Pregnancy survival secrets

Every pregnant woman has something that helps make her time as a mum-to-be more enjoyable. This may be a daily hot chocolate, walk in the park, foot massage, wardrobe staple or crazy craving. Whatever it may
be, if it helps one mum, it may well help another, so we asked six mums who’d been there and done that: “What helped YOU get through those nine months?”

Looking good

Helen who's babies were born only 16 months apart, enjoyed the freedom from bodily hang-ups that pregnancy gave her, even though carrying another child so soon after her first was taking its toll. “You know those women you see walking down the street who look like they have a watermelon between their legs? Well, that was me,” she laughs. “But I found you can still have fun with your clothing while pregnant. I think good underwear is really important in making you feel good.

“It’s also nice to treat yourself to some pretty, loose pyjamas so you feel nice when people visit you in hospital. Indulge yourself in the loveliness of pregnancy. Tap into that to make yourself feel good.“I also discovered the joys of wearing boxer shorts and not having to worry about my tummy bulge for a change!”

Pillow talk

For Tammie, mum of Eva and Adelene, a body-length maternity pillow made her pregnancy bearable.
“The pillow had a hooked bit at the top and then a long straight bit for your body. I’d put the hook under my head or neck and then put the weight of my body or boobs on it. It was great at night and I would also lie on the lounge with it during the day. Having that support made me very comfy. It cost $80-$90 but it was well worth it. “I even wrapped it around me in the front seat of the car when I was in labour so that when I contracted I could squeeze down on it!”

Pain, pain, go away

Claire is realistic about her own (low) pain threshold and says that knowing she could have an epidural helped her overcome her fear of labour. “Some people are able to deal with the pain of labour. I equated it with being tortured. “I had an epidural quite late in the day with my first baby, so with my other two babies I insisted on an epidural once labour was established. “You wouldn’t have a tooth extracted without any pain relief. So if you know the pain can go away with an epidural, why not have one? One minute you’re screaming in agony and the next minute, the pain’s gone. I think epidurals rock.”

In the swim

Mother of two Julianne found jumping in the surf every day throughout her pregnancy helped her feel revitalized and fit. “With my second pregnancy, I found rolling through the waves daily in my third trimester was energising… even if I looked like a beached whale!” she laughs. “Towards full-term, I kept plunging into gentle waves to get things moving a bit – to make sure the baby wasn’t going to stay in there for too long. The water also alleviated that ‘wedgie’ feeling down low in my pelvis that felt so heavy and awful.

“When I did go into labour, Claudia was born after three hours with no intervention, so maybe my abdominal muscle tone and fitness were maintained by the surf regimen.”

Yoga works wonders

Amelia, who had her first daughter, Florence, at age 45, found herself spending too much time worrying about all the things that might possibly go wrong. “Being of ‘advanced maternal age’, I was concerned about all the adverse consequences.
“Initially, I was anxious about early miscarriage and foetal abnormalities. I then became consumed with a fear of premature labour and was convinced my placenta wouldn’t last the distance!

“To help me work through these fears, I took antenatal yoga classes. They helped me to be less alarmed when my body creaked and groaned. Eventually, I was able to re-focus my energy into enjoying the wonder of pregnancy.”

Butter is better

For Leah, cocoa butter was a ‘must have’ item for all three pregnancies.
“I have to admit, I sailed through all three of my pregnancies. But my biggest tip would be to use cocoa butter to help prevent stretchmarks.

“I gained 20kg with my second baby, Harry – I was HUGE. But I used cocoa butter on my tummy and the tops of my legs and it was fantastic. “I had already used it when I was pregnant with my first baby, Georgia, and didn’t get any stretchmarks. It felt great and smelled great, so I continued using it with Harry. “Even after my third baby, Sam, I still have no stretchmarks and I put it down to the cocoa butter.”

What the experts say

The midwife
“Many women like to take music into hospital for while they’re in labour,” says PP’s midwife Shea Caplice. “But it’s often a good idea to listen to the music at home before you go into labour. This way, you are training yourself to relax to that music when you hear it. Music during labour can also be very handy for drowning out that woman in the throes of childbirth next door!”

The obstetrician
“Lots of pregnant women are scared of giving birth because they’ve had their confidence eroded by other women’s horror stories,” says obstetrician Dr Ted Weaver. “Everyone knows someone to whom something bad happened, but women need to know that they are equipped to do this and they should have confidence in their bodies, their carers and the process.”

The doula
“We like to use affirmations,” says doula Renee Adair. “Things like ‘I am fearless in birth’ or ‘My body is open and I am ready to receive my baby’. “Stick them around the house where you can see them and have them with you in early labour. We even sometimes take them into hospital and put them around the room to encourage women when they need it.”

The educator
“While you’re pregnant, it’s a good idea to avoid highly emotional experiences or
movies. If you can’t or don’t want to, then you should embrace your hormones,” says child development consultant Dr Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett. “I’m a reasonably logical and level-headed person, but I watched the film I Am Sam, about an autistic man raising his daughter, while I was pregnant and then cried for two hours!”