Pregnancy 

Epidural analgesia is said to have many side effects, how true are they? (Source: Pregnancy Singapore) Epidural analgesia (EA) is reliable and effective way to relieve labour pain. Pain relief is achieved by the injection of local anesthetic drugs through a small tube into the epidural space of the lower back. This is performed by an anaesthetist. Although epidural reduces labour pain substantially, some pain may still be felt, especially when pushing of the baby. Myths vs Tr

Confinement is enshrouded in Asian culture and many practices are deep-rooted. But are these confinement practices medically sound? Confinement is a special time for your body to recuperate from childbirth. Confinement is cultural to many Asians. But remember that these practices were relevant to those ancient days when mother and baby mortality rates were high. It was a time without proper sanitation or even antibiotics. Thus, it was a safe practice to confine both baby and

A well thought-out birth plan sets your expectation for your delivery but get mentally prepared for the unexpected. “A birth plan is a guide but anything can happen during the delivery.” A birth plan indicates your preference for the labour and delivery. While I often encourage a birth plan, do remember that labour can be unpredictable and there are times when your doctor may have to gently decline your request. Not everyone may want a written birth plan. What is most importa

If you have crooked teeth, you may be wondering if it’s safe to have braces while you’re pregnant. Read on. Pregnancy will affect the health of your teeth. Whether you are already on braces whilst pregnant or just starting your orthodontic treatment, it’s important to take good care of your braces and oral hygiene. Otherwise, it is perfectly safe to wear braces! 3 must-do orthodontic steps #1 Maintain good oral hygiene and keep your teeth fresh and clean #2 Regularly brush an

During labour, your doctor may decide for C-section right away. This can be a sudden decision if you or baby's health takes a turn for the worse and it’s too risky to continue labour. Remember that keeping you and baby safe is the priority! A Cesarean section, also called a C-section or LSCS (lower segment cesarean section), is an operation to deliver the baby through the tummy when it is not advisable to deliver the baby naturally. A C-section can be planned (elective) or em

Women who had a previous C-section may be still be suitable for VBAC. Consult your doctor. What is VBAC? VBAC is an acronym for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean section. #1 What is my chance of VBAC? The chance of a successful VBAC resulting in a natural delivery is 50-60%. This may be higher if you previously had natural deliveries. #2 Why should I consider VBAC? As natural delivery is still feasible in properly selected cases, you can avoid a repeat C-section and the surgical

Is induction of labour natural? Do I need one? You have heard this term many times, but what does it mean? Induction of labour (IOL) is any medical intervention that stimulates the onset of labour contractions. We still hope for a natural delivery. Do I need an IOL? Yes, if you have hypertension, small baby or diabetes. This may necessitate an early delivery before due date. Only when there is no immediate danger to you or baby, IOL is safe.​ What are my risks of IOL? Hyper-s

Imagine you are in labour and you’ve been pushing for hours. The doctor brings up the idea of using forceps or a vacuum to deliver your baby. What should you expect? #1 What is an instrumental delivery? Instrumental delivery refers to Vacuum or Forceps assisted delivery of your baby. Instrumental delivery is an aid to facilitate natural birth. Your doctor will decide which instrument is more suitable for the delivery. #2 Forceps Delivery Your doctor will gently apply 2 forcep

Did you imagine horror music and picture metal instruments attached to your baby’s head? If so, take a deep breath. It’s not that scary. Ideally, during natural childbirth, your little one comes into the world with some pushing only. But sometimes babies don’t arrive according to plan and need some assistance before they are welcomed into your arms. When this is the case, your doctor may use either forceps or a vacuum to expedite the delivery. This is known as assisted or ins

Many positions that you and your baby can explore while breastfeeding — you may even end up inventing your own unique positions. Posture: Encourage your newborn to take a significant amount of your breast into his/her mouth, with more of the areola and with the nipple pointing towards the soft palate. Hold your breast during the attachment and draw the baby to the breast to ensure a good latch. I recommend two nursing positions during the first few weeks: the crossover hold a

Most women are still confused about the stages of labour even though they had previous deliveries. Let's demystify the labour process. Labour is traditionally compartmentalised into 3 stages Stage #1 has a latent phase (dilatation of cervix to 3 cm)  and an active phase (continued dilatation of cervix to full dilation at 10 cm) Stage #2 — delivery of the baby Stage #3 — delivery of the placenta​ Stages of labour​ varies for different women. The active phase of labour can be a

A lot happens in the first few days after the arrival of your little one. You can expect physical and emotional changes. You’ll be feeding your baby a lot, but sleeping very little. The wonderful sensation of being a new mum has just sunk in and your body has to recover from the stressful delivery. It is important to know the basics of wound care, be it episiotomy or c-section wound. Do you know? It takes up to 6 weeks for your body pregnancy changes to revert to normal stat

Labour can be stressful for you and baby. During each contraction, your baby is tightly squeezed in your womb, which interrupts the blood flow. Foetal monitoring is important During labour, your midwife will be tracking your baby's heart rate to see on how is baby doing. This is called foetal monitoring. It's usually done with an electronic heart rate monitor. When you are in labour, your womb contracts to push your baby along the birth passage. The strong contractions may al

You just found out your baby’s in the breech position and you’re panicking. A breech pregnancy occurs when the baby is positioned head-up, so the feet are pointed toward the birth canal. In a most pregnancies, the baby will spontaneously turn head-down to get ready for birth, so a breech pregnancy presents some challenges. In most pregnancies, babies are born head first. This means that most would have turned to head down position by 37 weeks. In only 3-4%, the babies are bre

The last few days of pregnancy are exciting time. But when your due date has passed, waiting for labour to start can be stressful too. Many parents-to-be become anxious. So, where's baby? Your OB-GYN gave you a due date ten months ago, but your little one is not on schedule. Your friends and family keep asking, "When's the big day?" Now that it's passed, you don't know what to do. #1 Why is my baby fashionably late? No one can tell why some babies delay entrance into the worl

Details, details! This major ultrasound scan gives you a detailed glimpse of your baby's development. This major scan is undoubtedly the single most important scan in this pregnancy. It is done at 5th month and snapshots your baby for any structural mal-development. The placenta is also checked if it is low-lying. A scan from second trimester is useful to check baby's growth. The amniotic fluid is actually the urine of the baby and indicates his/her health status. A good lev