Amazing BedsAwesome RoomsAmazing BedroomsStarry Night SkyNight SkiesNight LightBased DesignerUx Ui DesignerDream BedsForwardCosmos Bed | Natalia Rumyantseva (Saint Petersburg-based designer Natalia Rumyantseva created the Cosmos Bed as a way of letting you take the starry night sky home)Anxiously awaiting your new arrival? How about a £5,000 babymoon like Sienna - or a £75 tummy painting like Mariah's? Experts assess the gadgets and treatments that could give your baby a bump start. PUSH THE BOAT OUT WITH... All mothers are offered a pre-natal test between 11 weeks and 13 weeks to assess the risk of Down’s Syndrome – known as a nuchal translucencyBut you can go private for the more extensive chorionic villus sampling (CVS), which can spot at least 200 disorders. ‘The NHS does not offer CVS unless you are a “high-risk mother” with a known genetic condition in the family,’ says Clive Spence-Jones, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at The London Clinic.
is a one-in-200 risk of miscarriage because CVS involves puncturing the womb with a needle to take cells from the placenta.’TRY: CVS at The Harley Street Centre for Women, £618, hscfw.co.ukLISTEN IN TO BABY’S HEARTBEAT WHAT? Record your baby’s heartbeat with an at-home gadget. Some mothers find the sound of the foetal heartbeat reassuring andBut be warned – Mr Spence-Jones says: ‘This is really a medical instrument and in the wrong hands it can cause a lot of angst. might pick up their own heartbeat or might not be able to detect one at all because they are not using it properly and cause themselves a lotAny kind of stress is not good during pregnancy.’ TRY: Angel Sounds Baby Foetal Doppler Heart Monitor, £24.99 amazon.co.ukKEEP DAD IN THE LOOPWHAT? Antenatal classes geared towards fathers-to-be, run by men, giving practical tips and advice about how to support pregnant partners and look after the baby. ‘Men can feel excluded because most help is directed towards the mother
and baby,’ says pregnancy expert Zita West. ‘These classes are a great – they give a sense of purpose for the dad.’TRY: DaddyNatal Classes, up to £70 for a course of two two-hour sessions, daddynatal.co.uk. There are some NHS-funded classes.Bean bag chairs designed to support the pregnant body. ‘As with the pregnancy support belt, special chairs may help some and exacerbate any existing problems for others,’ says Dr Hammond.‘ to recommend that pregnant women sit slightly forward to decrease strain on the back and a bean bag may encourage slouching. important thing to do is to keep moving every 20 minutes or so,’ he‘This will prevent pain and injury as your body changes shape.’TRY: Pregnancy Chair, £99, nctshop.co.ukBE PREPARED FOR A CRISISWHAT? A first-aid course designed to help you care for infants in emergency situations. ‘This is becoming increasingly popular and more people should do it,’‘Knowing how to cope in an emergency is essential.
You can read a book, but for real expertise do a course. classes offer some first-aid tips as well.’TRY: First Aid for Babies, from £35 per person, babymoonnannies.co.ukBreasts grow during pregnancy in preparation for nursing. Fitted bras offer extra support. ‘Whether you buy a bra is determined by the extent of growth,’ says Dr Brian Hammond, chairman of charity Backcare. ‘If your cup size goes from B to C, there is little need to invest, but for those who grow dramatically, strain will be put on the neck muscles.’TRY: Maternity bras, up to £45 each, bras4mums.co.ukWHAT? Record appointments and remember your pregnancy. ‘Being pregnant can be overwhelming and a dedicated diary can help you feel more in control and less stressed,’ says Leonora Bamford, who runs‘It’s also a great memento for when the The physiological and physical benefits of exercise in pregnancy areExercise may help prevent gestational diabetes, boost
energy and aid sleep. are designed to help mothers to be deal with pregnancy and prepare their body and mind for labour. Develop the ‘hidden’ birth muscles and soft-tissue structures around the uterus to make labour easier. ‘This is a good idea,’ says West. ‘Exercise in pregnancy is very important - it usually takes a fit mother to have a smooth birth.’‘ is a great way to prepare the body for birth as it gives the body stamina and develops the pelvic-floor muscles,’ she adds.TRY: Lazy Daisy Chain exercise classes, up to £72 for six weeks, lazydaisychain.co.ukSTRAP UP FOR BACK SUPPORT Special belts may help relieve discomfort of the lower abdomen and back caused by the weight of the bump.Elastic supports the lumbar area, while an abdominal strap supports the stomach. ‘These belts can be quite useful because, as a pregnancy progresses, a woman’s centre of gravity changes,’ says Backcare’s Dr Hammond.‘However, depending on where your pain is, it could exacerbate the
problem because it can force your bump into an uncomfortable position. The best thing you can do to prevent and treat minor back pain when pregnant is to swim.Water supports the joints and the gentle movement helps strengthen the core muscles, which will help restore back health.’TRY: ProCare Maternity Belt, £24.99, healthandcare.co.ukWHAT? ‘The problem with relying on the NHS is that it can take time before you get a midwife,’ says Zita West. Some companies offer private midwifery encompassing antenatal care, postnatal care and breastfeeding support as a stand-alone service or to enhance NHS care. ‘Having your own helps to put your mind at rest and gives added support for those who need it,’ says West. All expectant mothers should see their NHS midwife 12 weeks into their pregnancy at the latest.TRY: My Own Midwife Gold Package, £1,985, myownmidwife.co.ukDO IT WITH A DOULAWHAT? Trained by midwives, a doula, or ‘labour coach’ will be there to offer emotional rather than medical support during the birth.
Then, after the child arrives, the doula will visit the mother and baby and help with anything that needs to be done including making lunch and looking after the baby if the mother needs a sleep.BENEFIT: ‘A doula can be very important in a situation where the father does not wish to be present or there are family politics that would otherwise stress the birthing mother,’ says West. ‘It is a time when a mother needs reassurance and a doula can help make the labour less stressful.’TRY: Up to £500 for birth, £12-15 per hour post birth, britishdoulas.co.ukMost spas offer pregnancy ‘pampering’ packages. BENEFIT: ‘Women can start to feel a bit grotty as their pregnancy progresses, particularly if they’re suffering with morning sickness or a bad back,’ says Zita West.‘Going for a specific pregnancy spa treatment to get pampered and restore a feeling of femininity can be uplifting.’ TRY: Alexander House Hotel near East Grinstead, West Sussex, has a New Beginnings treatment, 55 minutes, £82, alexanderhotels.
LISTEN IN TO BABY’S HEARTBEATWHAT? Record baby’s heartbeat with an at-home gadget. Some mothers find the sound of the foetal heartbeat reassuring. Spence-Jones says: ‘This is a medical instrument and in the wrong hands it can cause a lot of angst. might pick up their own heartbeat or may not be able to detect one atTRY: Angel Sounds Baby Fetal Doppler Heart Monitor, £24.99, amazon.co.ukPaint your stomach, as singer Mariah Carey, right, and actress Hilary Duff did, and have it photographed., says: ‘Many women want to celebrate and show their bump by wearing tight clothing or in this case having a painting. 'Some companies even organise bump-painting baby showers. This can be great fun and help the mother enjoy the changing shape of her body.’TRY: A Bump Party, starting at £75 per person. Includes bump art, photo session and photograph. One of the key risks of pregnancy is developing high blood pressure, which can be dangerous for mother and baby.