Multiple births

Physical changes

During the third trimester, your uterus starts to fill up most of your abdomen and probably reaches about 11 cm above your navel. This is when you may start to experience pain from the round ligaments that lie on either side of the uterus.

*Check whether the maternity ward has a list of the items you will need.

Items for hospital stay

There are many factors to consider before dedicating yourself to raising and budgeting a child for the next 18 years or more. 

We’ve laid out a few things to consider and guide you with regards to budgeting for a baby before you embark on the greatest journey of your life: parenthood. 

Having a baby is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in life, but it’s also one of the more costly experiences. 

A detailed medical history, of you and your partner, will be recorded at your first prenatal visit.

Discuss questions or concerns you or your partner may have with your caregiver at any stage of your pregnancy.

Clothing

As labour starts, a mother’s mood changes and she becomes less aware of what is happening outside her body, and more aware of what is happening inside her body.

Your health, and the growth and development of your baby, must be closely monitored. 

The experience of childbirth and parenthood is an unknown adventure, which results in major changes to your life. 

The following signs of labour may occur in any order.
1. Progressive contractions
A contraction is the periodic, wave-like tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscles. The abdomen will become very hard to the touch as the uterus contracts and reaches its peak and then, as it begins to fade, it softens.
Timespan of a contraction, from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.

Your pregnancy: weeks 1-4 – the start of your first trimester. The first signs of pregnancy may be very visible… or not at all. In fact, there are as many different kinds of pregnancies as there are women.

Preparing for your prenatal appointments is important. Find out our prenatal checklist, so you can ask the right questions to your healthcare provider.

Sharing the adventure of pregnancy, birth and parenting can make this one of life’s most rewarding experiences.

The first step towards fatherhood is to accept pregnancy and birth as a period of change. You may have conflicting and intense emotions to deal with as you come to terms with this major developmental stage in your life. It is important to keep the channels of communication open between you and your partner.

A birth plan or wish list is not a set of commands and demands, and certainly not a contract. It is merely a list of preferences that you have thought about once you have all the information you need.

During the first stage, also known as the dilation stage, your cervix will dilate and efface from 0–10 cm.

Screening ultrasound scan

The nuchal fold test is carried out at around 11–13 weeks and measures the amount of fluid beneath the skin on the back of the baby’s neck, which in some cases may suggest an increased risk for Down’s Syndrome.