causes morning sickness is unclear but it is thought to be caused by the increased levels of hormones. Stress may also play a part, as it can trigger gastric symptoms or increase their severity in pregnancy. Fatigue, physical or mental can also increase the risk of morning sickness, but severe morning sickness can also increase fatigue.

Morning sickness can be debilitating and you need the support of your partner, family, midwife and doctor.

Morning sickness usually begins around week 6 and lasts until week 12 to 14, when it generally starts to subside.

Here are a few suggestions that might help:

• Before you get out of bed in the morning eat something like dry toast, crackers or rice cakes and allow 20 minutes to settle. Then get up out of bed slowly, as rushing tends to aggravate nausea.



• Try to avoid an empty stomach and keep your blood sugar at an even keel. Before you go to sleep at night, have a snack that is high in protein and carbohydrates, for example a glass of milk and a biscuit. Keep some snacks next to your bed so you don’t have to get out of bed and just in case you get hungry during the night.



• Eat several small nutritious meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.



• Avoid hunger, it can also make your stomach upset.



• Drink plenty of fluids during the day. Fluids may be easier to handle than solids and will help you avoid dehydration. Try nutritious milkshakes, juices, soups etc.



• Alternate wet foods with dry foods. Have only dry foods at one meal and wet/liquids at the next, as some women find eating and drinking at the same time puts too much strain on their digestive tract.



• Avoid things that trigger your nausea, eg. odours, movement or noise.



• Avoid getting sweaty or overheated, which can contribute to nausea.



• Get enough rest. Sleep helps to avoid nausea.



• Get plenty of fresh air. Take a short walk or try sleeping with the window open.



• Avoid heavy, fatty foods.



• Try ginger tea or freshly grated ginger on vegetables etc. as it’s a natural remedy for nausea.



• Suck on a freshly cut lemon when you feel nauseous.



• Brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with a mouthwash; after each bout of vomiting, as well as after each meal.



• Minimize stress.



• Try acupressure bands, worn on both wrists, they put pressure on the acupuncture points and can curb nausea. Peppermint, either smelling it in aromatherapy form or sipping the tea can also be helpful. It’s also believed to help with sagging energy levels.



• If you have excessive vomiting and can’t keep down any foods or fluids and begin to loose weight you may have Hyperemesis Gravidarum and need to attend your doctor; as you may need medical treatment.

Remember that not all of these will work for everyone, try some and find out which works for you.

About Margaret:
Margaret Merrigan-Feenan is a Clinical Midwife Manager, Antenatal Educator and Family Planning Counsellor at the Rotunda Hospital,Dublin.

She also runs Private Antenatal Classes and is a speaker at the Mothercare Mother and Baby Evenings. Margaret can be contacted through her website which can be found at www.newbaby.ie

May 2010

Question:

My 4 week old baby has developed cradle cap and I have tried everything to clear it up ,including Vaseline and cradle cap shampoos. Can you give me advise on how to get rid of it and tell me what causes it?



Answer:



What is Cradle Cap?:

Cradle Cap is a thick yellow encrustation on the scalp and usually develops in the first 3months of life but can occur up to the age of 3. The yellowish scales appear in small patches or can cover the whole scalp and sometimes spread to the forehead, especially around the eyebrows, behind the ears, and the neck. It looks unsightly and is not due to poor hygiene. It is a very common condition and is harmless.



What causes it?:

It is thought that cradle cap results from excessive amounts of oily secretions (sebum) from the skin. One theory being that babies still have some of their mother’s hormones in their systems after they are born and this makes the sebum producing glands more active. The extra sebum makes the dead cells stick to the scalp instead of drying out and falling off.



How to treat it?:

Don’t try to remove the scales with your fingers or sharp toothed combs. If it won’t brush out with a soft bristle brush, it will have to be loosened. Try gently massaging some olive oil or aqueous cream onto your baby’s scalp and leave on for several hours or overnight. This makes the scales soft and loose and they should wash away with the help of a baby shampoo.

If cradle cap becomes hard and thick, you may need to continue the treatment for up to 10 days.



Seek medical advise if it fails to clear or if you are worried or the baby develops red scaly areas elsewhere.



Note: Olive oil is not recommended for general skin use.