Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 165 / #5-2025 i Your Pregnancy & Baby

I was a bit bored last night and did one of those online personality quiz thingies. Turns out I'm a perfectionist. Nah-ah, I thought, I'm so not. In my immediate vicinity, I can show you at least a dozen things that are far from perfect… from the wick of the candle on my desk that isn't centred to the quarter millimetre separation line that is appearing in my wallpaper, to the stack of magazines that aren't in chronological order, to the fingerprints on my phone screen. These are just four things that drive me nuts. I could easily keep going and fill this page. Oh wait, that means I probably am a perfectionist, because who else would notice these things? A little tip for anxiety I saw a while ago…

On the day before Valentine's day 2025, I walked into the hospital for my 31-week check-up, pregnant with my third child. The doctor was busy scanning when his eyes went big and he asked, “Do you have a hospital bag here”? But we still had so many weeks left! With my first pregnancy, my baby girl died when I was 35 weeks pregnant… so panic immediately set in. I was admitted to the maternity ward – leaving my hubby and 2-year-old to go home without me. The unknown was ahead of me. My amniotic fluid was very low; I was on bedrest for three weeks solid, being closely monitored to make sure baby was okay and well. On 3 March, my doctor looked at me and said, “There is a…

SEND US YOUR PICS: WINNING PHOTO THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF MY LIFE Rozaan had planned and prepared for a natural birth, but things shifted, and her baby's heart rate was high. She had to go in for an emergency c-section. As the doctors worked, they discovered another complication: her placenta had grown into the muscle wall. It was a rare condition that could have led to serious bleeding if she had delivered naturally. “The c-section didn't just bring my son into the world safely – it may have saved both our lives. This was the most important day of my life,” Rozaan says. WIN A VOUCHER! Send a high-resolution photo of you pregnant, you and your babies or your family, and you could win a Babies R Us voucher…

Nectarine salad SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 1T pistachio nuts 1½ cups rocket, washed and drained ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced 1 large ripe nectarine, cut into wedges 1 large burrata cheese, torn into bite-sized pieces olive oil, balsamic glaze and honey to drizzle METHOD 1. In a small saucepan, roast the pistachios until fragrant and then give them a rough chop. 2. In a serving dish, layer the rocket, red onion, nectarine wedges, burrata and roasted pistachios. 3. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic glaze and honey. That's it! More good food Delicious food shouldn't be limited by your budget, time, creativity or skill, and spending time in the kitchen shouldn't be a chore but rather a playful, therapeutic and rewarding experience. If you agree, then The…

Sue Smith from Durbanville went to the doctor for a routine check-up and found out that she is pre-diabetic. “This was quite a shock, and I didn't ask all my questions. We are thinking of starting a family soon. How will this affect my fertility? I am currently waiting to find out whether I have PCOS as well. I don't understand the link,” Sue says. Dr Carmen James from Durban says that pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with actual diabetes. Prediabetes usually occurs in people who already have some insulin resistance. “Not many of us are aware that there can be a relationship between insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS for…

1. Get moving! It's important to stay fit, and especially while you're pregnant. Regardless of your fitness level, a good, brisk walk that gets your heart rate up is one of the best ways to give yourself a quick boost. Don't overexert or push yourself further than your body tells you to. Walk where there is little or no traffic. Grab a few friends and head to the nearest park. Or go for a walk during your lunch break. 2. Boost your brain And baby's too! Stock up on self-help books, meditation and relaxation apps and music. Engage your brain by reading something different to your usual genre. Read aloud to your baby, talk and sing. Remember that your baby can already hear your voice clearly at 24 weeks. 3.…

OUR EXPERT Meet Sister Claire A midwife with more than 34 years of experience, Sister Claire is the host of the Babies R Us virtual antenatal courses, which are offered on a monthly basis. There are two sessions: Session 1 covers birth preparation, and Session 2 covers labour and going home with Baby. They are both two-hour sessions presented on a Wednesday or a Saturday morning. Bookings can be made online. Q I cut a bit of mould off some feta (pasteurised and in brine) and ate it, and only afterwards I realised that I might have put my baby in danger. I'm 16 weeks pregnant. If I've exposed myself to listeria, when will I know it? I'm so worried now. Please help me with a list of everything I…

Sometimes you don't realise that a caesarean involves a huge abdominal operation. Luckily, you now have a baby, and that is surely the biggest incentive and reward to start feeling better as soon as possible. Let's take a look at how you can speed up your recovery and how you will feel in the hours, days and weeks after having your caesarean. A GOOD START Johannesburg midwife Janine Nash says optimal nutrition and health are not only important during your pregnancy – it also helps you recover better from your caesarean afterwards. “Try to be as healthy as possible when you go into the operating room. Try not to exceed the recommended weight for your pregnancy. Overweight women tend to struggle more after a c-section because their wounds can sometimes…

OUR EXPERT “A PRENATAL CHILDBIRTH CLASS WILL HELP YOUR PARTNER FEEL INCLUDED, AND YOU WILL BOTH LEARN ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES OF BREASTFEEDING, AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT IN RESPECT OF GIVING YOUR LITTLE ONE THE BEST START IN LIFE.” Q I am 34 weeks pregnant and very keen on breastfeeding my baby. My husband is not on board though. How can I introduce this to him? How can I get him to support me? A SISTER LINDA BRITZ ANSWERS: Congratulations! This is a very exciting time as you look forward to your new baby. For the last few months you have been preparing in every way to make sure that you are ready for the arrival of this new family member. Breastfeeding is a natural progression of childbirth, and…

Thank you to our sponsors who spoilt all the winners with prizes worth more than R4 000! The 2026 cover star search competition is up and running. We need four winners for the 2026 covers of Your Pregnancy & Baby and our sister magazine, Baba & Kleuter. We've made is easier than ever to enter. No more categories: Any baby or child from 0 to 48 months can enter any time before 31 August 2026. You can email or WhatsApp your entry. See page 10 for details. The full terms and conditions are in the back of this magazine, and also on our new dedicated #CoverStarSearch website. A huge thank you to Chela-Preg, Epi-Max, Panado and Safeway Babies for sponsoring prizes for all our winners. More on page 11.…

@sip_n.talk Compliment your children for the child-like things they do – like having a great imagination or how silly they are. Not just for being responsible and patient and other mature qualities. Affirm their innocence. @mybottegavintage Yes! Let's protect their magic while they still believe in it. Childhood isn't a race to grow up. It's a garden of wonder, and our words are the sunlight. Celebrate the silly, the curious, the wildly imaginative. That's where their spirit shines brightest.…

WHAT DO HER NAMES MEAN? Masana means morning sunshine or sunrays. Therefore her name means light, and where there is light, darkness cannot exist. God's mercies are new every morning. We pray that she may be the light wherever she goes and bring light to the lives of those with whom she crosses paths. Taking after her name she is, most of the time, sharing a smile that radiates love, kindness and compassion. Her second name is Ripfumelo, which is Xitsonga for “putting one's faith in God” (ripfumelo ra Xikwembu). Her grandfather gave her the name of Rethabile, which means “we are happy to be blessed with another grandchild.” WHOM DOES SHE TAKE AFTER? Masana was 7 months old at the shoot, and as she grows (now 14 months) we…

A friendly Fido fits into the “happy family” picture perfectly – but is your family ready for a pet? And while your child might be pestering you for one, is he old enough to care for it? If you do cave in to the pressure, this is what you need to know to make sure your animals and children co-exist peacefully. SELECT YOUR PET Dogs and cats are the most intelligent, the cuddliest, and the most responsive of the domestic animals. Dogs are playful and are also usually beside themselves with delight when they see you. Cats’ games are more restrained: they can chase a spot of light your child is shining from a torch, or a length of twine, but they won't play fetch or chasing games. Both might…

Whether it's swollen feet or seeing stars, reflux or retching, the tortures your pregnant body inflicts on itself are certainly inventive. Yet most medicines are on the “no” list during pregnancy – irony alert! So trick your body right back: many foods contain ingredients that can counteract common pregnancy niggles. Here's our guide: 1. NAUSEA Only a few lucky women seem to escape the horrid feeling of nausea, at least for around weeks six to 14 of pregnancy. The theory is that the rush of the hormone hCG and possibly oestrogen, a hypersensitivity to smell, and the physical changes in a sensitive tummy cause the sensation. But isn't it weird how you can be starving even while nauseous? This is because, in pregnancy, nausea is often caused by low blood…

Parents can start bonding with their baby early in the pregnancy. All you need to do is spend a little time every day with your unborn baby, focusing on him, and you'll be amazed at how easily a relationship begins to form. Our brain and behavioural patterns develop as we grow in the womb. Embryologists believe that what happens to baby in the womb – touch, vibrations, movement, sound and light – can have a positive effect on him. You have high hopes for your child, and the good news is that you can already start to stimulate your baby even before the birth. Who knows what difference a little bit of chat time will make to him reaching his future potential one day? Bonding can begin at any point…

Q I'm having a caesarean section. How soon can I take a bath afterwards? I read that I'm not allowed to swim in the first six weeks because it can cause infection in the cervix. Can the same thing happen if I take a bath? A DR JP DU BUISSON ANSWERS: Most doctors have their own routine prescriptions. In the big picture, bathing or showering a day or two after the caesarean section should not be a problem. Most doctors cover the scar with a waterproof dressing for the first seven to 10 days. Showering should be more comfortable, especially in the hospital, but after that you can bathe. It just shouldn't be a long bath, because it can lift the edges of the waterproof dressing. Once the dressing is…

Some time after turning 2, the toddler inside your baby begins to reveal itself. This means a major milestone could be approaching, and you're sure to be having discussions with your partner and friends about whether the time for playschool is ripe. All signs point to 2½ being a good age to start. At that age, children can use short sentences, understand simple requests and instructions, begin to enjoy playing with – rather than just beside – other children and, as Marina Petropulos writes in the Baby and Childcare Handbook, being with Mom is ”no longer a primary concern”. But do all these things add up to being ready? Not always, and you won't have to look far to find a parent for whom the attempt at school was stormy.…

OUR EXPERT Q We just had our second child. Her brother is 4 years old and does not seem to adapt very well with the new baby in the house. What can I do to make this easier on him and to help him? A ILSE ANSWERS: It is normal to be worried when your older child is not immediately comfortable with their new sibling. Because of this discomfort, it is possible that your son might start to act out and react in ways that disrupt your family and the peace at home. In the same way it is important for you as parents to remember that this reaction from your son is also completely normal. Usually, we find that this kind of problem fades away after a few months.…

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seen on Facebook KATHI SIMON I was cleaning out a cupboard and found the kids’ memory albums this weekend where I had a list of mispronunciations from when they were small. We still say some wrong on purpose. Pick ‘n Pay – Prinkle Pay Snuggle – snubble Goggles – gobbles Chin – chimney Forehead – forest MARGOT BERTELSMANN DOHERTY Air Freshener – air confessioner JO ANNE MASON Chickenpox – chicken pops MELINDA TRAINOR Hibiscus – high biscuits JANICE ROBERTS Disgusting – bisgusting Cushion – tushion Black cat – bat tat Thief – fieth MIENIQUE TIMMERMAN Suurlemoen – suurmiljoen…

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1. At night… A you sleep peacefully with a pillow supporting your belly. B you wake five times to go to the toilet, but at least you manage to fall asleep again without too much trouble. C you wake up 50 times to go to the loo and battle to go back to sleep. You wake up in a foul mood with dark circles around your eyes. 2. In the morning… A You wake up ravishing, jump out of bed and make a wholesome cup of rooibos tea for dunking that whole-wheat rusk. B You wake up and beg your partner to bring you a cup of strong Ceylon tea to have with something sweet. C You mumble “coffee” in your tired state and tell your partner to please redraw…

1 DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS Everyone is free to make their own choices, and everyone has different experiences of pregnancy, labour and birth. Guilt is commonplace. The important thing is to do what makes you happy and comfortable. Try not to question your own decisions. 2 DEVELOP YOUR OWN BIRTH PLAN Your birth plan should outline everything you want and need out of birth. Be sure to show this to your healthcare provider. Your birth plan should cover all aspects, from the medication you want or don't want and the type of birth you prefer to the music you'd like to hear when Baby appears. Remember though that not all births go according to plan – so be prepared to alter your plan. 3 ANTENATAL CLASSES AND CHECK-UPS The…

OUR EXPERT Q I am 37 weeks pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy. If everything goes well, I will have a natural birth. How long after I had my baby can we have sex? I've heard that it can be uncomfortable? Is there something I can do to help with this? A DR MPUME ZENDA ANSWERS: Thank you for such an important question and sharing your concerns. A number of things can influence how long it takes to resume intercourse postdelivery, namely type of delivery, pain, fatigue, hormonal impact, breastfeeding, financial pressure and psycho-social support. Firstly, it's important to emphasise the wide spectrum when we talk about intimacy rather than just sex. Intimacy – whether during pregnancy or postdelivery – should never come to an end. That can be defined…

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DAY 1 Expect one wet and one dirty nappy (meconium). DAY 2 Expect two wet and two soiled nappies (still meconium). DAY 3 TO 4 By now, you will see a transitional stool (greenish-blackish-yellow or brown grainy and/or seedy). Expect about three wet and three dirty nappies. DAY 4 TO 5 Stools should be turning yellow as the breast milk comes through baby's system. You want to see three to four yellow stools (of 2,5cm or bigger) in 24 hours, and five to six wet nappies. Poo nappies are an indication that your baby is getting sufficient calorie-rich milk that makes him grow and gain weight. DAY 5 TO 28 Expect four to five (or more) yellow stools in 24 hours and five to six wet nappies. AFTER 1 MONTH…

We all love those Instagrammable moments that show your baby's growing up. From their first wobbly steps to the time they say “mama”, they're emotional, adorable and reassuring milestones that indicate your little one's development is on track. While these may be the biggies, your baby is constantly practising and perfecting new skills as his body grows – and it's the little skills that make the big milestones possible. 1. YOUR BABY IS ABLE TO SEE YOU CLEARLY TYPICALLY HAPPENS AT 5 TO 12 MONTHS Babies are not born with fully developed sight. At birth they are only able to see up to a distance of between 20 and 30cm. “A newborn baby's eyes have not yet learnt how to work together; this will only happen at around 1 to…

LOVE A GOOD PRANK! Tom and the Best Prank Ever is the first in a new series for beginner readers, so if your child is heading for Grade 1 in 2026, start stocking up on these. Humour is of course one of the best ways to encourage a love of reading, and Jaco Jacob provides it in spades, with great illustrations by Alistair Ackermann. In short, Tom and Clint are furious. The twins pulled a nasty prank on them. Now everyone at school is laughing at Clint. But Tom has a clever plan – and an even better prank! You simply have to get the book to find out what happens next. R120, Pan Macmillan. CHAOS IN A CAULDRON Step into a whimsical world of culinary magic with The Witching…

OUR EXPERT Q My older sister has just found out a former boyfriend sexually molested her children. It made me go cold as I would never ever have suspected such a thing. Is there anything I should be doing or saying to my two little ones – I have a son of 3 and a daughter of 4 – that can somehow stop this from happening? Fortunately, they were never alone in his company. I've heard that very shy children fall victim more often to this kind of thing, and mine are both shy. But I can't exactly change their personalities, can I? A MADELEIN KOEN ANSWERS: Sexual abuse can affect any child regardless of personality, age, gender, physical appearance or sexual orientation. In fact, research has shown that most…