Pre-Birth Mother Care

Pre-birth mother care is intended to keep the birth mother healthy while the mother is pregnant, during birth, and after the baby is born.
It is also important to insure the baby is born as healthy as can be.

                     Mother's Health during Pregnancy

•    The mother should first consult with the public hospital when finding out she is pregnant.

•    They will offer medical advice, and basic medical care, usually for free. In the bigger cities in Cambodia, this is quite well organized, as many international NGO's provide funding, training, and oversight. They will also collect information from you, so at the time of birth, they can be prepared for any complications.

•   If you have any medical problems, be sure to let them know at the beginning of the consultation.

• They will provide an Echo Scan picture of the fetus a few months before birth, to determine any potential problems with the baby and delivery. The will also determine with fairly good accuracy, what sex the baby is. There is usually a small fee for this service.

•  Make sure you follow the advice. If you don't understand their advice, keep asking questions until you completely understand.

•   The expectant mother should get some excerpting while pregnant. This is important for both the health of the mother and the health of the baby. A fast paced walk for 15 minutes a day will do, until a month or 6 weeks before expected delivery.

• If the expectant mother is sick, she should get medical attention immediately, as any sickness in the mother can affect the health of the baby.

• If any drugs are prescribed, the mother should make sure that these drugs won't affect the health of the baby. A medical drug reference book, or a check on the internet should suffice. A pharmacist's advice in Cambodia should always be double checked with a reliable source.

•    Also, if you are taking more than one drug at a time, you should verify that this combination is safe. You should also double check the proper dosage, side effects, and precautions for the drugs.

          
                    Certain foods should be avoided




  Alcohol and Caffeine will both damage a baby's health. Alcohol is found in beer, wine and whiskey, and even in some medicines. Caffeine is found in coffee and soda. Yes, Coca has caffeine and so most other sodas. While you are pregnant, much of what goes into your body also goes into a baby's body.


Some other things concerning your babies health while you are pregnant.


* Keep you teeth in good condition. Recent studies link poor tooth care in the expectant mother to problems with a babies health.


* Don't sit or stand too long.


* Avoid heavy lifting in the last 6 months of pregnancy.


*Keep away from people with communicable diseases.


* Avoid smoke from all sources. Cigarette smoke, smoke from cooking fires and burning trash. Smoke from soldering or welding. Smoke from incense and mosquito coils. Remember, what goes into your body goes into your baby's as well.


* Also, avoid all pesticides. You don't want to touch pesticides, breath in fumes from pesticides, or eat foods that have been sprayed with pesticide.


   You will want to examine the environment, if you are working. Many chemicals used in manufacturing or recycling, which are bad for you, are also bad for your baby


Drink lots of fluids, mostly water or tea while you are pregnant. 

 Examining your current work and home situation

Avoid work with long hours or heavy lifting.


Avoid stressful work.


Avoid excessive travel.


If you're sick, rest and do everything you can to recover quickly.


Don't eat too much fish. Many fish have mercury poisoning.


Don't eat any raw fish. Also, avoid soft cheese.


Avoid uncooked eggs and meats.


Having sex is o.k. Until the last month or two of pregnancy. Just not too hard. Avoid lying on you back flat during sex.


Don't get near wet paint or other liquids (like glue) that have fumes.


Don't get x-rays while pregnant if not absolutely necessary. Especially avoid x-rays near the stomach. And make sure to let the x-ray doctor know you are pregnant before having an x-ray.


You should have your plan for delivery before it is time to give birth. You should be near your doctor or hospital in the last few weeks before the expected birth time.