Pregnancy Clinic
Did your pregnancy dreams include visions of a neat rounded belly, and little kicks that made your heart flutter? While it's true that pregnancy has its share of wonderful moments and experiences to cherish, it also has a raft of less than fabulous pregnancy symptoms - including many you'd rather not discuss in public and many you'd probably like to forget (which you will, by the way, since forgetfulness is another symptom).
There are pregnancy symptoms you expected (like morning sickness – which also arrives in the evening) and symptoms you almost definitely didn't (like constipation, nosebleeds and bleeding gums). It's probably reassuring to know that you're not alone suffering these ailments - you're actually joining millions of other expectant women who are also wading their way through a different selection of pregnancy complaints. But it also helps to have some tried and true remedies at your (swollen) fingertips that will allow you to navigate around the majority of pregnancy grumbles.
Pregnancy Life
Top pregnancy books You may feel overwhelmed by the number of pregnancy books available in bookshops, from the very medical to the highly whimsical. But read on to find out which pregnancy books are most valued by Baby Directory readers.
Pregnancy Health
Diet for Pregnancy - 10 essential recommendations
Pregnancy is a great time for eating and drinking
Parties & Celebrations
Baby showers second time around
Just because you might already have one or two chi...
Parties & Celebrations
5 things that make a great baby shower
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Labour & Birth
Pain relief in labour
Whether breathing and meditation carry you through...
Professional care
Choosing an independent midwife
In most cases, a midwife will guide a woman through almost all of her pregnancy, birth and early days as a new mother. Once a GP has confirmed a woman is pregnant and it has been agreed where she plans to give birth, she is referred to a team of midwives who usually work at and in partnership with one particular hospital or clinic. From early urine and blood tests to the regular routine check-ups later in pregnancy, the midwife usually oversees the health and wellbeing of the mother-to-be and her baby.
Pregnancy Life
Eating out when you're expecting
Grabbing some time together as a couple during pregnancy is a great way of keeping the intimacy going – and it makes the most of the quiet time before the baby arrives. However, dining out can be a tricky negotiation if you are pregnant. Even if you usually have a sturdy constitution, you can find that food is more likely to make you feel sick now than before, and that spicy or fatty foods you usually love give you heartburn.
Related Forum Topics
Forums: Pregnancy
Questionnaire on experiences of exercise and birth: can you help?
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Re: Cranial massage
Clare, Mother of 2, London
Re: Has anyone tried Zita West's fertility supplements? Or what else worked for you?
Guider, Mother of 1, Leicestershire
