Issued by Baby Sense – Babies are such a nice way to start people. Yet having a baby stirs up mixed feelings ranging from joy to anxiety, so occupational therapist Megan Faure co-authored the book Baby Sense with well-known midwife, Sister Ann Richardson, in 2002. It has since become a benchmark in the baby care market, with over 100 000 copies sold in South Africa alone.
A lot of emphasis has been placed on the needs of the newborn, with the needs of the parent often taking a back seat. The first-time mother’s fear of the unknown is very real. At the same time that the baby is born, the mother, too, goes through psychological birth pangs and transforms from womanhood into a fully-fledged parent with additional responsibilities and duties. Welcome to the birth of the Super Mom!
Healthy pregnancies will always be a function of diet and exercise. But what should the mother be eating and how much, or how little, should mothers-to-be exercise? Then there is the decision about which birthing option to choose and what to expect during the first six weeks after birth.
Katherine Megaw is a diet specialist and points out that pregnancy “weight” gain is as crucial for the health of the mother as it is for the delivery of the newborn. Katherine formulates the optimal pregnancy diet in terms of the mother’s body mass index. There are specific do’s and don’ts regarding what should and shouldn’t be eaten during the various trimesters, for both the comfort of the mother and to ensure the best health outcome for one’s baby.
Tina Otte is a strong advocate of healthy exercise, even during pregnancy, to support a healthy pregnancy. “Always listen to your body and don’t over exert yourself though,” says Tina. Exercise decreases stress, boosts the immune system, facilitates an easy birth and massages the baby! There are various birthing options, each with their pros and cons, such as active birth (vaginal versus water birthing); lying down in labour; Caesarian births — seen as a “safety net” for “problem” births, and vaginal birth after a previous Caesarian (VBAC). Mothers need to know all these options in order to make an informed choice that will give them peace of mind.
The first six weeks after birth can be an amazing yet exhausting adventure. Megan Faure is one of the leading South African experts on how to ease this transition for both mother and baby. “The consistent sound of a mother’s heartbeat is particularly soothing for the yet to be born baby, so it makes sense that babies who are played a beat at a pace of the average heartbeat (72 b.p.m.) fall asleep easier and cry half as much after birth,” says Meg. That’s why, even as adults, we are lulled by the sound of white noise, such as running water, which mimics the experience of our pre-birth amniotic bliss.
Other “sensible secrets” of hers revolve around breastfeeding, swaddling and sleep patterns, as well as the psychological and emotional issues of motherhood. By attending the 2009 Johnson’s Baby Baby Sense ® Seminar programme, participants will gain inside advice from these three remarkable speakers, who have decades of experience between them, as well as receive fabulous freebies from the workshop sponsors.
Parents will be spoilt with information, goodie bags and prizes at the 2009 Johnson’s Baby Baby Sense™ Seminars which open in Port Elizabeth (at the Marine Hotel) on 29 August; followed by Cape Town (The Westin Grand Hotel) on 5 September; Johannesburg (The Sandton Southern Sun) on 19 September, and Durban (Riverside Hotel) on 26 September.
To reserve your place, please call Nolitha on 086 111 4891 or email: [email protected]
[Morning session: R220; Afternoon session: R220; Full-day workshop: R400]
Issued by Baby Sense
By: Nolitha Matshikiza
Cell: 086 111 4891
Email: [email protected]
