Tips for a healthy pregnancy

by Marianne Brorup-Weston . Terrace Prenatal Instructor

Pregnant? Con- gratulations! You have embarked on one of

life’s most challenging

and rewarding journeys. There are many things you can do to insure a comfortable pregnancy and a healthy delivery. Your first job is to find a caregiver (doctor or midwife) to monitor your pregnancy. Preven- tion is the key word here and while there are some conditions which cannot be detected or cured prenatally, many others are totally preventable through good prenatal care. It is also vital that you are able to com-

municate with your caregiver. You should be allotted enough time to discuss your concerns and you have a right to be involved in every step of the care recommended for you and your unborn baby.

Compare finding a good doctor with buying a car: you don’t buy the first car you see, do you? No, you look around, examine various models and base a decision on a variety of factors. The same should go for a doctor. After all, your body and your baby are your most valuable possessions and you need to feel secure in the knowledge that you have contracted the very best care available.

Bread and roses

TERRACE — So what do you want to be when you grow up? How often have you been asked this question? And, as a woman, how many times have you answered ‘‘teacher’’, ‘‘nurse’’, ‘secretary’, ‘‘social worker’? — or another of the supposedly “‘women’s’’ careers?

by Stephanie Smart Affillate Member Terrace Women’s Resource Centre

If you're like me, prob- ably too many times. Well, the times have changed enough that we’re now hearing of women as welders, pilots, machinists, or any one of a number of non- traditional occupations. And I’m really pleased to add my name to. those proud ranks!

Last fall I spent 12 of the most exciting weeks of my life when I was able to take advantage of a ‘Women’s Introduc- tion to the Trades”’ pro- gram organized through Canada Employment.

After taking part in a series of two-week hands-on training ses- sions in a variety of trades, I’ve come out with a lot of concrete skills, personal achieve- ments and a sense of per- sonal power,

No, it’s no magic world exclusive to men whereby women are for- bidden. The trades are wide open to every single one of us who has the desire, determination

_and sheer stubbornness

to move forward to achieve the training in the field where our own skills can best be used.

Beyond comprehension

I’ve always regarded cars (or anything else

with an engine) as some- thing totally beyond my comprehension. For the unknowing or uninitia- ted, looking under the hood of your vehicle can be a terrifying experi- ence: all those pieces, hoses, and just plain things in there are pretty overwhelming — or at least I always thought so.

Yet, after being in- formatively introduced to the wondrous logic of it all, I’m hooked — to put it mildly.

In the past month, friends have become ac- customed to my never- ending list of questions and inquisitive listening — and to seeing me with a wrench or ratchet in one hand and a do-it- yourself manual in the other. And this is only while I wait to enter the first-year general moe- chanics program (for women) in Powell River come September.

Our society has chang- ed radically in the past few decades and will continue to do so even more, but more impor- tantly, women are changing. We're realiz- ing that the only limits we have are those we im- pose on ourselves. Through organizing, ed- ucating and supporting one another, we’re open- ing all the doors avail- able — now and in the future, for ourselves and our children.

And, for me, I think that’s one of the benefits we are reaping, thanks to those textile workers in Massachusetts back in 1912, who carried a ban- ner with the slogan ‘‘We want bread and roses too.”

Stephanie Smart has been an active affiliated member of the Terrace Women’s Resource Cen- tre since 1979 and con- tinues to be a determined supporter of women’s rights.

The one thing you have complete control over is nutrition and there are few things as important as providing your unborn with healthy building blocks. Empty calories and refined foods do not make a strong baby! Re- cent studies verify the soundness of a weight gain of a feast 25 pounds, preferable more. Dieting has no place in pregnancy. There is also evidence to support a link between nutrition (specifically protein intake) and tox- emia, so childbirth educators now fecom- mend a minimum of 80 grams of protein per day during pregnancy. And don’t forget that all drugs cross the placenta and not a single one has been proven safe for the fetus. That includes aspirin, alcohol, cigaret- tes, soft drugs and over- the-counter remedies.

Exercise is certainly helpful in pregnancy, because it oxygenates the blood and because it makes you feel energetic and attractive. However, no one exercise will en- sure an easy birth. But walking, swimming, stretching and squatting all add confidence and body-awareness which are helpful factors. You should not start a pro- gram after becoming pregnant unless your physician approves it.

Some evidence points to a problem with too great an increase in heart rate (the baby is deprived of oxygen) with aero- exercise or jogging. Run- ning and jogging has also been linked with hip, knee and ankle pro- blems, so take it easy. Common sense is the biggest sense-maker here. If it seems reasonable, it probably is. But heroics or con-

cern with weight or

figure do nothing to grow a healthy baby.

At some early point you need to start in- vestigating what your birth options and desires might be. Some parents feel quite comfortable turning over the respon- sibility to a physician or midwife. Others are becoming aware of such issues as patient rights, the safety of routine in- tervention and who ultimately takes respon- sibility. It behooves you to question yourself and your caregiver, as in the end you are the one who has to live with the out- come — not the doctor, nurse or hospital,

A quality childbirth preparation class can be areal help. Public health offers classes for first- time moms, multips and teens, Your public health

nurse is a true and trusted friend, so make good use of her support and knowledge. In some areas, private or group classes are also offered,

usually for a somewhat —

larger fee. In a small town like Terrace, you

continued p.10

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