Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Acknowledgements
We recognize and thank the following people and
agencies for making this handbook possible:

The staff of the Hay River Community
Health Services.

The staff of Stanton Territorial Hospital,
Northern Women’s Health Program and
YK Public Health

Mary McCreadie, Plain Language Program, NWT
Literacy Council who revised the document in 2007

Department of Education and Culture, GNWT for
providing funding for the printing of the 2015 revision.
Revised 2014
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby - Revised 2015
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Important Phone Numbers
Doctor, Nurse, or Midwife
Ambulance
Local Police: Community code + 1111
Local Fire: Community code + 2222
Stanton Territorial Hospital
Toll free 1-800-661-0896
or (867)669-4111
Fort Smith Midwifery Program
(867) 872-6253
Hay River Hospital
(867) 874-7100
Inuvik Regional Hospital
(867) 777-8000
Local Health Centre
Hay River Public Health
(867) 875-7205
Inuvik Public Health
(867) 777-7246
Yellowknife Public Health Unit
(867) 920- 6570
Breastfeeding Clinic at Yellowknife
Public Health
(867) 920- 6570
Moms, Boobs and Babies
Yellowknife Breastfeeding Support
Group
(867) 444- 3374
Toll-free: 1-844-332-6627
1-844-33-BOOBS
NWT Quitline
1-866-286-5099
Revised 2014
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby - Revised 2015
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Table of Contents
Introduction
page 1
Pregnancy Words and Drawing
page 5
Prenatal Health Care Visits
page 7
Food, Nutrients, Weight Gain
page 14
Sex, Emotions, Physical Activity
page 24
Alcohol, Smoking, Other Drugs
page 28
Hot Tubs, X-rays, Toxoplasmosis
page 36
Nine Months of Change
page 38
High blood pressure, Diabetes in your
pregnancy, Early labour
page 52
When to call the nurse/doctor/midwife
page 54
Breast Care and Breastfeeding
page 56
Labour and Birth
page 58
Travelling to Yellowknife to have your Baby
page 80
Your New Baby
page 82
Baby Gear – New or Second Hand
page 86
Revised 2014
Revised 2015 - Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Internet Tips for Parents
Page 77
Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding
Support
Breastfeeding Clinic
The purpose of this clinic is to support women through their breastfeeding
experiences, both prenatally and postpartum. Appointments are Tuesday
afternoons. Call 920-6570 to book a one-hour appointment.
Common Reasons for Visiting the Breastfeeding Clinic
 Difficulty with technique
o Latching
o Positioning/holding
 Breast and nipple concerns
o Cracked, sore nipples
o Mastitis
o Engorgement
o Infections
o Inverted nipples
Page 7 of 82
 Concerns with infant
o Infant not gaining weight
o Infant always hungry
o Thrush
o Infant refuses breast
o Teething
 Other concerns
o Not enough milk
o Weaning
o Lack of emotional or social support
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby - Revised 2015
Community Resources
 Moms, Boobs and Babies:
o 867-444-3374
o 1-844-33BOOBS(26627)
 Post-Natal Classes:
o Mondays from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Baker Center
o For more information call 867-920-6570
Page 9 of 82
Revised 2015 - Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Introduction
Who should use this handbook?
This booklet is for pregnant women and their husbands or partners,
and their friends and other support people.
The booklet offers practical, hands-on information about:
 What to expect during pregnancy
 How to make sure you and your growing baby stay
healthy
You may be pregnant for the first time - or maybe you’ve been
through this before. No two pregnancies are the same - just as no
two people are exactly alike.
Everyone has questions. We encourage you to talk to the nurse,
doctor, or midwife – they are happy to help. Go to the prenatal
classes in your community.
Pregnant women need to take care of themselves – and they need
their family and friends to support them, to stay healthy during
pregnancy.
1
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
1
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Before I was a Mom
Author unknown
Before I was a Mom I never tripped
over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not my
plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom – I had never
been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all nights.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors
could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I
didn’t want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a millions pieces when I couldn’t
stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
2
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Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Before I was a Mom – I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart
outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so
important and happy.
Before I was a Mom – I had never gotten up in the middle of the
night every ten minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the
wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.
And before I was a grandma, I didn’t know that all those Mom
feelings more than doubled when you see that little bundle being
held by your baby.
3
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
3
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
A message for the partner and support persons
Becoming a parent is very special.
Maybe you already have children, or
maybe this is your first time. Many
people worry about being a good
support to your wife and baby This is
normal.
The most important things you can do are to support and encourage
your pregnant partner.
 Talk to your partner. Tell her how you feel about her
being pregnant. Talk about how you feel about babies and
being a parent.
 Understand your partner’s feelings. Learn what happens
with a woman’s body during pregnancy and how you can
help her stay healthy.
 Go to prenatal classes with your partner. Support her and
learn what to expect during labour and delivery, and how
to help take care of your baby.
 Help your partner feel safe and loved during pregnancy.
Learn about sex during pregnancy.
 Get ready to share in your baby’s life – you’re a very
important person for your new baby.
 Learn how to get involved with your new baby. Talk and
sing to your baby – they love the sound of your voice –
even before they are born. Touch and hold your baby –
they love it when you cuddle and hold them.
 Be patient with yourself, your baby, and your partner.
Give yourself time to learn all these new baby skills.
4
4
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Pregnancy Words and Drawing
10 basic words we use during pregnancy
Amniotic membranes and amniotic fluids Amniotic membranes is the bag of water
around the unborn baby. Amniotic
fluids is the water inside the bag that
protects the unborn baby.
Areola -
The areola is the dark area of the breast around the
nipple.
Braxton Hicks – Braxton Hicks are practice contractions. The
tummy muscles get tight.
Cervix -
The cervix is the opening to the uterus or womb, inside
the vagina. The mucus plug covers the opening during
pregnancy. It prevents water or fluids from sex getting
into the uterus.
Placenta - The placenta feeds the unborn baby during the
pregnancy, through the umbilical cord. The umbilical
cord connects the unborn baby to the placenta.
Uterus or womb – TheHealthy
uterus or womb
is the part of a woman’s
Pregnancy
body that holds the unborn baby, the umbilical cord, the
Healthy Baby
placenta, and the amniotic membranes and fluids.
Vagina or birth canal – During labour the baby leaves the uterus
and travels down the birth canal or vagina to be born.
A pregnant woman’s tummy
5
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
5
Healthy Baby
Vagina or birth canal – During labour the baby leaves the uterus
and travels down the birth canal or vagina to be born.
A pregnant woman’s tummy
Areola
Dark area around
the nipples
Uterus or womb
Holds the unborn
baby
Amniotic
Membranes
and Fluid
Bag of water
around the
unborn baby
Umbilical Cord
Carries nutrients
from the placenta to
the unborn baby
Cervix
Opening to uterus.
Mucus plug is in here.
Vagina
the unborn
Rectum
HealthyWhere
Pregnancy
baby comes out
Where poop comes out
Healthy Baby
Drawing taken from ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ – Murkoff,
Eisenberg & Hathaway
Prenatal Health
Care Visits
6
6
This section has basic information about 11
common tests pregnant women have during
prenatal health care visits. It tells you how often
you get the test, how it happens, and why it
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
happens.
Healthy Baby
Drawing taken from ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ – Murkoff,
Eisenberg & Hathaway
Prenatal Health Care Visits
This section has basic information about 11
common tests pregnant women have during
prenatal health care visits. It tells you how often
you get the test, how it happens, and why it
happens.
Use the form on the next page to help keep track of
your prenatal history and your health care visits.
Pregnant women regularly visit their doctor or nurse.
 You usually have your first visit when you’re about 2½ - 3
months / 8 - 12 weeks pregnant.
 After 3 months, you go about once a month until you’re 6
months / 28 weeks pregnant.
 After 6 months, you go every two weeks until you’re 8
months pregnant or 36 weeks pregnant.
 After 8 months, or 36 weeks pregnant, you go every week
until you birth your baby.
7
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
7
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My Prenatal History
0B
Date I found out I’m pregnant:
Baby’s due date:
Health Care Provider’s name:
Date I first felt my baby move:
Ultrasound date:
Date of prenatal classes:
Notes from Prenatal Visits
Date
My weight
Comments
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
11 common tests for pregnant women
8
1) Test
26B
8
How often
Pelvic exam / Pap smear
7B
Usually once, when the pregnancy starts.
Healthy
Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
How
You lie down with your knees bent so the doctor
Healthy Baby
11 common tests for pregnant women
1) Test
Pelvic exam / Pap smear
26B
7B
How often
Usually once, when the pregnancy starts.
How
You lie down with your knees bent so the doctor
or nurse can easily see your vagina and cervix.
They take a swab of secretions from the cervix.
Why
To check for abnormal cells and sexually
transmitted infections.
2) Test
Blood tests
27B
8B
How often
Usually two or three times during the pregnancy.
How
Nurse or lab person takes blood from your arm.
Why
To test the iron level, to check for syphilis,
Hepatitis B, HIV, German measles, chicken pox,
and thyroid function.
To find out your blood type. Pregnant women
with Rh-negative blood type get a needle at 28
weeks, to protect the mother and baby.
9B
Healthy Pregnancy
You have a choice to do a blood test called a
Healthy
Baby
Maternal Serum
Screen
that is done between 1519 weeks that can help detect Down Syndrome in
your baby. You will have decisions to make if
this test is positive. Talk to your
nurse/doctor/midwife about this.
9
3) Test
28B
Urine sample
10B
How often
Every visit if you live outside of Yellowknife.
How
You give a urine sample and the doctor, nurse, or
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
midwife dips a special stick in your urine.
1B
9
this test is positive. Talk to your
nurse/doctor/midwife about this.
3) Test
Urine sample
28B
10B
How often
Every visit if you live outside of Yellowknife.
How
You give a urine sample and the doctor, nurse, or
midwife dips a special stick in your urine.
Why
To check for things that you don’t normally have
in your urine, such as protein or a bladder
infection.
1B
4) Test
Blood pressure
12B
How often
Every visit.
How
The doctor, nurse, or midwife measures your
blood pressure with a cuff and stethoscope.
Why
To see if your blood pressure is normal. If your
blood pressure suddenly rises, it could be a
warning sign of problems.
13B
Weight Healthy
Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
5) Test
14B
How often
Usually every visit.
How
How
The
Thedoctor,
doctor,nurse,
nurse,or
ormidwife
midwifeuses
usesaascale
scaleto
toweigh
weigh
you.
you.
Why
To keep track of how much you weight you gain
during the pregnancy.
10
6) Test
How often
Every visit, after 4 months / 12 –14 weeks pregnant.
How
The doctor, nurse, or midwife uses an electronic
tool called a Doppler.
16B
10
FHR – Fetal heart rate
15B
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Why
To check the unborn baby’s heart beat.
you.
To keep track of how much you weight you gain
during the pregnancy.
Why
6) Test
FHR – Fetal heart rate
15B
How often
Every visit, after 4 months / 12 –14 weeks pregnant.
How
The doctor, nurse, or midwife uses an electronic
tool called a Doppler.
Why
To check the unborn baby’s heart beat.
16B
7) Test
SFH – Symphysis fundal height
17B
How often
Every visit, after you’re 5 months / 20 weeks
pregnant.
How
The doctor, nurse, or midwife uses a tape measure
to measure the unborn baby.
Why
To see if the unborn baby is growing.
18B
8) Test
Ultrasound
19B
Once - usually when you’re 5 months / 18 - 20
weeks pregnant,
or earlier
if needed.
Healthy
Pregnancy
How often
How
Healthy
The ultrasound
machineBaby
uses sound waves to
show a ‘picture’ of the baby.
Why
To help confirm the baby’s due date and position,
the number of babies, and where the placenta
attaches to the wall of the uterus, and to look at
11
babies parts.
9) Test
How often
How
Glucose challenge test
20B
Once – when you’re 6 – 6½ months / 24 - 28 weeks
pregnant.
Nurse or lab person takes blood from your arm after
you have a special sugar drink that tastes like orange
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
pop. You need to not eat or drink anything for 4 hours
11
Why
Why
To help confirm the baby’s due date and position,
thehelp
number
of babies,
and where
the and
placenta
To
confirm
the baby’s
due date
position,
attaches
to the
wall of and
the uterus,
andplacenta
to look at
the
number
of babies,
where the
babies parts.
attaches
to the wall of the uterus, and to look at
babies parts.
9) Test
9) Test
How often
How often
How
How
Why
Why
Glucose challenge test
Glucose challenge test
Once – when you’re 6 – 6½ months / 24 - 28 weeks
pregnant.
Once
– when you’re 6 – 6½ months / 24 - 28 weeks
pregnant.
Nurse or lab person takes blood from your arm after
you have
a special
tastes
orange
Nurse
or lab
personsugar
takesdrink
bloodthat
from
yourlike
arm
after
pop.have
Youaneed
to not
eatdrink
or drink
fororange
4 hours
you
special
sugar
thatanything
tastes like
beforeYou
youneed
take to
this
test.
pop.
not
eat or drink anything for 4 hours
before you take this test.
To see if you have high levels of sugar. If you have
high
levels
ofhave
sugar,
youlevels
need of
more
tests.
To
see
if you
high
sugar.
If you have
high levels of sugar, you need more tests.
20B
20B
Group B streptococcus swab
Group B streptococcus swab
Once – when you’re 8 months / 35 - 37 weeks pregnant.
Once – when you’re 8 months / 35 - 37 weeks pregnant.
You can do the swab yourself. The swab goes into your
vagina
youryourself.
bum.
You canand
do then
the swab
The swab goes into your
vagina and then your bum.
To see if there is a bacteria that can cause an infection
in
during
labour and
It is treated
with
Tothe
seebaby
if there
is a bacteria
thatbirth.
can cause
an infection
antibiotics
labour.
in the babyin
during
labour and birth. It is treated with
antibiotics in labour.
Non Stress Test
Non Stress
Test Pregnancy
Healthy
Late in pregnancy or during labour – only if you have
Healthy Baby
problems.
Late
in pregnancy or during labour – only if you have
problems.
10)
10)
Test
Test
How often
How often
21B
How
How
21B
Why
Why
2B
2B
11)
11)
Test
Test
How often
How often
23B
23B
How
In hospital, the nurse straps two puck-like sensors to
your belly to connect you to the monitor. One sensor
measures the baby’s heart
12 rate and the other measures
how often you have contractions.
12
Why
To check the baby’s wellbeing and to record the baby’s
heartbeat.
On Motherhood
12
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
A Mother’s love is like a circle,
By Art Urban
Why
To check the baby’s wellbeing and to record the baby’s
heartbeat.
On Motherhood
By Art Urban
A Mother’s love is like a circle,
it has no beginning and no ending.
It keeps going around and around
ever expanding,
touching everyone who comes in contact with it.
Engulfing them like the morning’s mist,
warming them like the noontime sun,
and covering them like a blankey of evening start.
A mother’s love is like a circle,
it has no beginning and no ending.
13
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
13
Food, Nutrients, Weight Gain
This section talks about why women need healthy foods, how much
food they need, and what vitamins they need – especially folic acid. It
also discusses how much weight a pregnant woman can expect to gain.
Why do pregnant women need healthy foods?
 To give her baby the best chance to grow strong and healthy.
 To have more energy.
 To be more emotionally stable.
 To reduce the risk of infections and anemia.
What does healthy eating mean?
A pregnant woman needs a variety of different nutrients, and she
usually needs to eat more than when she’s not pregnant.
 Eat an extra 100 calories per day during the first three months.
You can get an extra 100 calories when you eat a muffin, half a
cup of yogurt, or a banana.
 Eat an extra 300 calories during the final six months. You can get
Healthy
Pregnancy
an extra 300 calories
when you
eat a plate of spaghetti and meat
Healthy
Pregnancy
sauce, 1½ cups of caribou
stew,Baby
or a bowl of cereal with milk.
Healthy
Healthy
Baby coloured are full of healthy
 Fruits and vegetables
that are brightly
vitamins
and minerals
so ‚eat
a rainbow
of natural
colors‛.
Drink
at least
eight glasses
of water
each day
to stayfood
healthy.
Drink at least eight glasses of water each day to stay healthy.
If you are planning a pregnancy, start prenatal vitamins a few
If you are
planning
a pregnancy,
months
before
you get
pregnant. start prenatal vitamins a few
14
months before you get pregnant.
 Start taking prenatal vitamins when you know you’re pregnant.
 Start taking prenatal vitamins when you know you’re pregnant.




 Take a vitamin D supplement 1000 iu every day, even when
 you
Takeare
a vitamin
D supplement 1000 iu every day, even when
not pregnant.
you are not pregnant.
14
A Pregnant
Woman’s
Healthy Eating Food Guide
Healthy
Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
1B
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
1B
 Take a vitamin D supplement 1000 iu every day, even when
you are not pregnant.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
1B
Bread, Bannock,
Grain, Cereal
29B
 Bannock, bread, bagels, tortilla, pita bread, hotdog
What to
eat
and hamburger buns, crackers, biscuits. Whole
wheat is best.
 Unsweetened, hot or cold breakfast cereals.
 Spaghetti, macaroni, other noodles.
 Rice.
 Carbohydrates - to get energy.
 Fibre - to help have regular bowel movements.
Why
eat it
 Vitamin B complex - to develop healthy skin, eyes,
nerves,
digestive system,
growth.
Healthy
Pregnancy
 Folic acidHealthy
– to form red
blood cells and new cells.
Baby
 Iron – to develop a good blood supply.
5 to 12 servings each day.
One serving =
How
much
 1 slice of bread15
or small piece of bannock.
 ½ hamburger or hotdog bun, bagel, or pita bread.
 ½ cup cooked rice or noodles.
 ¾ cup oatmeal or porridge or ½ to 1 cup cold
cereal.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
2B
Vegetables and Fruit
30B
Healthy
Pregnancy
 Raw, cooked, canned,
dried,
or frozen. Healthy Baby
15
much
 ½ cup cooked rice or noodles.
 ¾ cup oatmeal or porridge or ½ to 1 cup cold
cereal.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
2B
Vegetables and Fruit
30B
 Raw, cooked, canned, dried, or frozen.
What to
eat
 Unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices.
 Wild berries and greens, seaweed.
 Animal stomach contents, caribou and moose fat,
organ meats of wild animals.
 Vitamin C – to repair tissue and resist infection.
 Vitamin A – to help cells grow.
Why
eat it
 Vitamin B complex – to develop healthy skin, eyes,
nerves, digestive system, growth.
Healthy
Pregnancy
 Folic acid
– to form
red blood cells and new cells.
Baby bowel movements.
 Fibre – toHealthy
help have regular
How
much
5 to 10 servings each day.
One serving =
 1 medium fresh fruit or vegetable.
 ½ cup frozen or canned fruit or vegetable.
 ½ cup juice.
16
 1 cup of salad.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
3B
Milk and Milk
Substitutes
31B
16
 Milk – skim, 1%, 2%, homo, or buttermilk.
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
 Soy drinks.
 ½ cup frozen or canned fruit or vegetable.
 ½ cup juice.
 1 cup of salad.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
3B
Milk and Milk
Substitutes
31B
 Milk – skim, 1%, 2%, homo, or buttermilk.
 Soy drinks.
What to
eat
 Yogurt, cottage cheese.
 Cheese – cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, gouda,
feta, etc.
 Animal stomach contents, fish heads and bones.
 Protein – to help all cells grow, including bones,
muscles, and blood vessels.
Why
eat it
 Fat – to get energy and to help absorb vitamins.
 Calcium – to help build strong bones and teeth, to
Pregnancy
have aHealthy
healthy nervous
system.
Healthy Baby
 Vitamin D, added to commercial milk – to help
absorb calcium for strong bones.
3 to 4 servings each day.
How
much
One serving =
 1 cup milk.
 ¾ cup yogurt.
17
 1 ½ ounces cheese or 2 slices processed cheese.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
4B
Meat, Fish, Eggs,
Birds, Beans
32B
 Beef, pork, lamb, Healthy
caribou, moose,
otherHealthy
wild meat.
Pregnancy
Baby
17
How
much
 1 cup milk.
 ¾ cup yogurt.
 1 ½ ounces cheese or 2 slices processed cheese.
A Pregnant Woman’s Healthy Eating Food Guide
4B
Meat, Fish, Eggs,
Birds, Beans
32B
 Beef, pork, lamb, caribou, moose, other wild meat.
 Chicken, turkey, goose, duck, other wild birds.
What to
eat
 Fish and fish eggs – wild or from the store.
 Legumes – lentils, chickpeas, beans.
 Peanut butter, nuts, seeds such as sunflower seeds.
 Eggs – wild and from the store.
 Protein – to help all cells grow, including bones,
Why
eat it
muscles, and blood vessels.
 Fat – to get energy and to help absorb vitamins.
 Iron – to develop a good blood supply.
How
much
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
2 to 3 servings each day.
One serving =
 3 ounces cooked meat, birds, or fish –the size of a
deck of cards or the palm of your hand.
 1 to 2 ounces dry fish or dry meat.
 1 cup cooked lentils,
18 beans, or peas.
 ½ cup nuts or seeds, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter.
 1 to 2 eggs.
18
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
20
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
19
Healthy Pregnancy
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21
20
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
How much weight should a pregnant woman gain?
Pregnant women gain weight as their baby develops this is normal and healthy.
During the first three months the average pregnant
woman gains two to eight pounds. During the last six
months, she gains about one pound a week.
A healthy and safe amount of weight gain varies a lot
from woman to woman – from 25 to 35 pounds total. Teenagers and
light or thin women usually need to gain more weight. Heavy
women probably won’t gain as much weight and they shouldn’t
gain any more weight.
Pregnant women should gain weight slowly and steadily. If you
suddenly gain a lot of weight, tell your doctor, nurse, or midwife.
Where do pregnant women gain the extra weight?
5B
All weights vary from woman to woman
Baby
7 ½ pounds
Placenta
1 ½ pounds
Amniotic fluid
2 pounds
Uterus or womb
2 ½ pounds
Breast tissue
2 ½ pounds
Blood and extra fluid
7 pounds
Muscle and fat
6 pounds
Total
29 pounds
3B
22
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby
21
Healthy Pregnancy
Healthy Baby
Facts about folic acid
What is it?
Folic acid is one of the B vitamins. It is also called folate
or folacin.
Why do pregnant women need it?
Pregnant women need folic acid to help the baby’s spine, brain, and
skull develop properly. Without folic acid, the baby is more likely to
have neural tube defects at birth.
What are Neural tube defects?
Neural tube defects or NTDs affect a baby’s brain and / or their
spinal cord. The unborn baby develops these defects during the first
month of pregnancy. That’s why pregnant women need to eat
enough folic acid before and / or during the first three months of
pregnancy.
How much folic acid is enough?
To get enough folic acid, a pregnant woman needs to take a 0.4 mg
folic acid supplement every day PLUS foods with lots of folic acid.
If possible, women should take a folic acid supplement for 3 months
or 12 weeks before they get pregnant.
All women’s multivitamins or prenatal vitamins have folic acid. See
the table on the next page for a list of foods with lots of folic acid.
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What foods have lots of folic acid?
6B
Vegetables
Fruit and
Juice
Cereal,
Bread, Grain
Food
group
Food item
Serving
34B
% daily
amount
Nutri-grain cereal bar
1 bar
25%
Cornflakes
1 cup
25%
Special K cereal
1 cup
25%
Orange Juice
1 cup
27%
Tomato Juice
1 cup
12%
Orange
1 medium
10%
Spinach, raw
1 cup
27%
Asparagus, cooked
5 spears
25%
Brussel sprouts, cooked
1 cup
24%
Green peas, cooked
½ cup
12%
Romaine lettuce
1 cup
10%
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Sex, Emotions, Physical Activity
Sex during pregnancy
Does sexual intercourse hurt the unborn
baby? Will it cause a miscarriage? Will
it bring on labour?
Generally, sex during pregnancy won’t hurt the unborn baby. Sex
during pregnancy mostly depends on the pregnant woman’s
physical health and how the couple feel about having sex during
pregnancy.
A pregnant woman may feel very tired or have nausea or other
physical problems that leave her with little desire or energy for sex.
Other physical problems MAY affect sexual intercourse:
 A miscarriage in the past
 Vaginal bleeding
 Pain
 Loss of fluid from the uterus
Some couples experience no change, others have increased desire,
and others have decreased desire. Often one person in the couple
feels differently about sex than the other. A person may feel
frustrated, reluctant, rejected, confused, afraid, uncomfortable, or
have other emotions.
Be patient and understanding with each other. Try different
positions as the pregnancy advances – side-by-side, sitting, from
behind, etc. Talk about your feelings, hold and touch each other.
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Emotions
Most pregnant women experience big
changes in their moods and emotions –
some really positive and some quite
difficult. And it’s hard to tell ahead of time
what those changes will be.
These changes are normal - and they won’t last forever. Changing
hormones usually cause most of the changes. Single pregnant
women, on their own, may find they cry or get mad more easily than
other pregnant women.
Talk to your partner, family, friends, or others you trust to get rid of
unwanted fears. Tell your doctor, nurse, or midwife if you feel too
emotional.
Partners, family, and friends need to learn about and understand a
pregnant woman’s changing emotions, and offer their support.
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Physical activity
All people need regular exercise. Pregnant women get many
benefits from regular exercise, before and after the birth.
 Easier labour, faster recovery from birthing
 Better stamina
 More energy
 Better circulation
 Less risk of diabetes during pregnancy
 Feel better about yourself, more positive self image
Things to consider:
 If you are already physically active, you can generally
continue doing what you are used to
o If you don’t already exercise regularly: start slowly
o Exercise at least 3 to 5 times a week for ½ to 1 hour each
time.
o Take 5 to 10 minutes to warm up.
o Do 15 to 20 minutes aerobic exercises. Aerobic exercises
are activities that usually make you breathe deeper and
more quickly.
 Do cool-down exercises, such as stretching, for another 10
to 15 minutes.
 Walking quickly and swimming are good aerobic exercises,
especially for women who start to exercise later in their
pregnancy.
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 If during your exercise you can still carry on a
conversation without being out of breath, you are not
overdoing it.
 During the last six months, stay away from exercises
where you lie on your back. You might get dizzy because
the uterus puts pressure on the large veins that take blood
from your legs to your heart.
 During the last three months, be careful with exercises,
such as jogging, that put pressure on your joints and
ligaments. The joints get a bit soft as they get ready for
labour.
 Having good posture by standing and walking tall, helps
with breathing and lessens back strain.
Pelvic Floor Exercises: (Kegels)
The pelvic floor exercises, called Kegel exercises, help make
the muscles around the vagina strong.
It is important to make these muscles strong:

During pregnancy to help carry the weight of the baby.

During birth to help muscles relax and stretch as your
baby is born.

After the baby is born to help with passing urine and
bowel movements and help you enjoy sex more.
You can do these exercises when you are standing, sitting
or lying down.

Pull up and tighten the pelvic floor muscles as if
you were stopping the flow of pee, hold for 5 seconds,
and relax these muscles for 10 seconds.

Repeat 5 to 10 times, several times a day.
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Alcohol, Drugs, Smoking
This section talks about how alcohol, street drugs, smoking, caffeine,
and over-the-counter drugs affect a pregnant woman and her baby.
Alcohol and pregnancy – a poor mix
We all know that pregnant women should not
drink. When a pregnant woman drinks, so does her
unborn baby. Alcohol can kill the unborn baby’s
cells or slow their growth - especially their brain.
Many women drink before they know they’re pregnant. If you
drank once in a while or only a small amount, the risk to your baby
is low. If you drank lots or keep drinking, the risk to your baby is a
lot higher.
Pregnant women that drink – regularly or even once in a while need to stop. Get help, if you need it. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or
midwife. Replace alcohol with other drinks. Your partner, family,
and friends need to support you to make healthy choices:
 Sparkling drinks, such as bottled waters.
 Fruit or vegetable juices
 Non-alcoholic punch
 Non-alcoholic beer and wine
 Milk
 Water
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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or FASD
If a woman drinks when she is pregnant, her baby
may be born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or
FASD. People from all races and cultures around the
world have babies with FASD. Fetal alcohol spectrum
disorder covers a wide range of possible disabilities
and challenges that babies born with FASD have to
deal with - throughout their whole life.
 Lighter weight and shorter height than normal, at birth
 Smaller head
 Irregular or abnormal face, joints, arms, and legs
 Heart defects
 Poor coordination
 Mental retardation
 Hyperactivity
 Extreme nervousness
 Poor attention span
 Poor judgement
 Poor communication skills
 Learning disabilities
Prevent FASD
 Don’t drink when you’re pregnant.
 If you see a pregnant woman drinking, tell her to stop, or
tell the Health Unit, doctor or nurse so she can get help.
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Street drugs
Street drugs include marijuana and hashish,
narcotics such as heroin and methadone,
cocaine, crack cocaine, and crystal meth.
Pregnant women need to stay away from
street drugs. They can cause problems for
the unborn baby and the mother, and throughout a child’s life.
 Street drugs can make your unborn baby really sick, and
they can still be sick after birth.
 Street drugs may cause your baby to have lower birth
weight.
 Babies that suffer the effects of street drugs may have
problems at school.
 The baby may go through withdrawal after birth.
 Taking narcotics causes the baby and/or mother to become
addicted.
 Taking cocaine can cause other problems for the mother.
The placenta can separate from the uterus and she can go
into labour before the full nine-month term.
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Effects of smoking during pregnancy
If a pregnant woman smokes, she needs to quit.
And it’s never too late. It’s best to quit right away
– but quit any time during pregnancy. Make sure
your baby has a healthy new start to life.
And light cigarettes don’t help. Smokers that switch to light
cigarettes often end up smoking more and inhaling more deeply.
If you do smoke and you want information on how to quit,
please talk you your doctor, nurse, or nurse practitioner.
How does smoking affect the baby?
 The poisons from the cigarette easily get into the unborn
baby’s blood. The poisons include nicotine, carbon monoxide,
arsenic, and other toxic things.
 The unborn baby gets less oxygen and they grow slower.
 The baby is more likely to have low birth weight.
 A newborn baby may have slower physical and mental
development.
 A newborn may have more chest infections and hospital visits
during their first year of life. They are more likely to get
asthma.
 A breastfeeding baby gets small amounts of nicotine.
 Breast- or bottle-fed babies that live with people that smoke
are more likely to refuse to eat, to spit up, and to be cranky.
 Studies show a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
or crib death in homes where people smoke.
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How does smoking affect the mother?
 The mother is more likely to have problems with the placenta.
She’s more likely to bleed early or late in the pregnancy. It’s
more likely that her bag of water will break too soon.
 The mother is more likely to miscarry the baby or deliver the
baby early.
 A woman that smokes AND takes the birth control pill has a
much greater risk of a heart attack and other heart diseases.
And the risk increases if she keeps smoking.
 Women who smoke tend to experience menopause earlier.
Women who experience early menopause are more likely to
develop osteoporosis – thin and brittle bones that break easily.
Caffeine
We don’t know all the effects of caffeine on an
unborn baby. We do know that caffeine enters
the baby’s blood and that they can’t use it.
Caffeine in large amounts may be harmful to
your unborn baby. We recommend pregnant women drink no more
than 1 ½ mugs of coffee or 4 cups of tea each day.
Pregnant women can make more healthy choices, such as:
 Fruit or vegetable juices
 Milk
 Water with a slice of lemon or lime
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Over-the-counter drugs
Pregnant women often have morning sickness
or heartburn. They may get a cold or be
constipated. A pregnant woman may want to
take over-the-counter drugs to feel better.
We recommend that pregnant women talk to
their doctor, nurse, or midwife. Only take medicine that your health
care provider recommends or prescribes. This helps prevent
unneeded risks to your baby.
Medicine for heartburn - antacids
Heartburn is common, especially late in the pregnancy.
 Help prevent heartburn – eat smaller meals and more
often, drink milk, and stay away from fried and spicy
foods.
 Don’t drink during a meal - wait 30 minutes after you
finish a meal to drink.
 Use antacids if your doctor, nurse, or midwife agrees, and
only as the package says. Large doses of some antacids
can hurt your unborn baby if you take them for a long time
during pregnancy.
 Use safer products, such as Tums or Maalox, if you need
them and your doctor, nurse, or midwife agrees. Women
on a salt restricted diet need to stay away from products
such as Alka Seltzer.
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Medicine to help reduce nausea
Pregnant women usually have nausea during the first three months.
 Help prevent nausea the same way as heartburn – eat
smaller meals and eat more often.
 Stay away from products such as Gravol – they can
endanger your unborn baby’s healthy development.
 Talk to your doctor, nurse, or midwife if your nausea or
morning sickness is really bad. Sometimes they prescribe
Diclectin, a medicine approved for pregnant women.
 Try lemon or ginger to reduce nausea – some women find
this helps.
Medicine for colds and allergies
Medicines for colds and allergies include things such as pain
relievers, decongestants, and antihistamines.
 We recommend pregnant women stay away from cold and
allergy medicines. We don’t know how they affect an
unborn baby.
 When a pregnant woman gets a cold, the best things she
can do are - get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, and use a
steamer or kettle to put moisture in the air.
 Talk to your doctor, nurse, or midwife if your cold lasts
longer than 10 days, or if you need medicine for an allergy.
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Medicine to help you have a bowel movement
Pregnant women can get constipated.
 Help prevent constipation – eat more foods with fibre,
such as bran, prunes, and fruit juices. Drink more water.
 Talk to your doctor, nurse, or midwife to ask what
medicine they recommend.
Medicine to reduce inflammation and pain
Tylenol is the only safe painkiller to use during pregnancy.
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Healthy Baby
Hot Tubs, X-rays, Toxoplasmosis
This section talks about saunas and hot tubs, x-rays, and an infection
call toxoplasmosis.
Saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms
Pregnant women should stay away from saunas, hot
tubs, and steam rooms. Too much heat can hurt
your unborn baby.
But a warm bath can be very relaxing – just do not
let yourself become too hot. Keep the temperature
below 38.9° C or 102° F if you have a warm bath.
Ask another adult to help you get in and out.
Get out right away if you feel faint or dizzy, have stomach pain or a
fast heartbeat, or if your hands or feet tingle.
X-rays
Pregnant women should stay away from X-rays,
including dental x-rays. X-rays produce radiation.
Radiation can damage the unborn baby’s organs
during the third and fourth week. It can damage the brain and
spinal cord during the whole pregnancy.
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Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a
parasite. The parasite can harm an unborn
baby if a pregnant woman gets infected.
Pregnant women can get toxoplasmosis if
they eat raw or undercooked meat or eggs that contain the parasite.
Cat litter can also contain the parasite.
To help prevent toxoplasmosis:
 If you have a cat - wash your hands well after you pat it or
hold it. Ask someone else to empty the litter box.
 Wash your hands well before and after you handle raw
meat.
 Wear gloves when working in the garden.
 Wash all root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes well
before eating them.
 If your children have a sand box, cover it to keep any cats
out.
If a pregnant woman gets infected, she might not show any signs
that she’s sick. Most infected people don’t. They might have a
slight fever and swollen glands two to three weeks after they are
exposed, and a rash a day or two after that.
The only way to find out if you have toxoplasmosis is to ask your
nurse or doctor to do a blood test.
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Nine Months of Change
for Mother and Unborn Baby
This section gives a summary of some of the changes that a pregnant
woman and her unborn baby experience during pregnancy.
We divided the information into three main sections:
1) First trimester: 1 - 3 months or 1 to 12 weeks
2) Second trimester: 4 - 6 months or 13 to 26 weeks
3) Third trimester: 7 - 9 months or 27 weeks to labour
For each trimester we show:
 How the unborn baby changes
 What to expect by the end of the trimester
 How the mother changes and what she can do to be
more comfortable
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First trimester: 1 – 3 months or 1 - 12 weeks
How the unborn baby changes:
 Grows from a single cell to three-
inches long.
 5 weeks: Heart starts to beat,
arms and legs show as buds.
 6 weeks: Spine, brain, ears, and
eyes start to develop; lungs,
digestive system, kidneys begin
to appear.
 7 weeks: Muscles, bones, and
blood vessels start to develop.
 8 weeks: All major organs nearly
formed.
What to expect by the end of the first trimester:
 Uterus the size of an orange - feel it above the public bone.
 Unborn baby’s sex organs are formed and fingers and toes
are fully developed.
 Hear the unborn baby’s heartbeat.
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How the mother changes during the first trimester
First month / 1 – 4 weeks
What you can do
No period
Hormones stop the menstrual cycle
– the uterine wall lining builds up to
cushion and feed the baby.
 Eat a variety of foods every day
from the four food groups.
 Exercise every day, in fresh air.
 Know this is normal.
 Wear a cotton bra that has good
Tingling, tender, swollen breasts
Hormones change breasts, to
prepare them for breastfeeding.
support, no under-wires and
wide shoulder straps.
Totally tired
 Sleep or nap when you need to.
Being pregnant uses lots of energy.
Peeing more often
 Drink less in the evening.
The uterus presses on the bladder
and it can’t hold as much.
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1½ -3 months / 5 – 12 weeks
Breast changes – areola darkens
and tiny glands appear
What you can do
 Choose to wear a comfortable bra
that supports your breasts well.
Breasts keep changing to get
ready for breastfeeding.
24B
Light-headedness
25B
Your blood system adapts slowly
when you stand or sit.
 Get up or change position slowly.
 Exercise and eat regularly.
 Use good posture.
 Eat less food, more often.
 Eat unsalted crackers or dry toast
before you get out of bed.
 Get out of bed slowly.
 Stay away from fatty and fried
foods.
Nausea and vomiting
Hormones, tension, and being
tired cause this. Usually lasts
about eight to 12 weeks.
 Drink clear tea, apple juice, ginger
ale.
 Try herbal teas such as: fennel,
anise, raspberry leaf, peppermint,
spearmint and camomile.
 Eat cold meals to avoid food
odours.
 Don’t drink when you eat – wait
½ hour or more.
 Ask your nurse/doctor/midwife
about pills, if needed.
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1½ -3 months / 5 – 12 weeks
What you can do
 Wear small pads, cotton lined
underwear, looser pants.
Thin, milky vaginal discharge
Changing hormones cause this.
 Shower or bath often.
 Keep the area clean and dry.
 Call your nurse/doctor/midwife if
it’s itchy, frothy, smelly, or
coloured.
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Second trimester: 4 – 6 months or 13 - 26 weeks
How the unborn baby changes
 16 weeks: Grows fine hair all
over, bone and blood vessels
grow, finger and toenails
present, genitals formed.
 20 weeks: Hair grows on head,
may start to suck their thumb,
kidneys produce urine –
released into the amniotic
fluid.
 24 weeks: Teeth develop, skin
wrinkled and covered with
vernix – white cheesy stuff – to
lubricate and protect the skin.
What to expect by the end of the second trimester:
 Mother gains 10 to 15 pounds, on average.
 Unborn baby weighs about 1½ pounds.
 Unborn baby has strong movements.
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How the mother changes during the second trimester
3 – 4 months / 13 – 15 weeks
What you can do
 Know that this is
‘Mask of pregnancy’ appears
A brownish tan on your face or in a line
running from your navel to the pubic area.
4 months / 16 weeks to birth
normal.
 Stay out of bright
sunlight.
What you can do
Breast fluids may leak
 Know that this is normal.
This is colostrum – a water-protein
fluid that comes before breast milk.
 Recognize the sensation –
bubbling, fluttering, knocking.
Unborn baby moves
 Note the date and tell the
Also called quickening.
doctor, nurse, or midwife. It’s
an important sign.
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5 months / 20 weeks to birth
What you can do
Tingling, numb fingers
 Put your hands on your
shoulders and rotate your elbows
in a circle.
Swelling causes pressure on nerves
and blood vessels.
 Do pelvic tilt exercises.
 Sit in straight-backed chairs.
Low back pain appears
 Wear comfortable, low-heeled
Happens as the ligaments attached
to the uterus stretch, the spine
curves because of the big belly, and
pelvic joints get soft. Poor posture
also a cause. Often worse at night.
shoes.
 Sleep on a firm mattress and use
pillows for support.
 Try heat, massage or warm baths.
 Apply cold.
 Don’t do any heavy lifting.
 Put legs up when you sit or lie
down.
Legs throb, varicose veins appear
Pressure in abdomen causes blood
to pool in leg veins.
 Walk - to increase circulation.
 Ask your nurse/doctor/midwife
about wearing support hose.
 Do not wear knee-highs and
garters, or sit with legs crossed.
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5 months / 20 weeks to birth
What you can do
 Eat regularly.
 Drink six to eight glasses of water
or juice a day – prune juice.
Hard, dry bowel movements
Hormones and a different diet slow
down the bowel’s activity. The
larger uterus puts pressure on the
bowel.
 Eat high fibre foods – whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables.
 Exercise regularly.
 Ask your nurse/doctor/midwife
before you use a suppository,
laxative, or enema.
 Sleep or nap on your left side.
Ankles, feet, hands, and face swell
The tissue has extra fluid – from
changing hormones, more blood
volume, and pressure from the
unborn baby.
 Put up your legs and feet.
 Don’t lie on your back, or wear
tight clothing.
 Do exercises that stimulate blood
flow.
 Talk to your
nurse/doctor/midwife.
6 months / 25 weeks to birth
Purple or red marks appear on
stomach and breasts
What you can do
 Massage your skin with non-
perfumed lotion or oil to help stop
the itching.
Changing hormones and stretched
skin cause this.
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6 months / 25 weeks to birth
More and more tired
Your pregnant body and the
unborn baby make more, and
new, demands.
False labour contractions
Uterus may contract irregularly
and you have pain in your tummy
(Braxton Hicks Contractions).
These contractions prepare your
body for labour, but you’re not in
labour yet.
What you can do
 Eat a healthy diet.
 Rest often - rest before you get
tired.
 Know your limits and stop before
you reach them.
 Use breathing exercises.
 Call the nurse or doctor if the
contractions are too painful.
 Get up and walk around to help
the pain go away.
 Keep good posture.
 Stay well-rested.
 Put up your feet when you sit or
Muscle cramps, especially at night
The unborn baby puts pressure on
abdominal nerves.
lie down.
 To relieve pain, gently push your
foot against a firm surface or have
someone gently push against your
foot.
 Massage.
 Daily exercise helps.
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Third trimester: 7 – 9 months or 27 weeks to
birth
How the unborn baby changes
 28 weeks: Starts to grow fat,
hiccups, lungs developed, eyes
open, body grows to fit size of
head.
 32 weeks: Weighs about 4 to 4
½ pounds, about 18 inches
long, can store iron, calcium,
other nutrients.
 36 weeks: Grows more fat,
sheds the vernix – the white
cheesy stuff that helps to
protect the unborn baby.
What to expect by the end of the third trimester
 Mother feels lighter – the unborn baby moves lower into
the pelvic area.
 The unborn baby can store mother’s antibodies, resist
some diseases.
 The unborn baby is fully developed.
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How the mother changes during the third trimester
8½ months / 36 weeks
What you can do
 Eat mild, non-acid foods such as
yogurt or buttermilk.
 Eat small meals and often.
Heartburn, gas, constipation
Changing hormones and pressure
of the uterus on the stomach and
intestines cause this.
 Stay away from fried, fatty, and
spicy foods.
 Try herbal teas : fennel or anise
 Drink after you eat, not during.
 Raise your head and shoulders
when you rest.
 Do not bend or lie down flat right
after you eat.
 Ask your nurse/doctor/midwife
for help.
 Don’t stand for long periods of
time.
Hemorrhoids
Pressure prevents blood circulating
well in the veins – made worse if
also constipated.
 Keep stools soft – eat fruits,
vegetables, and fibre; drink lots
of water.
 Avoid constipation,
 Warm baths and witch hazel
compresses.
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8½ months / 36 weeks
What you can do
 Keep good posture.
 Try stretching arms over your
Shortness of breath
Less lung capacity as the baby
grows. The top of the uterus
presses on the diaphragm.
head in a circular motion.
 Air out rooms - breathe fresh air.
 Sleep in a semi-sitting position.
 Get lots of rest and do not
exercise too hard.
 Wear loose clothes, especially
around your chest and stomach.
Sudden groin pain
Ligaments that support the uterus
suddenly stretch – happens when
you move suddenly – such as
sneeze, cough, or stand up quickly.
Loose mucus plug
Snotty discharge, sometimes pink
or yellow, from your vagina. You
see signs in your underwear or
when you wipe after peeing.
 Try to not move suddenly.
 Bend a bit at the hips if you
expect to cough or sneeze.
 Try warm heat to painful areas.
 Wear a panty liner.
 Know that your body is getting
ready for labour – but that labour
isn’t starting yet.
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9 months / 37 – 38 weeks
Improved breathing
The uterus settles down into the
pelvis. Feels like the baby dropped
- called lightening.
Peeing more often
The bladder holds less because the
uterus presses down on it.
What you can do
 Tell the doctor, nurse, or
midwife.
 Do pelvic floor exercises. (Kegel)
 Know this is normal.
 Do pelvic floor exercises. (Kegel)
3 – 4 days to birth
Increased contractions, burst of
energy, baby moves less, lose a bit
of weight
Changing hormones as baby gets
ready to be born.
What you can do
 Do not do heavy activities.
 Save your energy.
 Get things ready for birthing.
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High blood pressure, diabetes in your
pregnancy, early labour
During pregnancy – the nine months of change - some women may
have certain problems. This section gives basic information about
three possible problems: high blood pressure, diabetes in your
pregnancy, and premature or early labour.
If you live in a community outside Yellowknife and the nurse or
midwife get too concerned, they may send you to Yellowknife or
Edmonton.
High blood pressure
Pregnant women get their blood pressure
checked at each prenatal visit. If the nurse,
doctor, or midwife gets concerned, they may
need to check your blood pressure more often.
You and your unborn baby can get really sick if your blood pressure
gets too high. You may get headaches, spots or sparkles before your
eyes, pain in your upper tummy, or more swelling in your hands or
feet. If your blood pressure stays too high, you NEED go to the
hospital.
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Diabetes in your pregnancy - gestational diabetes
Pregnant women do a sugar drink test at a prenatal visit when
they’re about 6-7 months / 24-28 weeks pregnant. A woman gets
tested again if the test results are high. If the test results are high,
she probably has ‘diabetes in your pregnancy’. This means that the
pregnancy has changed your body and it does not properly use
sugar and starch.
Women with this condition have to really watch
what they eat. They have to regularly check their
blood sugars - prick a finger and put a drop of
blood on a machine.
When it’s close to time to deliver the baby, the doctor will do more
tests at the hospital to make sure you and the baby are healthy.
Premature or early labour
Sometimes a pregnant woman’s water breaks too
early. If this happens, you need to get to
Yellowknife or Edmonton.
Sometimes a pregnant woman has lower back
pain that does not go away. If this happens, go see your nurse,
doctor, or midwife and ask them to check this out.
Sometimes a pregnant woman feels like they have a bladder
infection. Or they have cramps like they have during a bad monthly
period, except the cramps do not go away. If this happens, go see
your nurse, doctor, or midwife.
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When to Call the
Nurse/Doctor/Midwife
Pregnant women and their partners need to
watch for certain warning signs, and call the
nurse/doctor/midwife if needed.
Watch for these warning signs and make the
call if you experience any of these things:
1) Chills and fever over 38° C or 100° F
2) Any contact with German measles
3) Fainting or dizziness
4) Blurred or double vision, or seeing spots before your eyes
5) Severe headache that lasts longer than two hours
6) Sudden weight gain and swelling hands and feet
7) Abdominal pain that won’t go away.
8) Vaginal bleeding
9) Peeing that hurts or burns
10) Coloured, frothy, foul-smelling, or itchy vaginal discharge
11) A gush or leaking fluid from the vagina
12) Severe nausea and vomiting – more than two to three
times a day after the first three months
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13) No fetal movement in two hours. We need 6 fetal
movements in a two hour period. Sit down and put your
hands on your tummy. If you still have less than 6
movements in 2 hours-you need to have a check-up done
soon.
14) Painful, tender and warm red area on your leg
When you call, be ready to answer these questions:
 How long this been happening? How long have you felt
this way? Give dates and times if you can.
 How bad is it? Is it really awful?
 How often does it happen?
 What makes it better? Give details if you can.
 What makes is worse? Give details if you can.
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Breast Care and Breastfeeding
This section has a few tips about how to take care of your breasts
when you’re pregnant, and how to get ready for breastfeeding.
Breast Care
Pregnant women can do a few small things to
help take care of their breasts, and get ready
for breastfeeding.
 Bath regularly. Use very little or no
soap, and rinse thoroughly.
 Stay away from drying agents such
as alcohol and perfumed soaps. They remove natural
lubrication and can irritate your nipples.
 Buy a bra that’s comfortable and big enough to support
your breasts. (one without under-wires is best)
Picture yourself breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your
newborn. Breast milk contains the most easily
digested form of protein available.
And breastfeeding is much more than feeding
babies the best food they can get. It is a special
relationship between a mother and her baby.
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Reasons for breastfeeding your baby
 Breast milk is made just for your baby. It changes to meet
your baby’s needs, as they get older.
 Breast milk contains hormones to help babies grow and
antibodies to fight infection.
 Breast milk has a laxative effect - babies have fewer
problems with constipation and diarrhea.
 Breastfed babies develop better jaws and gums because of
the sucking motion they use when they breastfeed.
 Breastfed babies have higher developmental scores than
formula fed babies.
 Breastfed babies have fewer speech problems.
 Breastfed babies less often have juvenile diabetes, small
bowel disease, allergies, ear infections, anemia, and asthma.
Reasons for breastfeeding for the mother
 Helps the uterus shrink back to pre-pregnancy size.
 Reduces the chance of osteoporosis and pre-menopausal
breast cancer.
 Promotes a strong bond between mother and baby.
 Easy to use – always there and ready.
 Costs less.
 Less time lost away from work because of a sick baby.
Decreases health care costs.
 Lose weight in a different way than mothers that don’t
breastfeed, because your body works hard to produce milk.
 Makes no garbage and uses no non-renewable resources.
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Labour and Birth
This section has information about the following things related to
labour and birth:
 Signs that your body is getting ready
for labour
 When should I go to the hospital
 Three stages of labour
 What to take to the labour room
 Tips for the labour support person
 Tips for breathing during labour
 How to be comfortable during labour
 Pain relief, induction, C-section
During labour the baby, the umbilical cord, the membranes and
fluid, and the placenta move out of the uterus or womb through the
cervix or opening. The cervix gets thin and dilates or opens.
Transition is the time during labour when the cervix opens the last
bit it needs to open, to allow the baby to come through. The baby
moves down the birth canal or vagina, and out. The placenta or
afterbirth comes out after the baby.
Contractions happen when the muscles in the uterus get tight, to
help you give birth. Contractions happen all through labour - you
feel your tummy get hard and it hurts. Also called ‘pain in your
tummy’. Back labour is when you feel all the pain in your back.
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Signs That Your Body is Getting Ready for Labour
Following are some signs that your body is getting for labour. You
may have some of these signs ‚on and off‛ for several days before
labour starts.
* The baby “drops’ into the pelvis (also called lightening or
engagement). This can happen up to 4 weeks before labour starts.
When the baby ‚drops‛ you may be able to breathe easier and you’ll
have more pressure on your bladder and feel like you need to pee
more often.
* Nesting (a burst of energy and a need to have everything ready)
may happen a few days before labour starts. Be careful not to do too
much. You’ll need your energy for labour and birth.
*Loss of mucus-plug. As your cervix opens, the ‚cork‛ of mucus
may start to come out. This mucus plug may be passed 1 to 2 weeks
before you go into labour.
*A pink or bloody discharge from your vagina. As the cervix opens
tiny blood vessels break and they may tint the mucus from your
vagina pink or streak it with blood. This ‚show‛ usually means
labour will start in the next day or two.
*Diarrhea. Some women may have loose bowel movements and
nausea just before labour starts.
*Feel more pressure in pelvis and bottom. Some women feel
crampiness (like menstrual cramps) and groin pain especially if this
is their second or more pregnancy. Low back pain may also happen.
* More tightenings of the uterus (Braxton Hicks Contractions). You
may feel your uterus tighten up and harden more often. These
practice contractions may come more often, may be stronger and
even painful.
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When Should I go to the Hospital?
Most women go into labour in the 2 weeks before or after their baby
is due. Because it is hard to know when you will go into labour, it is
a good idea to be ready a few weeks before your baby is due.
You should go into the hospital when:
> Contractions are happening every 2 to 4 minutes apart for an hour.
Time your contraction from the beginning of one contraction to the
beginning of the next contraction. If this is not your first baby, go to
the hospital when your contractions are every 5 minutes apart.
>Contractions are getting stronger and you are no longer
comfortable.
>You feel a gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina. This means
your ‚bag of waters‛ has broken. Sometimes you may have a very
slow leak. It may feel wet in your underpants.
>If you have less than 6 movements in 2 hours.
>There is a sign that there is a problem, such as bleeding from the
vagina.
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Three stages of labour
Labour happens in three general stages. This
section gives some details about what to expect
during each stage of labour and what to do to
be more comfortable.
Early labour - before you go to the hospital.
First stage
Active first stage – At the hospital, up to when
you’re ready to start pushing. Lasts 4 to 12 hours.
Second stage
Pushing the baby out. Lasts 30 minutes to 2
hours.
Third stage
Pushing the placenta out.
Labour usually lasts for 10 to 14 hours for most women with their
first pregnancy.
Labour usually lasts from six to 10 hours for women who have been
pregnant more than once.
Remember labour lasts as long as it needs to.
Believe in yourself and trust and listen to what your body is telling
you to do. It will be help you during your labour.
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Early labour – Before you go to hospital
What happens? How do I feel?
 The cervix gets thinner and shorter – the opening stretches
from a few millimetres to about four centimetres.
 Contractions feel like menstrual cramps, and last 30 to 45
seconds. To start, contractions may be irregular and spread
out. As labour progresses, contractions come closer together.
 Backache, pelvic pressure.
 ‘Show’ – a pinkish mucus discharge – the mucus plug in the
cervix comes out through the vagina.
 Usually your water breaks - as a small trickle or a big gush.
 Feel excited, relieved, and not sure what to expect.
 Sociable and talkative.
 Impatient and eager for progress between contractions.
What should I do?
 Carry on with usual activities as long as possible. Alternate
activities with rest periods. Sleep if at night.
 Time the contractions and use comforts of labour that help.
 Call the midwife, nurse, or doctor.
 Eat a light meal if you’re hungry.
 Have a warm bath or shower, if someone is near and your
water hasn’t broken.
 Breathe normally until you can’t talk or walk through a
contraction. Then start slow breathing, as needed.
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Active first stage – At the hospital, up to when you
start pushing
What happens? How do I feel?
 To start, contractions come every 3 to 5 minutes, and last 45
to 60 seconds. They build to every 2 to 3 minutes, and last 60
to 90 seconds.
 More ‘show’ – pinkish mucus discharge.
 The cervix dilates or opens, from 4 to 8 cm. Transition
happens when the cervix dilates from 8cm to 10 cm.
 During transition - may feel nauseated, hot or cold, restless,
sleepy between contractions, backache, rectal pressure, urge
to push; may sweat, find it hard to relax; legs may tremble.
 During transition – feel more irritable, sensitive,
overwhelmed, want to give up, exhausted, bewildered,
frustrated, discouraged, out of control, normal to cry.
 May withdraw into yourself and the labour, have doubts,
wonder if you can cope, don’t want to talk or be distracted.
 Have trouble saying what you need, harder to concentrate
during contractions and relax after.
 Surprised, overwhelmed, even frightened at the urge to push.
What should I do?
 Use any and all comforts of labour that might help.
 Continue to relax and breathe slowly, deeply.
 Concentrate on each contraction, relax and rest between.
 Do not push or hold your breath when contractions get
strong and happen every two to three minutes.
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Second stage – pushing the baby out
What happens? How do I feel?
 Contractions come every 2 to 3 minutes, last 60 to 90 seconds.
 Feel an irresistible urge to push. May feel groin pressure and
burning as the baby’s head moves down the birth canal.
 Push when your body tells you to. The doctor/nurse/midwife
may ask you to stop pushing when the baby’s head crowns.
 Feel surprised, overwhelmed, or frightened by the urge to
push.
 Feel a burst of energy, excited.
 Pressure on your bum makes you anxious and hesitant to
push.
 Between contractions feel drowsy, peaceful, tired, may sleep.
 May poop – this is normal.
What should I do?
 Get into your birthing position – half sit, squat, lie on side,
etc.
 If sitting, move your chin towards your chest, bend your
elbows, and grip your legs with your hands.
 Push down into your bum when you feel the urge to push,
and slowly let your breath out.
 Breathe in and keep pushing until the urge to push is gone.
It’s the same way you push when you have a poop.
 Rest and relax entire body when the contraction is done.
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Third stage – pushing the placenta out
What happens? How do I feel?
 Contractions may stop after the birth, but may start again.
 The uterus is the size of a grapefruit and it rises in the
tummy.
 The uterus gets smaller and pushes out the placenta or
afterbirth. This takes five to 20 minutes. You may have a
gush of blood before you deliver the placenta, or during.
You may not be aware that you delivered the placenta.
 You will get a needle with hormone to help the uterus
contract or get smaller - an oxytocin injection.
 Feel total joy, relief, wonder, excitement, pride and
fulfillment, grateful, disbelief. Some mothers don’t
experience any particular feelings.
 Feel very hungry and thirsty.
 Focus on the baby. Want to know that the baby is normal.
 Sleep when excitement dies down; or may be too excited to
sleep.
What should I do?
 Stay relaxed. Push gently if you need to push out the
placenta.
 Lie back. Enjoy the baby and keep the baby warm.
 Be together with your baby and your partner or support
person.
 Start breastfeeding.
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Skin to Skin
Why is Skin-to-Skin so important?
Skin-to-skin is a way of holding your baby that both babies and
parents find enjoyable. The baby wears only a diaper and is held in
an upright position on the mother’s bare chest. A light blanket can
be draped across the baby’s back. When babies are held skin-to-skin
they can hear their mother’s heartbeat and breathing, and smell and
feel her skin. This is familiar and comforting to newborns.
Skin-to-Skin…
 Stabilizes your baby’s heart rate, breathing and blood sugar.
 Keeps your baby warm through your body heat.
 Promotes bonding and getting to know your baby.
 Helps your baby to be calmer and cry less.
 Helps you to be more confident and relaxed.
 Helps your milk flow and may improve your milk supply.
 Promotes a good latch. This means that you are less likely to
develop sore nipples and your baby will get more milk.
 This can be possible with any birth, including caesarean birth.
Hold your baby skin-to-skin as soon after birth as possible for at
least one hour. Continue holding your baby skin-to-skin often and
for long periods. Premature babies benefit from this too. Sometimes
this is called Kangaroo Mother-Baby care. Older babies will also
enjoy skin-to-skin holding.
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What to take to the labour room
The ‘labour bag’
Things a pregnant woman might need during labour.
 Lollipops or other candy to keep your
mouth moist
 Lip gloss or Vaseline for dry lips
 Oil or lotion for back rubs; aromatherapy oils
 Something to read
 Coins for the phone and vending machine
 Light snack for yourself and your support person
 Housecoat and slippers
 Picture – a place to focus
 Music for relaxing
The ‘hospital bag’
For the mother
For the baby
 Underwear
 Diapers
 Nursing bra and pads
 Sleeper, T-shirt, sweater
 Toothbrush, hair brush
 Socks or booties
 Sanitary pads
 Hat
 Nightgown and robe
 Receiving blanket
 Loose fitting clothes
 Heavy blanket, if winter
 Car seat
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Tips for the labour support person
A pregnant woman may ask her partner or a friend to
be her support person during labour. As a support
person, you share in a big life event. Your job is to
help two important people – the mother and the baby.
To help, go to prenatal classes with the pregnant
woman and keep these things in mind during labour:
 Offer the mother a backrub or massage
 Keep lights low and room quiet
 Wipe her face with a cool cloth
 Offer her a drink, ice chips to suck, popsicles, sips of juice
 Time her contractions for her
 Help her to relax, remind her to change positions and to
pee often
 Ask if she wants a shower – and take a change of clothing,
shorts, or bathing suit so you can go in the shower with
her
 Encourage her - let her know she’s doing a good job
 Find answers to her questions
 Be with her
 Keep your sense of humour
 Ask what you can do to help
 Take care of yourself too
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Tips for breathing during labour
Breathing during labour and delivery helps to:
 Focus your attention away from the
pain and contractions
 Help you relax better and calm you
 Provide the oxygen you and the baby need
 Let everyone know that a contraction is beginning or ending
General tips for breathing during labour
There is no ‚right way‛ to breathe during labour. The right
way for you to breathe is whatever feels right for you.
 Cleansing breath or greeting breath:
At the beginning and end of each contraction, breathe in as
deeply as you can and breathe out completely. Imagine you
are breathing in energy and blowing out tension.
 Focal Point
Focus on a picture or other object to help you think about
something other than the pain. Some women close their eyes
to focus. Imagine your cervix opening up and the baby
moving downward. Relax your shoulders and the muscles in
your abdomen and pelvis.
 Patterned breathing
Change your breathing pattern during the contraction if you
need to. For example, breathe slowly and deeply at the
beginning and end of the contraction, and more shallowly at
the peak.
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 Before you start pushing, ask the nurse, midwife or doctor if
your cervix is fully dilated. If you push too early, you may get
tired and the labour lasts longer. To stop pushing, use quick
blowing or panting breaths until the contraction ends.
Slow, rhythmical, deep breathing – early labour
 As the contraction begins, take a deep breath, relax, and focus
 Breathe slowly, easily, and rhythmically- in through your
nose and out through your mouth.
 When the contraction ends, take another deep breath.
 Between contractions, take normal breaths and relax.
Patterned breathing – active first stage
 Speed up your breathing if it helps you cope better – if you
can’t relax with the slow rhythmical breathing.
 As the contraction begins, take a deep breath, relax, and
focus.
 As the contraction becomes stronger, take shallower breaths
through your mouth. Try not to breathe too quickly.
 Find the speed and depth that works best for you.
 When the contraction ends, take another deep cleansing
breath and relax.
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Pushing breathing – when you are fully dilated
 As the pushing contraction starts, take a slow deep breath.
 If sitting, move your chin towards your chest and bend your
elbows, grip your legs behind your knees with your hands,
and push.
 Between contractions, lie or sit back, relax, and get ready for
the next contraction.
 When the baby’s head is out, the midwife or doctor may ask
you to stop pushing and pant. This helps you birth the baby
slowly and gently.
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How to be comfortable during labour
A woman and her support person can use different things to help
her be more comfortable during labour. Use these, along with
focussed breathing, to relieve the pain with each contraction.
1) Comfort positions, including the birthing ball and birthing
stool
2) Massage
3) Shower and bath
4) Hot and cold packs
5) Relaxation, music and aromatherapy
6) Drinking and peeing
1) Comfort positions
A woman in labour should regularly move and change positions.
This helps to increase her comfort and make her contractions
stronger and more regular.
Here are eight common comfort positions for the 1st and 2nd stages of
labour.
Walk – 1st stage of labour
 Encourages the baby to move down.
 Helps relieve backache.
 May help make contractions less painful and more
productive.
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Stand – 1st stage of labour
 Encourages the baby to move down.
 Helps contractions be less painful and
more productive.
 Can be tiring for longer periods.
 Lean forward while standing – more
restful, relieves backache.
 Rock or sway your hips while standing.
 Slow dance with your support person – while they hold you
and massage your lower back.
Sit upright – 1st and 2nd stages of labour
 Uses gravity to help the baby move down.
 Can be a restful change.
 Useful during electronic fetal monitoring.
 Use a birthing ball.
Half sit – 1st and 2nd stages of labour
 May be a helpful resting position.
 Sit on the toilet to help relax the
perineum for bearing down.
 Lean forward and rest against the
support person or birthing ball.
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Kneel – 1st and 2nd stages of labour
 Take the pressure off
hemorrhoids.
 Relieve backache.
 Lean on a chair, bed, or
birthing ball to reduce strain on hands and wrists.
 Helps with back labour.
Lie on your side – 1st and 2nd stages of labour
 Takes pressure off hemorrhoids.
 Helps you relax between
contractions.
 Helps slow down a rapid second
stage of labour.
 Safe if you take pain medication.
 May be a good position to deliver.
Squat
 Helps the baby descend -
takes advantage of gravity
and widens the pelvic outlet.
 Need less effort than other
positions if you don’t have a
strong urge to push.
 Use a birthing stool on the bed or floor to squat.
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1) Massage
Many women like some massage during labour to
help them relax and to reduce the pain.
Here are three basic ways to massage a woman
during labour:
1) Stroke the abdomen lightly and
rhythmically. Use two hands to make circles on the
abdomen or use one hand and move it back and forth over
the lower abdomen.
2) Firmly stroke or knead her shoulders, back, thighs, feet, or
hands – areas that need to relax.
3) Press with your palm or fist on her lower back to relieve
backache. Use firm and constant pressure throughout the
contraction. You can use a rolling pin or tennis ball to help.
2) Shower or bath
Many women find a shower or bath very
comforting during labour. The water can help
their contractions feel less painful.
Shower – the mother stands or sits in the shower,
and leans against the wall for support during
contractions. Direct a spray of water to the painful area, such as the
back or abdomen.
Bath – the mother sits in a warm tub to relax. If your water breaks,
check with the midwife or doctor before you use a bath.
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3) Hot and cold packs
 Hot packs relax muscles and provide soothing
relief. Wrap them in a towel and put them on
the mother’s shoulder, lower abdomen, and
back. Hot packs are helpful for back labour.
 Cold packs relieve low back pain. Wrap them in a towel and put
them on the mother’s lower back.
 Put a cool cloth on the mother’s face or neck if she feels too warm
during labour.
4) Relaxation, music and aromatherapy
A woman can practice and learn to relax during labour,
to reduce muscle tension.
 Focus and concentrate on a loved person or
an object to take your attention away from the
contractions. Concentrate totally and breathe gently.
 Visualize a special place, a soothing memory, or how the
contraction makes the cervix open.
 Use music to create a pleasant, relaxing feeling.
 Some scents, such as lavender, can help lessen the feeling
of pain. Add these scents to your massage oil.
5) Drinking and peeing
Women in labour need and want to drink, even if they
don’t want to eat. Offer them water, tea, juice, a popsicle,
ice chips, or sour lollipops between contractions.
A woman in labour needs to pee at least every two hours.
A full bladder may make the labour last longer.
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Pain relief, induction, C-section
This section gives basic information about three
areas where women may need special help from
the hospital during labour and birthing:
i) Pain relief
ii) Induction
iii) Caesarean section birth
Women may need special help at any stage of labour. Talk to your
doctor, nurse, or midwife about what is possible, so you know and
understand what can happen and why it happens.
Pain relief
Labour is just about always painful. The hospital
can use drugs to ease the pain. Some women don’t
need pain relief, other women do.
Here are four common ways the hospital offers pain relief.
 Entonox – a gas that is 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen.
The woman breathes the gas through a mask. She holds the
mask and controls the amount she gets.
 Morphine – a narcotic doctors use to relieve pain and
encourage the woman to relax and become drowsy.
 Fentanyl – an intravenous medicine the woman gets that acts
quickly and lasts only for a short time.
 Epidural analgesia – a drug the doctor injects into the spine
area that takes the pain away from the tummy and groin.
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Induction
Induction happens when the hospital uses a
drug to make the labour start, before it starts by
itself.
Here are three common reasons that a doctor may choose to induce
labour:
 A pregnant woman is 10 days or more past her due date
and has no labour.
 The doctor is worried about the effects of high blood
pressure or diabetes during pregnancy.
 The doctor is worried that the baby doesn’t have enough
fluid around them.
Here’s how induction works:
1) The mother gets a drug, tampon-like or a gel, to open the
cervix and to start contractions. This drug is put into the
vagina to get the cervix ready for the labour.
2) The doctor breaks the bag of water with a tool that looks
like a big crochet hook. You may feel really wet after this
happens. This may start labour or make labour quicker.
3) The mother gets a drug by IV (intravenous) that helps her
uterus contract. The drug can also make contractions
stronger and more effective. The mother will have to stay
in bed and will be looked after closely by a nurse.
During induction the hospital monitors the mother and baby more
closely.
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Caesarean section or C-section
Doctors use a C-section when a woman can’t
deliver the baby through her vagina. A Csection is surgery - the doctor cuts through the
abdomen to deliver the baby, to protect the
mother’s and baby’s life and health.
Here are some examples of when a mother may need a C-section:
 Baby is positioned feet first or sideways.
 Labour is not normal – baby not coming through the birth
canal the way it should.
 Baby is in distress – for example, lacking oxygen.
 Baby’s cord or the placenta cuts off the baby’s oxygen.
 Mother has heart problems.
 Mother has active genital herpes.
Just because you delivered a baby by C-section in the past does not
mean that your next baby has to be delivered this way.
If your pregnancy was normal with no problems, talk to your
doctor about having your baby delivered vaginally.
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Travelling to Yellowknife
to have your Baby
You stay at a boarding home when you come to
Yellowknife to have your baby. You will attend
Healthy Pregnancy Group, which is group prenatal
care, once a week to make sure you and your baby
are healthy. The boarding home gives you a ride.
You may have questions between your visits to the
doctor. If you do, please call 669-4155 or go to the hospital’s labour
and delivery ward.
You can go to the hospital ahead of time, and look through the place
where you’ll have your baby – the OBS Unit or Obstetrics Unit. Call
669-4359 to set up a tour.
There are lots of things you can do while you’re in Yellowknife.
Here are some suggestions.
Centre for Northern Families
5610 – 50th Avenue
Phone: 873-2566
 Offers a warm, friendly place to go – fun activities,
nutritious snacks, and a great way to meet other women.
 Healthy Baby Club – every Monday and Wednesday from
1:00 to 4:00 pm
 Sewing Circle – every Tuesday from 6:30 to 9:30 pm
 Cooking Class – every Friday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm
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 May have free used baby clothes, toys, and other baby
gear.
Remember to keep exercising
 Walking is good for you and your baby. Yellowknife has
good walking trails around Frame Lake, right next to
downtown. The City clears the trails during winter. There
is also the Field House walking track.
 Go swimming at the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool. Call 920-
5682 to find out the schedule or check the website:
http://www.yellowknife.ca/Page3205.aspx
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
 Go see the great northern exhibits, artwork, and other
displays. Call 873-7551 for more information.
Visitors Centre
 Learn more about things to do while you’re in Yellowknife.
Phone 873-4262. Just off the highway into town, across the
street from the Explorer Hotel.
Public Library
2nd floor Centre Square Mall – 49th Street and 49th Avenue.
Phone 920-5642
 Read books, magazines, newspapers; use the computers,
some activities. Call for more info or a schedule.
Shopping for second hand baby clothes?
 Salvation Army Thrift Store at 4701 Franklin Avenue.
Phone 766-2942
 St. Pats flea market – usually every Friday afternoon 2:00 to
6:00 pm and Saturday morning at the parish hall, corner of
52nd Avenue and 52nd Street. Phone 920-4961
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Your New Baby
This section briefly outlines what your new baby looks like and
what they see and hear in early life. It has a list of common, popular
names for girls and for boys.
What your new baby looks like
Parents always think their new baby is
beautiful.
 Some babies show bruises and
swelling from their trip down the
birth canal.
 Some babies have a moulded, melon-
shaped head at birth – this disappears in time.
 New babies have no control over their body - they make
movements that seem pointless, their body tone is tense
and jerky. This changes gradually over the first month as
they gain more control over their body.
 Newborns may have slightly yellow skin. Jaundice causes
this – a harmless condition that may happen a few days
after birth. Feed your baby often and make sure they are
peeing and pooing.
 A newborn’s hair and eye colour often changes.
 A newborn has a thin covering of fine soft hair all over
their body. It’s called lanugo and it goes away around the
fourth month.
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What your new baby sees and hears
 A newborn sees patterns of light and dark.
Patterns such as checks, stripes, or circles
stimulate them more than colours.
 A newborn can see things close to their face.
Their vision gets hazy if something is more
than about eight inches away.
 Your new baby quickly begins to recognize and get excited about
your face or toys they know well.
 Your new baby can follow an object that moves from the side to
the centre of their body.
 New babies make and hear sounds. Towards the end of the first
month, you’ll hear cooing noises, sighs, and grunts. But crying is
a baby’s main way to communicate.
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Common, popular names for boys or girls
Aaron
Adam
Alexander
Andrew
Anthony
Austin
Benjamin
Brandon
Caleb
Cameron
Christian
Christopher
Connor
Daniel
Dylan
Ethan
Elijah
Eric
Gabriel
Hunter
Jack
Jackson
Jacob
James
Jason
John
Jonathan
Jordan
Jose
Joseph
Joshua
Justin
Kevin
Kyle
Logan
Luis
Luke
Matthew
Michael
Nathan
Nicholas
Noah
Robert
Ryan
Samuel
Thomas
Tyler
William
Zachary
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Common, popular names for boys or girls
Abigail
Alexandra
Alexis
Alyssa
Amanda
Amber
Anna
Ashley
Brianna
Chloe
Courtney
Destiny
Emma
Emily
Elizabeth
Gabrielle
Grace
Haley
Hannah
Isabella
Jasmine
Jenna
Jennifer
Jessica
Julia
Jordan
Kaitlyn
Katherine
Kayla
Lauren
Madeline
Madison
Maria
Mary
Megan
Morgan
Natalie
Nicole
Olivia
Rachel
Rebecca
Samantha
Sarah
Sierra
Sophia
Stephanie
Sydney
Taylor
Victoria
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Baby Gear – New or Second Hand?
New baby gear costs a lot of money. Most parents use at least some
second hand baby gear. Use the basic tips in this section to make
sure your baby gear is safe. Baby gear includes:
 Crib or cradle
 Playpen
 Stroller
 Baby gate
 Car seat
General safety tips
1) Find out how old the item is, how people treated it, and if any
parts are broken or missing.
2) Look for a CSA sticker. The Canadian Standards Association
regularly tests different products and updates their safety
standards. Check each product for the latest update.
3) Remember that it’s not worth it to save some money if you
put your new baby at risk.
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Crib or cradle
Basic safety tips for a crib or cradle:
 Place the crib away from windows, curtains, blind cords,
lamps, electric plugs, and extension cords.
 Check often to make sure the frame is solid. Tighten loose
screws regularly.

NO bumper pad.

Sides lock in place.

Good mattress
support.
Popcan CANNOT fit
through the rails.

Firm mattress, 6” thick or less.

Fits snugly - less than one-inch gap on any side.

NO comforter, soft pillows, or stuffed toys.

NO gap between the lower edge of the end panels and
upper edge of mattress support.
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Playpen
Basic safety tips for a playpen:
 Make sure the sides are solid or have
mosquito-type netting - so your baby
can’t poke their fingers through or get
their buttons stuck.
 Check that the playpen has no more than two wheels or
castors - so it doesn’t move too much.
 Make sure the walls are at least 18 inches or 48 cm high and
that the playpen is strong and stable.
Stroller
Basic safety tips for a stroller:
 Choose a sturdy stroller, with big
enough wheels to go over the ground
where you live.
 Use a stroller that’s the right size to
support your child, so they can’t tip it
over easily.
 Do up the straps to keep the child from falling forward or
tipping the stroller over.
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Baby gate
Basic safety tips for a baby gate:
 Look for a gate you can bolt to the wall or doorway.
 Do not use accordion-type gates – they are banned in Canada.
Car seats for newborns
Basic safety tips to take your newborn home from hospital:
 Use an infant car seat that faces backwards.
 Put the infant car seat in the middle of the back seat if
possible.
 Check the directions about how to put the seat belt
through the car seat. Make sure the seat belt is tight
enough.
 Put down the handle, if your infant car
seat has one. If it has a canopy, you
may have to put that down too. Follow
manufacturer’s instructions
Basic safety tips for car seats:
 Only use a car seat that meets the Canadian Motor
Vehicles Safety Standards.
 Use the kind and size of car seat that best suits your baby’s
age, height, and weight. Safety standards tell you when to
change the car seat, as your baby gets older, taller, and
heavier.
 See ‚Best Beginnings‛ for details about car seat safety for
kids.
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Children Learn What They Live
Adapted from Dorothy Law Nolte
If children live with fault-finding,
they learn to judge harshly.
If children live with anger,
they learn to fight.
If children live with mean teasing,
they learn to be shy.
If children live with shame,
they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with respect,
they learn to be patient.
If children live with encouragement,
they learn to be strong.
If children live with praise,
they learn to like others.
If children live with fairness,
they learn justice.
If children live with safety,
they learn to have faith.
If children live with approval,
they learn to help themselves.
If children live with acceptance and friendship,
they learn to find love in the world.
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