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  6. Pregnancy

Pregnancy

The UC Medical Centre has General Practitioners and and a midwife that are available to see patients regarding pregnancy.

The Tresillian QEII Family Centre provides a residential program for families with young children aged between 0 and 3, who experience postnatal and early childhood difficulties.

POSSUMS for parents with babies offers resources and consultations for help with breastfeeding, sleep, babies who cry a lot, and maternal mood. Are you concerned that your baby has gas, colic, intolerances, reflux, or oral ties? POSSUMS can offer you gentle & highly effective help.

Mind the Bump is a free Mindfulness Meditation App to help individuals and couples support their mental and emotional wellbeing in preparation for having a baby and becoming a new parent. Mind the Bump provides tailored exercises to support mental and emotional wellbeing from day one of pregnancy through to 24 months after birth.

Information for pregnancy and delivery of baby

NB!! No alcohol and no smoking!The best advice is that pregnant women, or women trying to conceive, should avoid drinking alcohol. If you smoke, you should also give up. Discuss this with your doctor to help you quit.

Other things to do

  • Start pregnancy vitamins e.g. Nature’s Own Pregnancy Platinum, Elevit, Blackmores Pregnancy Gold.
  • Have blood tests.
  • Think about Downs Syndrome screening at 12 weeks – discuss this with your doctor for further information.
MATERNITY OPTIONS

Canberra Maternity Options is a single access point for all public maternity care in the ACT.

Diet

A quick reference - For more information go to NSW Food Authority Website: Pregnancy

Mercury in fish: It is suggested that pregnant women eat 2 – 3 serves of fish every week for the good health of themselves and their developing baby. Caution should be exercised when choosing the type of fish, you will eat. There are a few types of fish that need to be limited because they contain high levels of mercury, which is dangerous for the developing foetus.

Pregnant women should:

  • Limit to one serve (150g) per fortnight: billfish (swordfish, broadbill and marlin) and shark (flake), with no other fish eaten in that fortnight.
  • Limit to one serve (150g) per week: orange roughy (deep sea perch) or catfish, with no other fish eaten that week.

Women should not be worried if they’ve had the odd meal of fish with high levels of mercury. It is only a potential problem when that type of fish is eaten regularly, which causes a build-up of mercury in the mother’s blood.

Listeria infection: Listeria infection, or listeriosis, is an illness usually caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes. Healthy people may experience no ill-effects from listeria infection at all, but the risks are substantial for pregnant women. The greatest danger is to the unborn baby, with increased risk of miscarriage, still birth or premature labour. A listeria infection is easily treated with antibiotics, but prevention is best.
Some foods are more prone to contamination with listeria than others.

Exclude these foods from your diet if you are pregnant:

  • Soft cheeses like brie, camembert and ricotta – these are safe if served cooked and hot.
  • Precooked or pre-prepared cold foods that will not be reheated – for example, pre-prepared salads, pate, quiches and delicatessen meats like ham and salami.
  • Raw seafood such as oysters and sashimi or smoked seafood such as salmon (canned varieties are safe)
  • Unpasteurised foods.
  • Soft serve ice cream.

The organism that causes listeria infection is destroyed by heat, so properly cooked foods are not a risk.

Salmonella: Salmonella is a cause of food poisoning that can trigger miscarriage. The most likely sources of salmonella are raw eggs and undercooked meat and poultry.

For more information, go to Canberra Hospital maternity services.

Breast milk is best for your baby: Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA): 1800 686 268