"I'm pregnant - now what?"

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Q What’s the real deal – can I have the occasional drink during pregnancy, or should I steer completely clear?

A This is still a highly controversial issue. A large UK study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggested the five-year-olds of women who drank “lightly” (that’s one 150ml glass of wine per week) during pregnancy were 30 per cent less likely to have behavioural problems than those whose mums abstained.

But paediatrician Dr Neil Aiton, from the UK’s Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, has come out to say alcohol is more damaging to a foetus than tobacco or marijuana: “If it is a choice between a drink, a smoke or a spliff, then ‘don’t drink’ would be my recommendation.” WH health expert, GP Dr Ginni Mansberg, also advocates staying dry: “[The National Health and Medical Research Council] looked at all the studies and put out a guideline based on their enormous combined intellect and scientific research.

I quote: ‘For women who are pregnant or planning to be, not drinking is the safest option’,” she says. “I suspect the occasional glass is probably fine, especially since foetal alcohol syndrome is most likely to occur with ‘heavy’ alcohol use during pregnancy. But some unsettling research has linked lower IQ and poor motor skills to as little as one drink a day during pregnancy.”

A new study in Child Neuropsychology even found alcohol in pregnancy can lead to poor social-skill development in a child.

Q Ouch, my back! Is it OK to get a massage?

A Yes, go ahead. Though not all types of massage are suitable, says Catherine Boller, senior lecturer at Nature Care College in Sydney. Those that are safe for you: aromatherapy, Swedish, remedial, lymphatic drainage, myofascial and craniosacral therapy, and reflexology. “Massage during the first trimester should not be too deep or stimulating, and if there’s a history of miscarriage, or if this is an assisted pregnancy (such as through IVF), be cautious about having a massage in the first few weeks.”

As a precaution, some massage places won’t accept women in the first 12 weks of pregnancy. Vara Maranda, a senior lecturer in aromatherapy at Nature Care College, says you can use the following essential oils for an aromatherapy massage, but only in the second and third trimesters: bergamot, chamomile, grapefruit, lavender, sweet orange, sandalwood and tea tree.

“The recommended dilution for pregnancy is 1.25 per cent essential oil to a cold-pressed oil such as sweet almond, jojoba, apricot or rosehip – that’s one drop of oil to every 5ml of vegetable oil or cream.”

The most important thing to keep in mind: “Choose a qualified massage therapist who’s aware of the differing needs of a client during pregnancy,” says Boller.

Q Is it bad to sleep on my back when my tummy’s watermelonish?

A The theory behind this is that there’s a very large vein carrying blood from the lower half of your abdomen up to your stomach and, when you’re heavily pregnant, the baby et al can compress that vein, postponing the return of blood to your heart, says Mansberg.

“In reality, up until you are very, very pregnant, it’s not a problem. And when you’re very pregnant, that sleeping position is way too uncomfortable anyway.” Just to be safe, sleep on your right side when possible. And try a preggy pillow – it doubles as a breastfeeding pillow when baby comes along. Handy.

Q Are vaccines safe when I’ve got a baby down there? You’re advised to avoid most pricks while pregnant.

A “Many vaccinations haven’t been tested on pregnant women, so in most cases you’ll be told it’s at your own risk,” says Mansberg. Also try to get immunisations for rubella and chickenpox before you get knocked up – if you miss out, they’re not recommended during pregnancy. What about flu shots? They’ve got the doc’s stamp of approval for pregnancy. And a new American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology study has found allergy-prone women who get immunotherapy shots during pregnancy may decrease their baby’s chance of developing allergies (more research is needed on this – stay tuned).

When your baby actually makes an entrance, make sure you keep track of all the vaccines they need to get from age zero to four. Head over to Immunisation to print out an immunisation schedule and download an app that’ll help you “save the date to vaccinate”.

This morning sickness is making me, er, sick. Is there anything I can do to ease it? Try the natural therapies first: that’s ginger, pawpaw and acupressure, according to midwife Britt-Marie Lundström, and Mansberg. “If after those you’re still suffering hard-core nausea, talk to your GP,” Mansberg says. “All anti-nausea medication is category A, which means they have been tested in humans in high doses and are safe for pregnancy.”

Try to keep eating if you can – little and often if you can’t bear full meals. If you can’t eat at all, make sure you drink to avoid dehydration, especially if you’re vomiting. The good news: morning sickness (aka, all-day sickness) usually eases up after the first trimester.

Q I’m stressed out – could this be harmful to my unborn baby?

A It’s definitely a good idea to get your stress in check – a new University of Pennsylvania study found pregnant women may transmit the damaging effects of stress to their unborn child. But it’s even more important not to get anxious about being stressed! “If you’re stressed, I would be thinking of doing some meditation or pregnancy yoga,” says psychologist Mary Sanna.

Q Can I still go running while I’m pregnant?

A It’s smart to stay active during pregnancy – in fact, a new University of Montreal study found that as little as 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week enhances your newborn’s brain development. And another, in Experimental Physiology, found working out significantly improves vascular function in offspring into their adulthood. If you were running pre-pregnancy, feel free to keep going, but if you weren’t, now’s not the time to start.

“Getting your heart rate up is not a problem, particularly if you’re used to doing it,” says Mansberg. “However, all those pregnancy hormones that make your bones lovely and loose for birth can also be an issue when you’re doing strenuous exercise, for example, rolled ankles.”

She adds, “What I wouldn’t do is anything where you risk having a big bang on your tummy, for example, skiing or horse riding.” Your best bets: yoga, pilates, swimming and walking.