Baby’s Best Chance Parents’ Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care 7th edition My Team Contact Information Partner: Cell phone: Health Care Support Team Name/Title Contact Information Personal Support Team Name/Title Contact Information Baby’s Best Chance Parents’ Handbook of Pregnancy and Baby Care 7th edition Printed November 2019 © 2019 Government of the Province of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada All rights reserved. These materials are owned and/or used under licence by the Government of the Province of British Columbia and are protected by copyright law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, redistributed, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the owner of the materials, which may be requested online at: forms.gov.bc.ca/copyright-permission-request, except for: • the photographs appearing on pages 56, 69, 75 and 101, which are owned by Rebekah Nathan. Consent to use Ms. Nathan’s photographs may be requested by contacting her through rebekahnathan.com. You may purchase a hard copy of this publication through Crown Publications Services at crownpub.bc.ca. Discounts for bulk purchases are available. The authors and publishers have used their best efforts in preparing this publication but the advice and strategies contained in it may not be suitable for every individual and no representations or warranties are made with respect to the accuracy, completeness or suitability of its contents. The contents of this publication are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, including regarding merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement. Neither the Government of the Province of British Columbia nor the authors of this publication shall be liable for any damages of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive, relating to any use of or reliance upon this publication or any of its contents. Always seek the guidance of a health care professional if you have any questions or concerns or require more information than is included in this publication. Published by the Ministry of Health. Printed by the Queen’s Printer. Contents Introduction ................................3 Pregnancy Risk Factors.....................28 Special Birth Issues.........................47 Acknowledgements .........................4 Pregnancy Over Age 35...................28 Preterm Labour ..........................47 How to Use This Handbook..................5 Genetic Conditions . 28 Preterm and Low Birth Weight Babies . 48 Medical Complications . .28 Twins, Triplets and More ..................48 PREGNANCY ................................7 Stages of Pregnancy .......................30 Losing a Baby ..............................49 Your Support Team ..........................7 Common Changes and What You Can Do . 31 Helping You Cope ........................49 Your Personal Support Team ...............7 Your Developing Baby......................34 Having a Baby After a Pregnancy Loss.....49 Your Health Care Support Team............7 Lifestyle . 9 BIRTH ......................................36 LIFE WITH YOUR BABY .....................50 Building Healthy Habits . .9 Preparing to Give Birth.....................36 Bringing Baby Home .......................50 Reducing the Risks . 9 Hospital or Home Birth? . 36 Preparing Your Vehicle....................50 Sexually Transmitted Infections You Your Health Care Support Team...........36 Preparing Your Home.....................50 Can Pass to Your Baby . 13 Your Personal Support Team ..............36 Preparing Your Family . 50 Eating Well for Pregnancy ..................16 Your Birth Wishes.........................37 Preparing Your Pets.......................50 Key Nutrients During Pregnancy ..........17 Packing for the Hospital . 37 Your Body After Pregnancy ................51 Foods to Limit or Avoid During Pregnancy. 18 Preparing for a Home Birth ...............37 Discomforts..............................51 Food Safety ..............................19 Body Functions and Routines .............52 Preparing for Labour .......................38 Taking Supplements......................19 How Will You Know if You’re in Labour?....38 Your Emotional Health . .53 Weight Gain in Pregnancy..................20 Relaxing for Labour . 38 The Baby Blues ...........................53 How Much is Healthy? ....................20 Breathing for Labour . .39 Perinatal Depression . .54 Taking Care of Yourself .....................21 Comfortable Positions for Labour . 39 Perinatal Anxiety .........................54 Physical Activity..........................21 Getting Help .............................54 Giving Birth ................................40 Stress ....................................22 How Long Does Labour Last? .............40 Dealing With Frustration . .55 Posture ..................................23 Easing the Frustration . 55 Stages of Labour ...........................41 Travel ....................................24 Cultural Differences in Parenting...........56 Sex ......................................25 First Stage of Labour . .41 Unique Parenting Circumstances ..........57 Working .................................25 Second Stage of Labour . 42 Third Stage of Labour . 43 Being a Single Parent .....................57 Health Care During Pregnancy .............26 Fourth Stage of Labour ...................43 Parenting Multiples . 57 How Often Should You See Your Doctor or Midwife?.......................26 Medical Procedures to Help Labour Doing the Paperwork . 58 What Happens at a Visit to Your and Birth ...................................44 Finding Child Care..........................60 Health Care Provider? . 26 Caesarean Birth ..........................44 Babysitters ...............................60 Vaccines You’ll Need......................27 Pain Relief Options . .45 Licensed Child Care . 60 Baby’s Best Chance 1 Family Planning ............................61 Baby Safety ................................82 Caffeine, Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs Birth Control .............................61 Basic Hygiene . 82 and Breastfeeding.........................102 General Safety ...........................82 Can I Breastfeed if I Take Medication? ....102 BABY CARE.................................65 Baby Equipment .........................82 Can I Breastfeed if I Have Caffeine? .......102 Clothing ....................................65 Can I Breastfeed if I Smoke Tobacco? .....102 Sleep .......................................66 BABY DEVELOPMENT......................85 Can I Breastfeed if I Drink Alcohol? .......103 Building Good Sleep Habits...............66 Brain Development ........................85 Can I Breastfeed if I Use Cannabis Falling Back to Sleep On Her Own.........66 Your Baby’s Development Begins (Marijuana)?.............................103 Safer Sleeping............................66 With His Brain ............................85 Can I Breastfeed if I Use Street Drugs? ....103 Room Sharing............................68 How Can You Build Your Baby’s Brain? .....85 Supplementing............................104 Bedsharing...............................68 Physical Development . .87 Supplementing Options .................104 Swaddling ...............................68 Before Supplementing . 104 Social and Emotional Development........88 Developing Attachment....................69 What About Sharing Milk Informally Language Development....................89 Pooping, Peeing and Diapering . 70 With Other Parents? . .105 Formula Feeding ..........................106 Bowel Movements (Pooping) .............70 FEEDING YOUR BABY ......................90 Urinating (Peeing)........................70 Make an Informed Choice . .106 Breastfeeding Your Baby ...................90 Diapering ................................70 If You Use Formula . 106 Why Breastfeed? .........................90 Cleaning....................................72 Cleaning and Sterilizing Feeding Preparing to Breastfeed . 90 Daily Cleansing...........................72 Equipment ................................108 Finding Support..........................91 Bathing ..................................72 Keeping Everything Clean . .108 Caring for Yourself........................91 Parts Needing Special Care ...............72 Introducing Solid Foods...................109 How to Breastfeed........................92 Teething....................................73 First Foods ..............................109 Your Milk Supply .........................92 What’s Normal? ..........................73 Homemade Baby Food . 109 Breastfeeding Positions...................93 What You Can Do.........................73 Latching On..............................94 Understanding Food Allergies ............110 Crying ......................................74 Letting Down ............................95 Common Food Allergens ................110 What’s Normal? ..........................74 Burping..................................95 Introducing Common Food Allergens ....110 What You Can Do.........................74 Signs of Food Allergy ....................110 Staying Calm.............................74 Expressing Your Milk .......................96 Canada’s food guide.......................111 Finding Help .............................74 How to Express Your Milk . 96 Storing Your Milk .........................97 Resources .................................114 Healthy Habits .............................75 Using