As your baby grows inside of you, your body will need to continually change and adapt to accommodate them. This may lead to a variety of problems including:

• Back pain
• Separation of public bone with difficulty walking
• Swollen and sore breasts with nipple changes
• Needing to go to the toilet more often
• Skin changes, discoloration, itching
• Leg cramps
• Swollen ankles, feet and fingers
• Carpal tunnel

Although these may be very normal they can cause great discomfort and as a result distress.

Talk to me and we can discuss strategies to assist with the changes occurring.

At this stage of your pregnancy, vaginal bleeding, regular painful contractions, severe constant pain, leaking fluid or decreased foetal movements are not normal. If you experience any of the above or are worried for another reason, ensure you contact my rooms or the hospital where you are booked as soon as possible.

You should try and lie on your side from about 24-28 weeks. Your growing baby is making your uterus heavy, which is placing pressure on one of your major blood vessels (called vena cava), which lies on the right side of your body. This acts to reduce the blood flow to your heart and other parts of your body as well as your baby. If you lie on your back for an extended period you may feel dizzy or breathless. This can be helped by lying on your side, particularly your left side.

• This is very personal and depends on the work you do and how you are feeling. Most women will work up until 36 weeks but some will feel very well and want to continue longer, while others may feel the need to finish sooner.
• Pregnancy is not a sickness but if you have a pregnancy related illness or injury you can take sick leave at any time.
• For more information about your rights at work click here.

• For domestic travel, most airlines will allow you to travel up to and even beyond 36 weeks, for international travel there are however, more restrictions. Policies will vary with each individual airline so you must specifically enquire before booking your flights. Don’t forget to consider how far along you will be on your retrun trip.
• You should also consider what the health system is like in the place you are travelling to and ensure you have appropriate travel insurance that covers for pregnancy as well as birth or neonatal care.
• It’s also important to consider the potential risks of any countries you are travelling to, particularly infectious risk.

Being pregnant your blood is more likely to clot, this is exacerbated by being less mobile during prolonged periods of travel.

Try and reduce your risk by:

• Keeping your circulation flowing by walking or moving around as much as possible.
• Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
• Wear compression stockings.

• As long as there are no problems with the placenta or your cervix, you can have sex as often as you like.
• Don’t feel worried if you don’t feel like it. Hormone fluctuations, fatigue and nausea may dampen things initially then weight gain, back pain and anxieties may make you loose your drive all together.
• On the other hand some women experience an intensity of emotions including enhanced sex drive and orgasm.

There are times when you need to be cautions and avoid intercourse:

• If you have a history of preterm labour or premature birth.
• If you have unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• If your are leaking fluid.
• If your cervix begins to open prematurely.
• If your placenta partially or completely covers your cervical opening.

Talk to me and I can advise you about your specific situation.