Dear Dr. ‘P’ 8

I am 2 weeks pregnant and breastfeeding. Is it safe to continue breastfeeding while pregnant?

There is no harm in breastfeeding while pregnant. However, you need to feed well (eat the right type of food) as the demand for nutrients by a foetus increases as the pregnancy progresses.

It may also be prudent to use a well related multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Consult your doctor about the appropriate type and quantity of supplements.

The time to stop breastfeeding is very relative but milk production will tend to decrease as the pregnancy advances.

I am married and I have been using postinor 2 pills for a year. Now that I need a baby, can I wash away the pills from my system?

The body efficiently clears itself of the hormones and you do not require any additional measures. If your regular periods have resumed, it essentially means your body systems are functionally normal, hence there is nothing to worry about.

I am suffering from an infection caused by yeast in my private parts, according to my doctor. Can this cause any harm to my unborn baby? Please help-I am in a dilemma.

Yeast infection generally does not confer any health risk to the mother or the unborn baby. It is a largely an inconvenience to the mother.

My last periods were on 5th of February. I am now expecting. When is my EDD?
Take the first day of your last menstrual period. Add 7 to the day and less 3 to the month.

Assuming that is the date you have provided above (5/2/07), your due date is 12/11/07.

Please note that is a general guide. In practice, delivery will be anywhere between 14 days before and 14 days after the estimated due date.

I would like to understand what is hypotension since I suffered from it after a C-section. Secondary, is it safe to a normal delivery after two C-sections and lastly, between general and regional anesthesia which one is safe?

Hypotension is low blood pressure. During a C-section, one can minimize the risk of getting hypotensive by administering a lot of intravenous fluids before the anaestasia is given.

It is critical, however, to identify hypotensive tendencies early during the anaesthetic process and correct it as appropriate. The fact that you are alive and well is a testimony that the doctors did this in your case.

Normal delivery cannot be encouraged after two or more caesaraen sections.

General anaesthesia makes someone ‘sleep completely’ during an operation, while regional anaesthesia (also known as local anaesthesia) causes a part of the body to be insensitive to pain.

The decision on mode of anaesthesia will depend on clinical consideration at the material time. You need to discuss this more specifically with your doctor.

I would like to know what exercises are appropriate for a pregnant woman. I really like aerobics but I am not sure whether to do them any more since I am 2 months pregnant.

First you need to consult an obstetrician to ensure you have no obstetric contraindications that may prevent you from practising certain forms of exercises.

This will be determined by your medical history and findings of your physical examinations. Ideally, a physiotherapist is best suited to recommend the types of exercises which are ideal for you.

Send your questions to: pregnant@integral-advisory.com
Answers are provided jointly by our team of doctors.

END: PG8/27