Tips and helpful resources for new and expecting mums from a midwife

How wonderful it would be if we had the knowledge and experience of our second babies the first time around! But we don't! We're all a bit clueless when it comes to our first pregnancy and birth - but there is a bunch of angels called "midwives" who help out in that department. Bedhead's Carolyn interviewed one of her midwives, Jackie Carroll from Equilibrium Healthcare to find some top tips for expecting and new mums as part of our #monthofmummyhood

Don't know what you're doing? You're not the only one!

Pretty much every first-time mum will have the same questions about how they can integrate with midwives and hospitals and the common pregnancy questions around birth, keeping it as natural as possible, and stigmas around hospital policies and protocols such as pain relief and induction. After baby is born, the most common questions is: where do I begin?!

Natural doesn't mean easy!

Jackie said some of the most common questions are around breastfeeding - how to position the baby, best attachment positions and why it isn't working.  As natural as breastfeeding is, there are a plethora of reasons women and their babies struggle! "It could be baby's suck or baby's attachement, a high palette, tongue tie, lip tie. A lot of the time it is baby!" 

Advantages of finding a great midwife

"It’s a tender time, the feathers are wrapped around baby and the feathers are wrapped around yourself. There is a lot of advice and outside information and some of the time it’s not something you want to hear. You want that one person to have the conversations with." A great midwife will build trust. "Whether the baby is eight weeks old, eight months old or whether the mother is eight months pregnant, being on their level and showing kindness in the role – that’s what we do. Just like mothers - if we show trust with our children we hope they come to us when they need us the most."

Best advice for expecting mums

"Find that network of friends, find your support, link in with your midwives and maybe a doula. Outside of Covid with more people now allowed in, a lot of women are taking on a doula. It's nice to have more hands on deck, to help with accupressure or massage or just help the woman reset when they're having hard time through labour."

When you need the extra help or support

Don't be afraid to ask for help - it's there waiting for you to do so! Speak to your midwife, GP, childhealth nurse for a free referral. Some other great resources Jackie recommends are

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne factsheets
Royal Women's Hospital breastfeeding
Australian Breastfeeding Association
Raising Children
Health Direct
Beyond Blue
Panda
Red Nose Australia for safe sleeping

When something seems wrong or bub is sick

The second time around you might know things will pass, but your first time? It's hard to know! There are also 101 different viruses out there so it's important to monitor baby. Jackie has a few things to look out for that will flag if there is trouble or not.

+ Urine output should be 6-8 wet nappies a day. "If baby is sick with a virus, look at counting wet nappies and ensure 6-8 a day. Five heavy nappies is your minimum regardless of stools. If baby is constipated that is another concern, but low urine output is a flag."

+ Look for changes in baby's behaviour. Is baby not able to feed? Not able to settle after a feed? Is baby lethargic or floppy? Does baby have ongoing fevers? It's always good to see a GP anytime you’re unsure or call HealthDirect anytime on 1800 022 222.

+ Any respiratory concerns mean you should head straight to emergency. "If baby is making noisy, grunting sounds, when accessory muscles are being used and baby is working really hard in the upper torso, don’t muck around - take them to the hospital." 

+ Trust your motherly instincts - and they carers will too. " If a mother comes in and she feels there is something wrong that she can’t put her finger on, it’s always worth a check."

+ If baby is unwell, start to monitor things like the number of wet nappies, the temperatures, when the last does of paracetamol was and when they are going to the toilet or feeding. This information is helpful if baby needs to attend a doctor or hospital.