A Guide to Wellness with Five Helpful Considerations
One aspect that often gets overlooked is the importance of pre-pregnancy preparation. Emotional and physical preparation can greatly enhance a woman's overall health and optimise her chances of a healthy pregnancy. It also improves
General Health
Air Travel During Pregnancy
When is it safe to fly while I'm pregnant?
Pregnant women often question whether flying during pregnancy is safe, and whether the environmental factors, such a cabin pressure or altitude associated with flying pose risk to their unborn babies. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Christmas and Pregnancy
With Christmas just around the corner we wanted to share some useful resources and articles to shed a bit more light on some common pregnancy considerations when it comes to travel, food safety and sun protection.
Here is a fantastic article, written by our midwife Penny, which outlines some
Vitamin D in Pregnancy
Vitamin D is important for maintenance of healthy muscles and strong bones. It assists the body in controlling the absorption of calcium and phosphate where they are needed. If vitamin D levels are too low, these minerals may become deficient in the blood, causing them to be released from the bones,
What is Pelvic Floor muscle training?
What is the pelvic floor?
The Pelvic Floor is a complex web of muscle, connective tissue, and fibrous material. It sits on the outside and the inside of your pelvis and supports the 3 muscles of your pelvis – your bladder, uterus, and bowel. You have a deep layer and a superficial layer of your
Some Helpful Tips for Practicing Yoga in Pregnancy
Here are a few useful tips and guidelines on practicing yoga in pregnancy. So that you know what to expect and feel like you have some tools to know what we want to focus on and avoid. Of course, everybody is different, and whilst something could feel amazing for one person it may feel not so great
Hyperemesis in Pregnancy
Hyperemesis versus 'Morning' Sickness. So-called ‘Morning’ sickness is estimated to affect up to 85% of women, however, generally throughout the day, rather than being isolated to the morning as its name would imply. Pregnancy related nausea and vomiting is generally fairly mild, and tends to cease
Pregnancy and Preschool Ailments
Where children gather in large numbers, outbreaks of viral illnesses often occur throughout the year. Pregnant mums are often concerned about the significance to them and their unborn offspring. However, most common outbreaks do no harm to the pregnant Mum and her fetus. Rather, they are simply
Why do compression garments help me during my pregnancy and after birth?
Compression garments, also known as maternity support garments or post-natal recovery garments can be used through the entire length of your pregnancy and in the initial post-natal period. They have specialised panelling and material to give you the support and stability where you need it
Essential Oils Helpful for Labour
Essential oils can be really soothing and helpful in pregnancy. They can also be really effective as a natural remedy to help manage pain during labour and delivery. Here's a selection of our favorite essential oils and how they can be used in labour. Penny recommends finding your personal favorites
Pregnancy Tips for Surviving our Sydney Summer
Being pregnant over a hot summer period has its challenges. Here are our best tips to help make it a little easier.
Hydrate well – Good hydration helps keep your body cool and decreases water retention. We recommend drinking at least 2.0 litres per day especially over the hot summer months and more
Festive Season Information
Christmas Travel.
Airlines and health care providers do have guidelines for flying in pregnancy. If you are flying overseas during the Christmas season, you will need to be under 32 weeks gestation. If taking a domestic flight, you need to be under 36 weeks gestation. Good hydration and knee high
Becoming a Dad
Becoming a Dad is an unimaginable journey where emotions, patience, and confidence will be challenged.
To help our dads get through this intimate time intact, we offer these suggestions as a guide to help you to feel useful in the delivery room.
Dad Advice - Top Tips
Have your homework done - be
Iron
Iron is particularly important for the formation of haemoglobin, which is the component of our blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. It is also very important for the production of energy, and the synthesis of DNA. Inadequate iron can lead to iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency
Group B Streptococcus
What is group B strep? (GBS)
Group B streptococcus, also commonly known as group B strep or GBS, is a naturally occurring bacterium that resides in the lower intestines of up to a third of all healthy adults, and in the vaginas and rectum of up to a third of all healthy adult women.
GBS
FAQs in pregnancy
Here is a list of common FAQs related to pregnancy
Allied Health Practitioners: Acupuncture, Acupressure, Chinese Medicine, Massage, Chiropractor, Physiotherapist.
All the above services maybe able to provide you with additional care in your pregnancy to improve symptoms associated with the
Yellow Card For Pregnancy
Is the yellow card in your handbag?
This yellow card will be given to you in a red sleeve at your second appointment with Dr Morris or between 12 and 16 weeks.
It is an important communication card, between Dr Morris, the midwives and the delivery ward teams. This card will contain all of your
Introduction to Prenatal Yoga
New complimentary class!
This is an information session taught by our prenatal yoga teacher, Portia, about the safe practice and benefits of yoga in pregnancy. The class will take place fortnightly. Ask at reception for upcoming dates.
The class will teach you the fundamental breathing
The Placenta Part II: Delayed Cord Clamping and Cord Blood Banking
Delayed Cord Clamping
This is the birth practice whereby the umbilical cord is not clamped or cut until pulsation of the umbilical cord has ceased. A three-minute cord delay allows approximately ninety percent of the blood remaining in the placenta to transfuse into the baby. This blood is a rich
The Placenta part I – A vital organ
The placenta is an incredible organ, which protects and houses the growing and developing foetus over the pregnancy term. The health and efficiency of this organ is vital to your baby’s wellbeing.
The word “placenta” originates from the Greek word ‘plakous’ meaning flat cake, which gives an idea
Changes in Pregnancy No One Talks About
Pregnancy can be an exciting journey, and every pregnant woman will experience different changes in her body during this time. At our antenatal classes, we talk about the usual symptoms that can occur, including the ones people don't often talk about in public. Our Midwife Penny has outlined some
The ‘Yellow Card’
Your 'Yellow Card', officially known as your Co-operation Card or Antenatal Record Card is something we ask you keep in your handbag at all times, even in early pregnancy. You may also have been a little unsure about what the different abbreviations mean. Penny Stanbury, midwife at Dr Morris |
Exercise in Pregnancy
Exercise is safe and healthy to do in low-risk and uncomplicated pregnancies. If you have a high risk-pregnancy it is important to get clearance from Dr Morris prior to starting a new exercise program.
It is recommended to do 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most if not all
Pet Care and Safety During Pregnancy
Many of us who are pet owners care and love our pets as part of our families. About 62% of Australians own pets and it is estimated there are 24 million pets in Australia.
During pregnancy, our love, care and attention for our pets should not change. However, some pet care responsibilities will
Sleep & Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of great anticipation, and excitement- after all, the news that you are expecting is always a time of tremendous change in your life. But along with the great excitement, can come serious disturbances to your regular sleep patterns.
Problems with sleep are often
Good Handwashing
Regular handwashing is the best way to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of illness in your family and community. Washing hands physically with soap and water removes germs by way of friction. A good vigorous 20-second rub of front and back of hands and in between fingers, then
The Zika Virus & Pregnancy
Zika virus was first discovered in 1947, it is closely related to Dengue Fever and is spread by the Aedes aegypti and possibly the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. It was first reported outside Africa and Asia in 2007 where it caused an outbreak in Micronesia. Between 2013 and 2015 there were large
Five things you need to know about Whooping Cough.
Whooping Cough has been in the news more regularly. Our Midwife Angela Smith has summarised some important facts about the disease.
It is a bacterial infection, not a virus – signs and symptoms are very “flu like” with the addition of a prolonged episode of coughing. At the end of the coughing
Flotation Therapy in Pregnancy
During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters float therapy is a brilliant way to relax in a weightless environment that gives a lovely sense of wellbeing and calm in pregnancy.
Standard float tanks contain approximately 500kg of Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salt) which will allow effortless floating in a
Travel in Pregnancy
To many people, Christmas time means travel – planes, cars, ships or even buses and trains.
Here are some tips for travelling whilst pregnant.
When travelling, always carry your yellow card and medications in your hand luggage, in case of lost luggage. In case of emergency your yellow
Mothersafe
Mothersafe began in 2000, as a free telephone helpline and website for the women of NSW. Started by Dr Debra Kennedy, a renowned clinical geneticist, who returned from Canada and established the free service. Mothersafe offers evidence based advice to pregnant women and breastfeeding women, who are
The Alphabet of Pregnancy Terms
Health professionals are notorious for abbreviating diseases, terms and meanings etc. and the Midwifery and Obstetric worlds are no exception. In fact, they may be the worst of all. We are often amused when driving along and see a number plate whose letters have a specific meaning in our world, an
Relaxing Footbath
A lovely way to wind down at the end of a day is to create for yourself this lovely ayurvedic footbath and include it into your evening ritual each night before bedtime. By drawing the circulation to the feet, we draw restless thoughts and stress out of the head and the aromas of herbs and bath
Evening Relaxation Yoga
With so many physical and emotional changes happening, it's no surprise that many women have insomnia and other sleep problems during pregnancy. Here are some lovely restorative yoga poses to help you relax your mind and your body before bedtime.
1.Bedtime pranayama
