Newly Pregnant Questions

[catsofa]

Very early days yet, just getting my head around it. My first few questions have probably been asked a million times before, sorry - I'll try to get as many as I can in this one post so I don't clog up the topic with noob questions...

My face is an oil slick. What can I use to sluice the oil off a couple of times a day? I decanted my facial cleanser stuff into a dispenser so I don't have the ingredients list and can't remember what it was. Probably Tesco's own - will that be ok?

In contrast I have very dry hands, and need to wash my hands all the bleedin time because of the job I'm doing. I have a pot of some quite heavy random cream at work (50p from a charity shop) and I think Vaseline Intensive Care at home, will they be ok, or if maybe not then what should I get instead?

Stretch marks - is there anything that might even possibly help? Or is it all a myth and nothing makes any difference at all?

How soon am I likely to need bigger shoes? I think I need more arch support in one foot, are there any brands that anyone knows to usually have fairly high arches?

I'm supposed to avoid cured meat, is Pepperami ok? Surely it's processed enough to kill anything bad?

I cycle everywhere. Am I likely to be able to keep this up for most of my pregnancy? Anything to bear in mind? Does this one need its own thread? I think I could oil the chain with my own face oil right now :(

I dont think any lotions and potins are "no nos" in pregnancy - obviously if you do have a reaction to them then just try a new one.

Ive never needed bigger shoes in pregnancy and dont know anyone who has but there may be some people on here whove experienced this

Processed foods, while not healthy, dont seem to be "banned foods". I dont recall being told I couldnt eat cured meats but then I just ate and drank as normal (cut alcohol down to a glass of wine a month) in my pregnancies.

All excercise that you usually do is fine to be continued in pregnancy but do listen to your body - you will tire quicker and your centre of balance changes when the bump gets bigger so just keep dpng what you normally do until you feel you want or need to stop.

Thank you, there is just so much random stuff on the internet it's hard to know what to take seriously. Some sites seem to say to avoid Salicylic acid in skin products, and lots say my feet will get a size bigger. I know absolutely nothing so they could tell me I'll grow an extra arm and I'd believe them.

Actually an extra arm would be awesome...

Here's lots of good and bad and outdated and American info on the internet. Stick with the NHS website. It's up to date, balanced, and regularly reviewed.

Massive congratulations! If you find the antenatal board here for your due date month there'll be lots of other terrified newbies and you can help each other through the next year

I can't help with anything but stretch marks. Sweet almond oil is amazing - £5.99 for a massive bottle from holland & Barrett will see you through your whole pregnancy. Slap it on a couple of times a day.

Agree with sticking to UK sites for info like the NHS, Mumsnet etc.

Regarding foot size increasing, you will probably find that your feet will seem bigger in the third trimester due to swelling. I ended up wearing a pair of slip on shoes a size larger than normal all the time - anything else would get progressively more uncomfortable throughout the day.

My feet returned to normal a few weeks after delivery and I now wear all my old shoes again. So a permanent increase is not inevitable.

Thank you! The more I read the more I think Americans are bonkers.

Have ordered some ebay sweet almond oil, I guess at least if I get stretch marks I'll know I did all I could to avoid them.

My feet are on the large side of size 6 already, and several pairs of shoes I already have get a bit snug near the end of the day, so I do suspect I may be one of those who does want some bigger, comfy shoes. Sounds like I don't need to think about it for a while though.

I just read the tiny print on the Pepperami packet and it says it's pasturised, so I guess it's fine. Not my favourite salami, but it will help fill the naice salami shaped gap in my life for the duration. Pity about all the cheese I can't have though.

On the exercise point, just keep doing what you're used to for as long as is comfortable for you. Staying active is good for your body, which is obviously gearing up for the physical challenge of labour. I was running until 34 weeks (now 36) and I'm sure it helped immensely in terms of aches, pains, digestion, etc.. Really missing it now I've had to stop!

Tbh the cheese is a grey area too - if soft, buy pasturised. Cooked soft cheeses are fine (camambert baked, mozarella on pizza etc).

Really, really, really stay away from random websites especially American. I was watching birth videos and the American attitude to pregnancy and birth in the comments was light years behind ours - Drs and Midwives who want waterbirths 'banned' as dangerous hippy at home nonsense, whereas in UK/Australia/EU they get trained how to do them safely and hospitals have them. That's just one example of things which if you believed the internet would terrify you! Sadly you also get women who have had a bad outcome blogging/blaming things (e.g. one woman whose son had a genetic condition I saw write in depth about how it was her fault for cling wrapping her sandwiches... turned out she had been told this was not the case, but this was her psychological burden and she went on forums telling people it was 'fact' poor woman :( ).

Use the NHS website and mumsnet. Maybe NCT if you like 'natural' approaches. This is a good starting point: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx#close Read the full entry- just because it's in the contents doesn't mean it's banned it just means people ask.

1. All supermarket brand cleansers, hand lotions etc' are fine. They haven't been tested specifically for use in pregnancy but as no miscarriage has ever, ever been attributed to normal usage they are fine. What do you think MW and Drs wash their hands with before they examine women?

2. Stretch marks ... mine just appeared! I have been using stretch mark cream, not to make them pale but because they itch and feel stretched. I think they just fade over time though.

3. Not everyone's feet get too big for their normal shoes. Mine haven't. I just wear my comfy shoes more now! The growth can be minor.

4. You don't have to avoid cured meats. It's cured RAW meats, and these you freeze then defrost before eating to kill any bugs. Pepperami (as in the long thin snack) is cooked/nuked completely. When buying salamis etc' just check the packaging for whether they are 'cooked and ready to eat' or 'pasteurised' - if so go for it, if not, either have cooked or freeze and defrost prior to eating.

5. Lots of women cycle when pregnant. It may become uncomfortable or you might find your balance changes though. But you are allowed to do it IYSWIM.

:)

Salicylic acid this is aspirin. In high doses (like if you DRANK several bottles of face cream) it can thin the blood which wouldn't be good. For the same reason they recommend taking paracetamol not aspirin for headaches.
But in face creams ... you would have to drink loads!! Not rub a blob on your face.

To put this into perspective: many women are prescribed aspirin by their doctors when they are pregnant if they have placenta issues. I took 150mg every day until a week or two ago. So whilst you don't want to take it as a pill without medical advice, rubbing some face cream on is utterly harmless (unless it was some prescription super-strong anti acne cream... and even then most likely all would be fine).

Cycling I cycle a lot but during the first trimester I was exhausted and didn't get out much. Seem to be over the worst of it now (14 weeks) and went for a lovely bike ride yesterday. Only 7 miles with a break for lunch but a big hill too. Was pleased it wasn't my worst time although no where near my pb!

Shoes Not heard of feet growing in pregnacy. Is that length or swelling? I have really wide feet and find Hotter to be a good brand. They have their own shops and are also in other shops too.

The other thing to remember is that there aren't any 'rules' (eg with alcohol/food) - there is guidance but ultimately it is up to each individual woman to weigh up the risks for herself - same as with any procedures or tests (including like induction right at the end of pregnancy!) they're offered but none are compulsory

Largely you can carry on as normal, albeit heavier and waddlier than before

E45 hand cream is the only thing that helped my hands - they were terrible in winter and with having to wash my hands every five minutes due to having a new born baby

The thing about feet spreading is because when you're pregnant you get the hormone "relaxin" released which helps to relax your ligaments in preparation for birth. It helps your pelvis to widen and for the ligaments holding your uterus to stretch. The unfortunate side effect of this hormone being released is that it can also affect the ligaments in your feet. This means your feet can spread a little, maybe getting bigger by half a size to a size. But it doesn't happen to everyone, although it is permanent if it does happen. It's more likely it will just be a temporary swelling.

I never needed new shoes during pregnancy but after giving birth my feet were really swollen up so in 9 months time take flip flops or ballet shoes to wear home from the hospital

My feet have grown because of being pregnant! I went from a 6 to a 7 with DS but I'm now 39 weeks with number 2 and my feet haven't grown again.

Thanks so much, it's so helpful to be able to get sensible, unfussy advice from real people to put some of the random internet stuff into perspective so quickly.

I've just eaten three pepperamis in a row , slathered my poor face in cleanser to get rid of all the oil for the third time today, and had a nap.