Expectant Mothers

 

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Dear Expectant Mother,

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

The first and most important step is to choose which hospital you prefer for your maternity care and delivery. This is your choice; please consider distance from your home and choose somewhere you feel comfortable. Most people choose Croydon University Hospital, but other options in the area include East Surrey, Princess Royal and St Heliers. Simply search for your chosen hospital’s website online, along with ‘pregnancy self-referral’,  and complete their online form. You should receive appointments from the hospital within two weeks, so the earlier you register, the more likely that your scan appointment will be on time.

Use the following website to calculate your due date

If you take any regular medication, please visit the Bumps website and enter which medications you are taking. If you have any concerns, please submit a Klinik request

Please start taking folic acid at a dose of 400mcg daily. If your BMI is over 30 you may need a higher dose folic acid tablet. If this is the case, let us know via a Klinik request on our website.

To calculate your BMI visit the NHS website

Please also start taking vitamin D, at least 10mcg daily, which you should take throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is fine to take a pregnancy multivitamin, but do not take a standard multivitamin as it has too much vitamin A, which is not good for the baby.

Please be aware that there are certain foods you should avoid altogether in pregnancy and others that you should reduce the consumption of. The main concern is your risk of picking up an infection, so wash food carefully and cook it through thoroughly.

For more information, visit the NHS website

If you develop abdominal pain and/or bleeding in early pregnancy, please contact the early pregnancy unit on 0208 401 3310 between the hours of 9am and 1pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) - your history will be taken, and the appropriate advice/plan made. Please leave an answerphone message if you are unable to get through, and your call will be returned. Any messages left after 1pm, may not be answered until the following working day.  

If any of the following symptoms apply to you then call 111 or attend A&E

  • Taking regular pain relief (paracetamol), but the pain is still worse than a normal period.
  • Taking regular pain relief but the pain is getting worse and not improving.
  • One-sided pain, going into your shoulders - not relieved by changing position.
  • Heavy bleeding with clots - changing a full sanitary towel every 30 minutes.
  • Feeling faint or dizzy.

During pregnancy you will be eligible for a whooping cough vaccination. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that can cause a nasty cough in adults but can be life threatening in newborn babies. Vaccination will boost your immunity which is passed onto your baby through the placenta and breastmilk, protecting them until they have their own first vaccinations at 8 weeks. The whooping cough vaccination can be given anytime from 16 weeks. To book simply submit a Klinik request via our website stating that you are pregnant and would like to have the whooping cough vaccination.

For more information visit the NHS website

The NHS pregnancy page includes many resources about what to expect in your pregnancy week by week; keeping well in pregnancy, as well as labour and birth

We wish you all the best for a healthy pregnancy. Your midwife and/or hospital team will guide you through most pregnancy related questions or concerns. They can also provide you with a prescription exemption form (to access free prescriptions and NHS dental work) and a MatB1 form (to access maternity benefits). If you develop any non-pregnancy health problems or if you have any questions or concerns that your midwife is unable to help with, then please be in touch via Klinik on our website. 

Kind regards,

All the Team at Parkside Group Practice