Healthy Baby,
    Healthy Family

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or even trying to get pregnant, not drinking any alcohol and not taking drugs is the safest way to protect your baby.

THE RISKS

• miscarriages
• stillbirth
• early (premature) birth
• fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (a range of physical, intellectual, developmental and emotional problems)
• learning difficulties.

HELP & ADVICE

Talk to your health care team – doctor (GP), midwife, obstetrician, or pharmacist – if you need support and advice regarding alcohol and other drugs.

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby and create a loving bond with bub. It also gives your baby all the nutrition needed during the first six months of life.

THE BENEFITS

• the best food for the first six months of baby’s life
• satisfies baby’s hunger and thirst
• helps to protect against infections
• good for mum too, because it helps the body to recover more quickly after birth
• breast/chestfeeding is free and doesn’t take any time to get ready.

At around six months, start giving baby a variety of first foods as well as breast milk. If you are not able to breast/chestfeed your baby, infant formula is the only safe milk until 12 months old. Talk to your doctor or child health nurse before you start feeding your baby infant formula.

COVID-19 VACCINATION

It is safe and recommended that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while breastfeeding/chestfeeding. 

HELP & ADVICE

If you have problems with feeding your baby, talk to your midwife, your doctor (GP), lactation consultant or local child health nurse.

When you come home with a new baby, it’s an exciting time for the whole family. But it can also be a stressful time as you (and others) get used to having a new member of the family.

TIPS FOR COMING HOME

• organise to get help from family and friends 
• connect with other parents and bubs
• stay connected to your community
• continue to see your doctor (GP) and have regular health checks.

HELP AND ADVICE

There’s lots of help available for new parents and bubs:

• somebody else you can trust in your family or community
• doctor 
• midwife
• child health nurse
• community connector.

Contraception helps stop you from getting pregnant.  There are many types of contraceptives available in Australia and different contraceptives may suit you at different times in your life. 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

• what method of contraception that is right for you
• your general health and lifestyle
• your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• talk openly about your choices with your partner or trusted family/friend
• possible side effects, how easy it is to use, and costs.

Your doctor (GP) can help you and your partner make the choice that suits your health and lifestyle.

TYPES OF CONTRACEPTION

Implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs), injections, pills, vaginal rings, barrier methods (male and female condoms and diaphragms), female and male sterilisation, emergency contraception and natural methods (natural family planning).

Your doctor can help you and your partner make the choice that suits your health and lifestyle.

Community connectors are volunteers who are trained to connect you and your family to people in the community where you live.  

THE BENEFITS

• having someone close by to talk to
• feeling safe and supported
• not feeling lonely
• connecting with culture.

HELP & ADVICE

Ask your midwife or child health nurse about the community connector in your area.

PROTECTING YOU AND YOUR BABY AGAINST COVID-19

Pregnant people are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 and Influenza.

KEEPING SAFE

To protect you and baby, it is recommended that you get your COVID-19 vaccination.

• it is safe to get your vaccination while pregnant
• it is safe to get your vaccination while breastfeeding
• you will be better protected from catching COVID-19 if the people around you are fully vaccinated.

REMEMBER

• keep 1.5 meters between yourself and others
• wear a mask if you can’t keep a safe distance
• wash your hands regularly
• get your COVID-19 vaccination.

WHERE TO GET VACCINATED

Your health care team – doctor (GP) and pharmacist – can give you advice about when and where to get vaccinated.

HELP & ADVICE

Talk with your health care team about any questions or concerns you have with COVID-19 vaccinations or symptoms.

You can also visit HealthDirect for more information.

If you already have diabetes when you become pregnant, you can still have a healthy baby.  Sometimes, there may be extra health problems, but these can be managed with the help of your health care team – doctor (GP), midwife, obstetrician, endocrinologist, diabetes educator, dietitian.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that develops during pregnancy and goes away after pregnancy. (If it doesn’t go away after pregnancy, we now recognise it as diabetes mellitus).

IF YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES

• it can often be managed with healthy eating, physical activity and monitoring
• you may need tablets or insulin injections
• you will need to have extra monitoring during pregnancy to keep you and your baby healthy.

HELP AND ADVICE

• all pregnant people in Australia are recommended to be checked for gestational diabetes
• your health care team – doctor, midwife, obstetrician, pharmacist, endocrinologist, diabetes educator and dietitian – will help you to manage the risks of gestational diabetes.

Eating well is very important when you are pregnant, or if you are planning to be pregnant.

HEALTHY EATING

• keeps you feeling good mentally and physically
• gives you and your baby important nutrition they need before they are born, and when you’re breastfeeding.

BALANCE

To help baby grow, a healthy, balanced diet is recommended. You can choose foods from each of these groups:

1. plenty of vegetables (different types and colours)
2. fruit
3. grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain or high fibre (e.g. grain bread, porridge, rice)
4. lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes (e.g. baked beans, lentils)
5. milk, yoghurt and cheese.

People with special dietary requirements should speak with the doctor (GP) or dietitian to make sure they are getting all the great nutrients baby needs to help grow.

SUPPLEMENTS

Before and during pregnancy supplements for folic acid and iodine are recommended. These are important for the growth and development of baby.

Talk to your health care team (doctor, midwife, child health nurse, pharmacist) about the best diet and supplement for you when planning and during pregnancy, and afterwards.

Vaccinations are proven to be safe and are the best way to protect your baby from vaccine-preventable disease.

FACTS ABOUT IMMUNISATION

• immunisation protects your baby and other children from harmful diseases
• immunisation protects other children in the community from harmful diseases
• all vaccines used in Australia are tested before they are approved, and monitored to make sure they remain safe
• immunisations for your children are free – they are paid for by the Australian Government, however, there may be a cost to see your doctor (GP).

The best way to keep baby safe is to give all immunisations at the right times, and to make sure that the rest of the family is also immunised.

IMMUNISATION IN PREGNANCY

Talk to your doctor before being immunised if you are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant or breastfeeding. Even if you have had certain diseases or were vaccinated as a child, you may need a booster dose to ensure you are still protected.

To keep you and baby safe, it is recommended that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while pregnant. It is also a good idea for the people around you to be vaccinated.

HELP AND ADVICE

Your health care team – doctor, midwife, child health nurse, pharmacist – can give you advice about when and where to get immunisations.

HELP WITH LANGUAGE

During your pregnancy and after your baby is born, it is very important that you are able to tell your health care team about your needs. It is also very important for you to understand any advice they are giving you. If you need help with language, ask your health care team – doctor, midwife, obstetrician – to find a health interpreter for you.

HELP AND ADVICE

Hospitals and most doctors in Australia provide free access to interpreters, either in person or over the phone, to make sure you and your health care team understand each other clearly.

It is much better and safer to use a health interpreter rather than a family member, so that there are no misunderstandings about health care issues.

Many medicines are safe during pregnancy, but a small number can hurt your baby. Get advice from your health care team about any medication you take during pregnancy.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Talk to your doctor (GP) or midwife before you stop taking prescription medications for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, epilepsy or asthma.

MINOR ILLNESSES

For the health of your baby, you may not want to take any medications for minor illnesses like colds, sore throats and headaches. Speak to your pharmacist to get advice before you take any medicines.

MEDICAL DOSAGE

‘Medical dosage’ means the exact amount of medicine that you can take safely. For example:

• “Take 2 tablets every 4 hours” 
• “Drink 15ml 3 times a day with food”

If you need to take prescription medications during your pregnancy, it’s very important to follow the instructions about the right amount of medicine to take.  

HELP AND ADVICE

• follow the instructions on the label of your medicine
• if you don’t understand the medical dosage you have been told to take, ask your pharmacist for more information when you collect your prescription
• always read the medical dosage on the label which the pharmacist has put on your packet or bottle.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

Some herbal supplements and vitamins can also hurt your pregnancy and baby. Speak to your pharmacist, doctor, midwife, obstetrician, or child health nurse, to get advice about what is safe to take during your pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding.

HELP AND ADVICE

The best people to give you advice about medications for existing conditions are your health care team (doctor, midwife, child health nurse, pharmacist).

Pregnancy and the first year of parenthood (the perinatal period) can be a uniquely special time and brings a wide range of emotions, from joy and excitement to stress and apprehension. Just as your physical health can be impacted during and after pregnancy (i.e. blood high blood pressure), so can your mental health. All expectant and new parents will have their good days and bad days, their ups and downs. But when bad days start to seriously outnumber the good they may be at risk of perinatal depression and anxiety.

You might hear some of these terms used and wonder what they mean. Antenatal depression is when you experience depression during pregnancy and affects up to one in ten women in Australia. 

Up to one in six women experience postnatal depression, which develops between one month and up to one year after the birth. Symptoms can begin suddenly or start to appear gradually over weeks and months and look different for everyone. You might have feelings of sadness, or feel empty or numb.

Because depression can start before or during pregnancy and continue after childbirth, we often use perinatal depression to cover the whole period from conception until your baby is 12 months old. It is also important to remember that depression doesn’t just affect new mums; dads are also at risk.

Perinatal anxiety conditions are likely to be at least as common as depression during pregnancy and the year following. Many people experience both anxiety and depression at the same time. Some symptoms can include consistent worrying and panic.

Everyone’s experiences of pregnancy, birth and parenting are different. Remember, if things are difficult and you find that you are struggling or need support, it is ok! It is vital that you invest in yourself at this point. If you’re experiencing a low mood, overwhelming, or distressing thoughts and feelings that affect your wellbeing and ability to function in daily life, it is important to speak with someone. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with family and friends just yet, there are many support options who will listen, give you more information and help you link in with antenatal and postnatal mental health supports in your area.

• Talk to your doctor (GP) or another trusted health professional like your midwife, obstetrician, pharmacist, child health nurse or Aboriginal health worker
• PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia – 1300 726 306 (Mon-Fri 9am – 7.30pm)
• Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636 – 24/7 
• COPE – Centre of Perinatal Excellence
• Gidget Foundation Australia 

Every time you smoke, your baby smokes too. Harmful chemicals from cigarettes and tobacco pass through your placenta (the organ that your baby is attached to in your stomach) and into your baby’s body. 

REMEMBER

• smoking can harm your baby in the womb
• smoking is also harmful to your baby when you are breastfeeding
• it’s best to stop smoking as soon as you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant
• it’s never too late to stop smoking for the health of you and baby
• others living with baby should stop smoking too because a smoke-free environment is best for you, your baby and family.

HELP AND ADVICE

Stopping smoking isn’t always easy, so speak to your health care team about helping you to quit:

• doctor (GP)
• midwife
• pharmacist 
• community health nurse.
• 1300 QUIT

Preparing to have a baby can be an exciting time but it can also be stressful. As well as dealing with body and hormonal changes, you may feel anxious or depressed, especially if it’s your first pregnancy.

It is common to worry about things during pregnancy and everyone is different. Some of the things that might make you feel anxious or depressed during pregnancy could include the below:

• anxiety about pregnancy tests
• previous miscarriages
• feeling you don’t have enough support
• past problems with your wellbeing
• problems in your relationship
• past or current abuse of any sort
• problems with drugs or alcohol.

HELP AND ADVICE

If you are feeling stressed and anxious, here are some ways that you can get professional help:

• your health care team – doctor (GP), midwife, obstetrician, pharmacist, child health nurse
• your community connector
• somebody else you can trust in your community
• Lifeline
• COPE 
• PANDA 
• if you are experiencing abuse of any kind, call the Domestic Violence hotline by dialling 1800 811 811, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Everyone’s culture is important to them. Your cultural background can affect what you want and need during pregnancy and in child birth. 

CULTURAL SUPPORT

Many pregnancy support clinics have services for women with cultural needs, including cultural liaison officers who can:

• explain your cultural needs to your health team
• provide support during and after the birth
• help you choose a pregnancy support clinic
• help you get to appointments
• find services and support groups where you live, that fit with your culture.

‘PERSON-CENTRED’ PREGNANCY

In Australia, care during pregnancy is about a person’s individual needs and choices. You may be able to choose from lots of things like where you want to give birth (in a hospital, a birth centre or at home), whether you use a public or private hospital, whether you want a female or male doctor, or a midwife, or an obstetrician.

When there is a baby on the way, sometimes people around you don’t know what they’re supposed to do, but there’s lots good things they can do.

BEFORE BABY ARRIVES

• help around the house
• go to the doctor or midwife visits with you
• go to pregnancy classes to help make a plan for the labour and birth, including what to do if things don’t go as planned.

DURING BIRTH

• be there for support
• talk to health professionals about how you’re feeling
• let the health care team know what you want and need.

AT HOME

• be involved and supportive
• make sure you’re happy and healthy
• go with you and bub to health checks.