Your pregnancy
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“What you drink baby drinks too. Pregnancy and alcohol really don’t mix. If you would like any advice feel free to get in touch with us at clubNUTRICIA.”
Paula Brasovanu, Advisory Service Midwife
Now is the time to visit your health care professional
Your health care professional will run through a series of tests and record your medical history. Tests will include blood work to check your blood group, iron and glucose levels, haemoglobin, antibodies, thyroid function, HIV and hepatitis status, and rubella immunity. A urine test can check for any possible infections. An early scan may also be recommended if your due date is unknown.
Now that you’re pregnant, your immune system isn’t as effective as usual. That’s why it’s important to be extra careful with preparing your food, washing your hands and knowing which foods to avoid.
Your baby’s development
Your baby’s head is one third of its total length and the umbilical cord has formed. This is the connection between you and baby throughout the pregnancy, providing oxygen and nourishment and removes wastes from the baby.
Tiny breathing passages are beginning to appear where their lungs will be. Their arms and legs are taking a more definite shape, the hands and feet are beginning to appear and the embryo looks a little bit more like a baby! Toes and fingers are forming, although they have thick webbing between them. The nostrils are becoming more defined and the tip of their nose is starting to emerge.
You & your body
If you like a drink now and again, it is time to consider how it might affect your growing baby.
The amount of alcohol that you can safely drink without harming your baby is unclear so the best advice is to avoid alcohol altogether. Excessive alcohol intake has been associated with many foetal development problems leading to deformities and major learning and behavioural disorders.
Even minimal alcohol consumption can impact on the development of your baby’s brain. No level of alcohol has been proven to be entirely safe during pregnancy; it readily crosses the placenta so foetal blood alcohol levels will be similar to maternal levels.
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