Babies who are small for their gestational age have an increased risk of health problems and other issues throughout their lives.

The study, which was carried out by a team of US and Bangladeshi researchers monitored 340 pregnant women in Bangladesh, all in their third trimester of pregnancy. The women were divided into two groups, 170 who received the flu vaccine and 170 who received a different vaccine that does not protect against the flu.

The results

When the seasonal influenza virus was circulating in the population, the flu vaccine group had fewer babies who were small for their gestational age than the other group – 26% in those who were given in the jab versus 45% in those who had not.

The percentage of small births was similar in both groups when the influenza virus was
dormant, according to the study that was published yesterday in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

The investigators found that when the virus was circulating, the average birth weight was 7 pounds in the
flu vaccine group and 6.6 pounds in the group that didn’t get flu shots.

Conclusion

Dr Mark Steinhoff of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, and colleagues wrote in their report: “Our data suggest that the prevention of infection with seasonal influenza in pregnant women by vaccination can influence fetal growth.”

In a news release, the study authors suggested that if further research supports these findings, adding a flu vaccine to routine vaccinations during pregnancy could help give children a better start in life.

Source: CMAJ
Photography: Blake Patterson @Flickr

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The study, carried out by researchers of the School of Social and Community Medicine at Bristol University, monitored the risk factors of nearly 3,500 women. Results found that gestational diabetes also increased the risk of women developing heart disease in later life by a quarter (26%).

Abigail Fraser, from the university, said: “A woman who experiences complications during pregnancy should be proactive and ask her doctor about future cardiovascular risk and steps she should take to modify her risk.”

For more information on pre-eclampsia and the signs and symptoms to look out for, have a look at our Pre-eclampsia in pregnancy article.

Source: American Heart Association
Photography: Bridget Coila @Flickr

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• About vitamin D
• Why is vitamin D important?
• Vitamin D and pregnancy
• So what should I do?

About vitamin D

Vitamin D is actually classified as a hormone, as it is made in our bodies when the sun’s UV rays
come into contact with our skin. We obtain some vitamin D from foods – oily fish and fortified foods
(breakfast cereals, margarine), but the key ingredient to maintaining healthy vitamin D levels is
sunlight.

Why is vitamin D important?

We need vitamin D to help regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies and in turn
develop healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D is also thought to help the body fight off infections and
may reduce the risk of Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and some cancers.

Vitamin D and pregnancy

During pregnancy vitamin D status is especially important, as it is not only needed for the
maintenance of mum’s health and bones, but also for the healthy development of your growing
baby. Being vitamin D deficient whilst you are pregnant can reduce the amount of calcium absorbed
into baby’s bones and teeth. Additionally, if mum has low vitamin D levels, then baby will be born
with low vitamin D status and this may result in frequent fits or the development of rickets and weak
bones.

So what should I do?

• Ensure you are having oily fish once or twice a week (but no more than this during pregnancy).
• Try and get out in the sunlight for at least 20 minutes a day (without skin protection) during the months of April to September and the hours of 10.00am-3.00pm. Make sure that you cover up after 20 minutes to avoid getting burnt.
• Take a 10mcg supplement of vitamin D daily throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Make sure you are not taking two or more supplements containing vitamin D: ask your health visitor or GP if you are unsure.

For more advice about vitamin D and your children, see our article on Is my toddler getting enough Vitamin D?

Further information on Vitamin D can be found at SR Nutrition’s additional blog post on Vitamin D

Photography: Montse PB @Flickr

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With that in mind, here are some post-baby fashion tips for real mums (the ones who have dark eyes,
a baby belly and stains on all their ‘clean’ clothes).

• A comfy dress is your new best friend
• Keep accessories simple
• Draw attention to your décolletage
• Buy two bras at a time
• Dark colours cover ‘dodgy’ areas
• Be bright and bold
• Blusher, mascara, lip gloss
• Wear a blazer
• Treat yourself with soft luxurious fabrics
• Ditch those heels!
• Number one accessory

A comfy dress is your new best friend

Dresses are the best thing for new mums. Not only do they look lovely and feminine, but they also come in a variety of shapes, styles, colours and fabrics. For something ultra- flattering, try a wrap-around style, which will draw the eye away from the tummy, as well as being practical if breast feeding. A long straight dress made from a stretchy fabric is really comfortable and can be worn whether it’s summer or winter.

Keep accessories simple

Accessories are always a great way of dressing up a casual outfit, but keeping them understated will suit your new mum lifestyle. Pretty patterned scarves, wide belts and statement handbags are fab. Jewellery can be too much hassle (especially when cuddling baby), so stick to simple sparkly studs that will add a bit of glamour to your day.

Draw attention to your décolletage

Wear tops with interesting necklines to draw attention up and away from your tummy. Scarves also work great at doing this, and if you’re brave enough you can put on a chunky necklace for the same effect.

Buy two bras at a time

Find two lovely bras that fit well (whether they be nursing bras or not) and stick to that. They’ll make you feel confident and comfy, plus you’ll be changing shape so much that buying any more in one go will mean that the nice lady at the charity shop will see you more than your best friends do.

Dark colours cover ‘dodgy’ areas

If you’re self-conscious about a certain area of your body then wear a dark colour on this area. Dark trousers are flattering for mums who are worried about their bums and thighs.

Be bright and bold

Bold colours work great at lifting our mood. Put on a colourful top with an A-line skirt to flatter your shape and make you feel all positive. Oh, and patterned tops are great too (plus they’re wonderful at camouflaging nasty stains).

Blusher, mascara, lip gloss

Quick and easy. No explanation needed.

Wear a blazer

Surely every mum occasionally has flashbacks to those days when she felt well-refined in her smart work clothes? Add a touch of ‘office’ with a blazer for a well-dressed look; it’ll be comfy, make you feel more in control, plus you can wear it all year round.

Treat yourself with soft luxurious fabrics

For a bit of affection from your clothes, put on a cashmere cardigan. It’ll be like a soft hug all day long, and you’ll look elegant at the same time.

Ditch those heels!

Abandon your heels in the name of comfort! And abandon your heels in the name of safety! You’re a mum and you’re holding a baby, so put the heels away! Plus there are some amazing flat boots around, and they are honestly very cool.

Number one accessory

Remember that your baby is your number one accessory. Don’t forget that no matter how shabby you think you look, your baby will add a touch of ‘cute’ to every outfit (aah…).

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• What is Pancake Day?
• How to celebrate Shrove tuesday
• Shrove Tuesday around the world
• Pancake recipe
• Watch a video of a pancake race

What is Pancake day?

Pancake day or Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent, which is a time of abstinence and giving things up. Therefore, Shrove Tuesday is the last day that people can indulge in some of the foods they enjoy.

How to celebrate Shrove Tuesday

The most common and well-known way to mark Shrove Tuesday is to eat lots of pancakes! This is because the ingredients of pancakes (fat, sugar, eggs and flour) are traditionally forbidden during Lent, so people eat them while they can to save them from going to waste.

Another common activity is to take part in pancake racing, a tradition which originated in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1445. A pancake race is much like a normal race around a pre-determined course, except that each participant must hold a frying pan with a cooked pancake in it, flipping it as they go!

Pancake races are common all over the UK and other countries, many are done for charity in fancy dress.

It is said that the tradition of pancake racing started when a woman, who was so focused on her cooking that she lost track of time, suddenly heard the church bells ring for confession. Fearing she would be late, the woman ran to the church, complete with her apron and frying pan. In the frying pan was a pancake, and thus, the tradition was born!

Shrove Tuesday around the world

• In Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian speaking countries, Shrove Tuesday is known as ‘Carne Levar’, which means, ‘to remove meat’. These countries often mark the occasion with parades, especially Rio de Janeiro.
• In Greece, it is known as ‘Apocreas’, which means ‘from the meat’.
• In Iceland, the day is known as ‘Bursting Day’, and is celebrated with eating salted meat.
• In Poland, the celebration falls on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and is known as Fat Thursday.

Pancake recipe

Would you like to make some pancakes with your little one? Then follow our easy steps:

Ingredients:

• 140 grams of plain flour, sifted
• 2 eggs
• 200 millilitres of milk
• 100 millilitres of water
• 25 grams of butter
• Pinch of salt
• Caster sugar and lemon halves for garnish, juice and wedges (optional)

How to prepare:

1. Sift the flour with the salt into a medium-sized bowl and make a well in the middle.
2. Mix the milk and 100ml of water together, and break the eggs into the well.
3. Whisk the eggs and flour, slowly adding the milk and water in as you do so.
4. When the batter is smooth and free of lumps, leave it to rest for half an hour, then whisk the melted butter into the mix.
5. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, greasing it lightly with the butter.
6. Coat the pan with 2 tablespoons of the batter, spreading it evenly. Cook this for 40-50 seconds, or until it’s golden, then flip onto the other side for 3o seconds.
7. Slide the pancake out of the pan, and repeat step 6 until you’ve used up all of your batter. You can serve the pancakes immediately, or garnish them with caster sugar and lemon juice. Feel free to add any filling you like, such as jam or Nutella!

Watch a video of a pancake race

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photography: Charles Knowles @Flickr

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• Dress: Isabella Oliver Ruched Tank Dress in Pink Rose £95
• Shoes: Dune Low mary jane point court shoes £85
• Bag: Jasper Conran at Tripp Black Hydrangea Laptop business bag: £74.99

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Every clinic offering IVF must obtain a licence from the regulator. In the case of private patients, the licence fee of £75 per treatment is paid by the patient whereas the NHS pays the fee for the patient. If the fee for NHS treatment was waived, more couples could receive the treatment.

Recent budget cuts and strains on the NHS has seen IVF treatment limited to one or two cycles per eligible patient despite guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in 2004 stating all NHS primary care trusts must offer three free cycles.

Medical professionals and fertility experts are angered by the surplus acquired by the HFEA and say it should be reinvested into treatment to benefit infertility patients. The surplus is enough to offer 1000 free cycles of IVF to NHS patients.

Currently, hundreds of couples are denied IVF on the NHS as it simply cannot afford the costs of the treatment and license. Women must be between 23 and 40 and meet certain criteria to be considered eligible for the free cycles.

Surplus is ‘prudent’ budgeting

The HFEA say the surplus is a result of ‘prudent’ budgeting. They expected the number of couples coming forward for IVF would fall because of recession but surprisingly, the number has continues to climb.

A spokesperson for the regulator said that they agreed with the Department of Health that the surplus would not be returned to clinics as there was no way to ensure the money would be forwarded back to those who paid it.

Instead, the HFEA said it planned to use the surplus funding to “create benefit for patients”, a proposal rejected by the Government.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said, “Through the annual business planning process we are having ongoing discussions with the HFEA to ensure that its future spending and revenue deliver the most efficient and effective service for patients and those who are regulated.”

Photography: Emiliano Harcada @Flickr
Source: HFEA

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by Colleen Reid, Mindful Mum, 16th February 2012

As a mother of five, Geraldine enjoyed tummy time with all of her children and was amazed to find that parents have been put off introducing tummy time to their babies following a cot death campaign in the 1990’s. The popular campaign, ‘Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play’ was brought out to promote the importance of sleeping on the back to prevent cot death. The ‘tummy to play’ part of the campaign seemed outweighed by the cot death warnings and parents stopped placing their little ones on their front when playing.

Inventor and entrepreneur Geraldine remembers the campaign well. She says, “The problem with tummy time is that parents don’t like to see their babies face down on the floor. This ‘face down’ thing has created a huge psychological problem for parents after the cot death campaign. It is a great campaign and has saved a lot of lives but unfortunately for parents, it’s caused this anxiety.”

Simple mats with pillows at the end have been on the market for over 10 years following the campaign but essentially, babies are still lying face down on the floor. After conducting research, Geraldine found that 48% of children go to school with delayed motor responses and development skills which is directly related to not practising tummy time.

Baby tummy time is not only important for physical, emotional, social, sensory and motor development, but is important in helping prevent flat head syndrome (plagiocephaly). Flat head syndrome is a cosmetic condition which can be prevented with the regular practice of tummy time.

Geraldine saw there was a problem developing and knew she had a very simple solution, Tummy With Mummy. After 10 prototypes, market research and rigorous testing, Geraldine brought her product to the market.

Baby tummy time solution

Tummy With Mummy is the world’s only foldaway, off the floor tummy time solution. It’s multifunctional including a recliner, seat, platform and clever flat pack design to encourage tummy time. Geraldine knew that one of the main things deterring mums and dads from engaging in tummy time is lying their baby face down on the carpet. Tummy With Mummy lifts the baby up off the floor and supports their diaphragm, which is also good for reflux. The elevated positioning of baby means parent and child can have essential eye contact and bonding opportunities.

Before launching Tummy With Mummy, Geraldine was a journalist specialising in business, education and health topics. It was whilst she was writing reports on child health and development that she began to really understand the impact not practicing tummy time was having on children. She says, “I discovered that the NHS in Scotland gives every parent a leaflet on the importance of tummy time. I carried out a survey of my own and found that 90% of parents of whom I was talking to had never seen the leaflet, and if they had seen the leaflet, they’d just tossed it away without looking at it properly. That same percentage didn’t practice tummy time at all. I realised that it was a big awareness programme that was needed here.”

After spending her career interviewing various inventors and entrepreneurs, the career change from journalism to business was a fairly natural transition. Geraldine remembers, “My family all thought Tummy With Mummy was a terrific idea. I think at first because I’d never been in business before they thought, well why do you want to go and invent a product and take it to the market. I’d actually done a postgraduate in marketing so I’d got a taste for business in theory and took a lot of inspiration from interviewing entrepreneurs. My family knew that. From a mother’s perspective, it was always something I practised and I knew the value of tummy time. I knew there was a very obvious issue and that I had, what I considered, to be the perfect solution.”

A rollercoaster of a journey

The journey from initial idea to the finalised product has been trying and hard work but well worth the effort according to Geraldine. She says, “In terms of the actual journey, it’s been fantastically exciting. Every day is a rollercoaster, the day starts one way and ends a completely different way. Put that onto a mass scale and I would say that I’ve been hurtling up and down that rollercoaster for the past few years not seeing where the end is, but seeing it in the distance. I would say that it’s terrifying but it’s also exhilarating.”

As inventor and founder of Tummy With Mummy, the greatest business achievement Geraldine has had to date is seeing that the product actually does work. Through her testing stages, she’s seen babies as young as three weeks old lifting their upper bodies and heads up to communicate with their parents. Seeing babies on the Tummy With Mummy product and watching them immediately respond and enjoy tummy time is the most rewarding part of being a business owner says Geraldine.

For other parents thinking of launching a business, Geraldine believes there are no boundaries when it comes to launching a business. She explains, “The first thing I would say is, do it, but do it with good planning. You can do it at 17 or you could do it at 70, there really are no barriers when it comes to starting a business. It’s a really positive thing to do to set up a business, it’s hard but it’s good to have a challenge in life. People always said to me, ‘If it was easy, everyone would do it’ and that’s a really sensible statement because it’s not easy, it’s very hard. Remember, you can always bounce back from mistakes, there’s nothing that’s ever so difficult that you can’t bounce back from it.”

Enter the competition
Win a Tummy With Mummy in a choice of six colours.


For more information about Tummy With Mummy visit their website.
Photo: © D.C. Thomson&Co Ltd

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Ingredients:
For the biscuits:

• 117g unsalted butter, very soft
• 27g icing sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 17g custard powder

For the filling:

• 100g icing sugar
• 50g butter
• 15g custard powder
• 15g banana Nesquick powder

Method:

1. The butter has has has to be very soft. I leave mine out overnight. If you don’t, you can’t pipe these little beauties.
2. Preheat the oven to Gas 4. Use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter until it turns lighter in colour, then add the icing sugar and beat again.
3. Then add the flour and custard powder and carefully combine with the mixer. Might be worth mixing with a wooden spoon first to make sure you don’t splay flour and custard powder everywhere.
4. Next take a large star tip and a piping bag and pop the biscuit gloop into it. Then pipe stars straight onto a baking tray (The high butter content means you don’t need to line unless you enjoy lining trays that is) about 1 inch across and about 1.5 inches apart. You need to pipe 24 to make 12 biscuits but just pipe as many as you can. If you don’t have a piping bag then just use teaspoons to pop blobs of the mixture onto the tray. They won’t look as pretty but frankly this is about recreating banana milkshake/custard flavours, not a beauty contest.
5. Put into the oven on the middle/top shelf and watch like a hawk. These turn from uncooked to dark brown in the blink of an eye. Usually 10 mins from start to finish to cook but watch towards the end. Once cooked remove from the oven and place tray on a rack. Don’t poke, lift or prod the biscuits until they are completely cool. They are fragile little things.
6. Make the filling – just cream all the ingredients together. Once the biscuits are dry, pair them into equal sizes and then either pipe the filling onto one half of each biscuit or spoon on. Then gently press the biscuits together and leave to set. (Oh and if you fancy a strawberry milkshake flavour then strawberry Nesquick does a wonderful job…)

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