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.

Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby and create a loving bond between mum and 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
• breastfeeding 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 breastfeed 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.

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 (GP)
• midwife
• child health nurse
• community connector.

REMEMBER The more support you have around you when you come home, the better it will be for you and your new baby.

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 and your partner
• your general health and lifestyle
• your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• your partner – talk openly about your choices
• all possible side effects, how easy it is to use, and costs.

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 (GP) 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.

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.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that develops at any stage during pregnancy. For most women it goes away after pregnancy.

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 women in Australia are recommended to be checked for gestational diabetes
• your health care team – doctor (GP), midwife, obstetrician, pharmacist – will help you to manage the risks of gestational diabetes.

REMEMBER Gestational diabetes can be managed so it is very important for you to keep attending your regular appointments with your pregnancy health care team.

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 all of the important nutrition they need before they are born, and when you’re breastfeeding.

BALANCE

To help baby grow, 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.

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 (GP), midwife, child health nurse, pharmacist) about the best diet and supplement for you when planning and during pregnancy, and afterwards.

REMEMBER Drinking water is very important too. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day.

Immunisations (also called vaccinations) are proven to be safe and are the only 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.

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 (GP) 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.

HELP AND ADVICE

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

CAUTION Baby’s immunisations need to happen at specific times.  Ask your doctor (GP) or practice nurse about reminders for when to immunise your baby.

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 (GP), midwife, obstetrician – to find a health interpreter for you.

HELP AND ADVICE

Hospitals and most doctors (GPs) 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.

If you need to call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency, you can ask the operator for an interpreter.

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 or doctor (GP) 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 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 (GP), midwife, obstetrician, pharmacist, child health nurse.

REMEMBER When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, everything you put into your body can affect your baby’s health and growth.

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 will harm your baby in the womb
• smoking is 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.

Here are some of the things that might make you feel anxious or depressed during pregnancy:

• 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 anxious or depressed, 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
• 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.

REMEMBER Anyone can feel anxious or depressed – it’s nothing to be ashamed about.

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 different 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.

‘WOMAN CENTRED’ PREGNANCY

In Australia, care during pregnancy is about a woman’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.

REMEMBER Support people are important to the wellbeing of baby and mum.