Pregnancy Experiences
Please name 2 or 3 cravings/food aversions you experienced during your pregnancy.
Fun fact:
40% of expecting women preferred sweets.
33% preferred salty snacks.
17% preferred spicy foods.
10% preferred sour foods.
--Baby Center, 2024
Do you know any mom hacks related to teaching your baby to try new foods?
That Practical Mom, Kallie Branciforte, recommends these 3 things on her blog:
1. Give them a dipping sauce (makes fun food and messy which = fun)
2. Cut the food into SHAPES (fun fun fun!) -- cookie cutters can help with this
3. Use food to make a SMILEY FACE or other fun design
Identify 2-3 items you felt were completely necessary to bring with you to the delivery room.
Pampers recommends packing the following items: health insurance/medical records, birth plan, ID, comfortable clothing/underwear, pillow, socks/slippers, relaxing entertainment, heavy-duty maternity pads, toiletries, phone/chargers, snacks/drinks, baby clothes/items.
--Pampers, July 2023
What has becoming a mother changed about you or your personality?
A 2016 study in the Journal of Family & Reproductive Health found that, "In the process of becoming a mother a woman goes through a period of change, instability and reorganization of life.
This change can be influenced by the individual condition of a woman such as her outlooks & beliefs, her social & economical condition, her preparedness and knowledge of the situation as well as her psychological condition."
Can you take a guess at identifying the percentage of women who experience Postpartum Depression (PPD) in the United States?
According to a CDC study, about 1 in 8 women who have recently given birth report symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). Other studies estimate that PPD affects 6.5–20% of women.
Race can increase the numbers for women of African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian & Native American backgrounds.
The 1st Trimester of pregnancy includes a variety of symptoms due to hormonal changes.
What symptoms do you recall experiencing the most during this time?
Can you share bedtime routine hacks that have worked for you and your baby?
Sleep training involves a number of factors that work together to help foster healthy sleep habits for your baby. These factors include, but are not limited to:
Respecting your baby’s need to sleep (flexible bedtimes)
Acting on sleepy cues (timing your baby’s sleeps to align with their natural sleep rhythm)
Developing sleep soothing routines (that cue your baby it is time for sleep)
Providing a sleep nourishing environment (completely dark, white noise etc)
Teaching your baby to self-soothe (fall asleep independently) by putting them down drowsy but awake.
Pampers, 2023
A birth plan is a written summary of your preferences for labor and delivery. It can help you identify how you want your childbirth to go based on your personal desires.
Did you have a birth plan in place when delivering your baby?
If so, do you feel comfortable sharing some of your preferences/inclusions?
Motherhood can easily eclipse your own mental, physical and emotional needs if you aren’t mindful about creating some breathing room to be you.
When provided with time alone, how do you find ways to get back in touch with yourself?
Headspace recommends the following tips:
1. Accept this new part of your identity
2. Take advantage of nap time
3. Talk to adults
4. Indulge in a passion
5. Take care of yourself
If you experienced any symptoms of postpartum depression, do you mind sharing some of your experiences and how you coped with them?
Effective ways to cope with (PPD) include:
* Engaging in physical activity
* Sleeping when possible
* Maintaining a healthy diet
* Asking for help
* Joining a support group
* Being patient with yourself/kind to yourself
* Setting realistic expectations
Pregnancy can contribute to unexpected changes in the body due to hormonal changes and other factors.
Did you experience anything different, unusual, or unexpected during/after your pregnancy?
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2017) states Postpartum thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid that affects about 1 in 20 women during the first year after giving birth and is more common in women with type 1 diabetes.
Symptoms of the hypothyroid phase may be mistaken for the “baby blues”—the tiredness and moodiness that sometimes occur after the baby is born.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism may also include trouble dealing with cold; dry skin; trouble concentrating; and tingling in your hands, arms, feet, or legs.
What's in your baby bag?
Joanne Chen with The Bump (2023) recommends the following items:
Diapers, wipes, baby/diaper cream, changing pad, pacifier, washcloths, hand sanitizer, bottles, clothes, sunscreen, blankets, toys, snacks, band-aids, reusable placemats, nasal aspirator, nursing cover, extra shirt or clothing for mom, and pads (if applicable).
Did you experience any difficulties while preparing to deliver your baby?
If so, do you mind sharing some of your experiences.
There are many challenges that can arise during childbirth, including problems for the mother, baby, or both, such as:
--labor doesn't progress (due to contractions weakening or cervix not dilating enough)
--preterm labor
--premature rupture of membranes (water breaking early increases risk of infection)
--vaginal birth complications
--umbilical cord complications
--excessive bleeding
Has your style of dress, talking or being changed since becoming a mother?
Have these changes influenced your self-esteem?
Emotions can be all over the place for new mothers; you may feel joyful at the sight of your baby while also feeling confused or sad at your thoughts toward parenting.
What were some of the emotions/reactions you experienced as you began your journey of motherhood?
What kind of resources, apps or supports did you use throughout your pregnancy or after that you believe helped you prepare for motherhood?
Apps:
--The Bump (helps you understand the pregnancy journey)
--Peanut (allows you to connect to other women)
--Ovia pregnancy & baby tracker (helps track ovulation and the development of your baby)
Resources:
--Hand to Hold (NICU support for parents)
--Early Steps Program (provides support for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, disabilities, and at risk conditions
--Womens, Infants & Children (WIC) services which provides food, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care services and community services
What tips & tricks do you have for handling temper tantrums?
--Ignore the tantrum
--Stay calm
--Give choices
--Praise appropriate behavior
--Create a calming environment
--Give them space
--Offer hugs
--Avoid triggering situations
During pregnancy, many women think about how they will cope with labor pain during the birth. Some women would rather avoid medication. Others feel reassured knowing that it is available. Epidurals are the most effective form of pain-relief medication in labor according to the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (2022).
Did you receive an epidural or pain medications during labor?
If so, or if not, what was your experience with pain like and how did you manage aside from using medical interventions.
Were the staff or providers considerate of your pain levels?
There are 4 main parenting styles:
Authoritarian Parents: Parents of this style tend to have a 1-way mode of communication where the parent establishes strict rules that the child obeys. There is little to no room for negotiations from the child, and the rules are not usually explained.
Authoritative Parents: This parent typically develops a close, nurturing relationship with their children. They have clear guidelines for their expectations and explain their reasons associated with disciplinary actions. Disciplinary methods are used as a way of support instead of punishment.
Permissive Parents: Permissive parents tend to be warm and nurturing and usually have minimal expectations. They impose limited rules on their children. Communication remains open, but parents allow their children to figure things out for themselves. These low levels of expectation usually result in rare uses of discipline. They act more like friends than parents.
Uninvolved Parents: Children are given a lot of freedom as this type of parent typically stays out of the way. They fulfill the child's basic needs while remaining detached from their child's life. An uninvolved parent does not utilize a particular disciplining style and has limited communication with their child. They tend to offer little nurturing while having little or no expectations of their children.
Which of these parenting styles were you raised with and is this the same parenting style you would like to adopt?
Sherbourne and Stewart (1991) report a model of five functional elements;
(1) emotional support through understanding and the encouragement to express feelings, warmth, nurturance and reassurance;
(2) informational support through providing advice and guidance, helping another to understand, sourcing resources and/or coping strategies, information, advice and management strategies;
(3) instrumental support through materials, monetary and behavioural aid, tangible assistance, services, specific aid or goods;
(4) appraisal or comparison support refers to encouragement and advice by those who have been in similar situations and
(5) social companionship by spending leisure time with others (Ni and Lin, 2011)