Mamas Q&A with Tayla and Jane

We would like to introduce you to the lovely Tayla!

Tayla is a 23-year-old Mama who is about to embark on the adventure of a second baba. Her Beautiful Arthur was born in June 2017 weighing healthy 8lb 15oz, she enjoyed her first pregnancy even though she struggled with gestational diabetes (Not the best when you love Chocolate!).

The beginning of this pregnancy hasn’t gone the smoothest either, recently becoming a single mum, but she proves each day how strong a Mum can be and can’t wait to have her little family complete with the arrival of number two in July.

Tayla and Jane (our Brand creator and fully trained Midwife) sat down for a chat to go over anything and everything, as any expecting Mama Tayla had a few questions which she wanted an actual answer too! No beating around the bush.

So if you have a moment to kill have a read and there might be a question here you have wanted an answer to.

1. I know that caffeine should be limited in pregnancy but roughly how many cups of tea or coffee is ok? Is there any alternatives to try when wanting a hot drink?

Yes that’s right the recommended daily limit is 200mg and you’re looking at 75mg in a mug of tea and anywhere from 100-140mg in a mug of coffee. But it’s not just a tea and coffee thing either because there’s around 40mg in a can of cola, 80mg in a can of energy drink and 50mg in a bar of plain chocolate! So it can all soon add up! There’s always decaf versions of tea and coffee and fruity or herbal teas to try as alternatives.

2. I was told in pregnancy to stop eating cheeses like brie and camembert but is this true? Can you eat them if cooked?

You’re right soft cheeses with white rinds (and soft blue cheeses) should be avoided due to their high moisture content making them an ideal environment for harmful bacteria to grow but the good news is that you’re fine to eat them if they’ve been thoroughly cooked until it’s steaming hot all the way through.

3. One thing I’m craving is a runny egg, do you always have to cook eggs, so the yolk is hard?

The answer to this has changed recently and its good news! It the egg has the red lion mark stamped on it (& it’s in date) then it’s now considered to be at a very low risk for salmonella and therefore safe for you to eat raw or partially cooked – so will it be an egg “butty” or egg & soldiers?

4. With exercise being a good way to combat stress can you take up exercise that you have not been used to doing?

It depends what you’re thinking of doing really because you will be more prone to sprains and strains due to the changes in your body so it’s is not the time to suddenly decide to hit the gym and go crazy at the High Intensity classes! But don’t worry there’s lots of other gentler options like swimming, walking and yoga or pilates.

It’s best to avoid them altogether I’m afraid. The rise in your temperature could possible affect your baby and could well also have you feeling faint.

6. I have been under a lot of stress lately, would it have affected my baby?

There is some thought that babies may be affected my mums being stressed but sometimes things happen in our lives that cause us stress and we can’t always predict or control this so try not to worry.  I would say moving forwards try to work on reducing the outside stresses if you can and find ways to unwind and relax when you can. The idea of taking up exercise like you said earlier is a perfect way to combat stress and you could also look into the free apps available for mindfulness or meditation. It also helps to talk to people about how you are feeling so it’s important not to bottle things up. I think you would find our “Cool it Mama”  really useful because the aromatherapy oils used in there calm you down if you are feeling stressed and enable to feel more focused and relaxed.  It’s also worth letting your Midwife know at your next appointment if things are still feeling stressful so she can support you too.

7. I have lost a stone recently, does losing a lot of weight in the beginning of pregnancy effect my baby and is it something I should be worried about?

It’s completely understandable if you haven’t felt like eating because of the stress you’ve been under recently; it’s bound to have an effect on your weight. Babies have a habit of drawing everything they need from you and your body which can leave you feeling a bit run down or experiencing weight loss if you’re not putting the nutrients back in your body. The women who experience nausea and vomiting in pregnancy can find themselves in a similar situation. 

8. Can I ever not be eating enough for my baby?

If we’re looking at calories counting then it’s interesting to realize that when you’re pregnant you shouldn’t be eating for two as we’re often told! You only need to eat an extra 200 calories a day in the last trimester. However we don’t advise restricting calories either so missing meals or putting yourself on a diet is not recommended. But if you’re struggling to face food it may be about trying smaller/lighter more frequent meals. Try things like wholemeal toast with peanut butter or marmite (if you’re a lover!), wholegrain cereal, soup, jacket potato and beans. Also try to make sure you drink plenty every day – if you’re dehydrated you can feel nauseous & lose your appetite. It might be struggle at first but you’ll find as you keep making the effort to eat little and often your appetite will return. Your body does need food to keep you fit and strong to look after Arthur and for little one to develop and grow to good weight by term so now’s the time to start trying to get back on track if you can – I know it’s hard but small steps will get you there x

9. I had gestational diabetes with my first baby, does this mean I will definitely get it again in this pregnancy?

Yes there is the possibility that you could get it again. Two out of three mums who had gestational diabetes in one pregnancy go on to develop it in their subsequent pregnancies. However because you’ve had it before your Midwife will arrange an early glucose tolerance test to check your sugar levels. In the meantime doing exercise and following a diet of unrefined or whole foods such as wholemeal bread and cereals, brown rice and wholemeal pasta, fruit and vegetables will help. Eating food low in saturated fat and avoiding fruit in between meals also helps and eating regular meals at the same times each day is also better – so this is another reason not to be tempted to skip meals!

10. At how many weeks should I feel my baby move? Can it be earlier with it being my second?

Most women are first aware of their baby moving at around 20 weeks, in subsequent pregnancies it is common to feel movements a couple of weeks earlier. Everyone is different though so don’t worry if you haven’t felt them yet at 16 weeks. 

11. I was lucky enough to not get stretch marks in my first pregnancy, is there anything I can do to prevent them?

You did really well not to get any first time around! It can be a genetic trait whether you get them or not but keeping your body well hydrated will help with your skin being able to maintain its elasticity so this will also help with the appearance of stretch marks. The two key ways to do this is by drinking plenty (your body needs 1.6l of fluids every day) and by applying a natural moisturising product to hydrate the skin.

12. Are vitamins essential to take all the way through my pregnancy or can I get everything I need from foods?

It depends if you’re eating a healthy balanced diet or not. There was some research recently that said multivitamins were a waste of time in pregnancy and all you needed were 400 micrograms folic acid in the first trimester and 10 micrograms Vitamin D throughout pregnancy. However I think you haven’t been eating properly then a pregnancy multivitamin will do no harm and certainly help to fill any gaps. 

13. I was told that having baths too hot can affect my baby, Is this true?

Yes, it’s a bit like the hot tubs and saunas. They can all cause you to become overheated which will increase your heart rate, this affects the blood flow through to baby and can cause the baby to become distressed. There’s also the risk of you becoming dehydrated or fainting. So I’m afraid no more baths that have you looking like a red lobster!

14. Is it safe to have my hair coloured when pregnant?

Yes the small amount of research that’s been done shows it’s safe to colour your hair whilst pregnant as it’s thought that the levels of chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. Just be careful though because the condition of your hair can change in pregnancy by becoming more or less absorbent, frizzy or unpredictable so it may react differently to colouring than it usually does.  

15. My skin has become so dry and sensitive and no matter what I use everything is burning my skin, is there anything you would recommend?

Yes pregnancy skin can be a nightmare! It can become irritated and sensitive, break out in spots or rashes and just feels dry all the time! Oh the joys of pregnancy! First of all drinking plenty like I’ve said before will help from the inside and then look at everything you are using on your skin – check out the ingredients –anything with SLS, parabens, mineral oil or petroleum will irritate your skin. You need to look for products that only contain natural ingredients as these are less likely to cause irritations. You may need to go fragrance free as well because some women find fragrances, particularly artificial can also irritate them. Pregnancy tends to be the time that a lot of women become focused on what they are putting onto their bodies as well as what they are eating and I think this is because of the condition of their skin. When you think about it the skin is the biggest organ of our body and whatever we put onto it will get into our body, and therefore in turn through to our baby so it can start to make you think. I would suggest our “Down Below” oil because it’s fragrance free, allergen free and only made from natural plant oils. We initially developed it for perineal massage – hence the name but women are finding it fantastic for their stretch marks and the typical pregnancy skin like what you’re describing. I use it all the time after a shower & I’m not even pregnant!

Stay Tuned! Tayla will be back monthly with an update and some more questions. If you have any questions of your own, please leave a comment below and Jane will get back to you!

Thank you for reading!

Natural Birthing Company

Please Note, these answers might vary or change depending on your situation, Jane was fully aware of Tayla’s situation and lifestyle before answering these questions so if you aren’t sure please ask your own Midwife for an answer that will suit you.