Pregnancy & Birth advice

A hospital bag should include all the essentials you're going to need for labour and delivery, and your postpartum recovery. Here, a midwife shares her must-haves. 

There are heaps of baby checklists available online (heck, even we have one!) and it's easy to get overwhelmed. This article breaks down what is really essential, and what is just nice-to-have. Hint: the list of essentials is shorter than you might think!

The baby's on the way and you're ready to celebrate - but what's involved with a baby shower? We did a deep dive into everything you need to know about baby showers, from traditions to games, food to gifts.

From relaxed to minimalist to everything in between - there are heaps of ways to prepare for the arrival of your little one. Did your shopping style make the list?

4Baby ESSENTIALS | Been invited to a baby shower? Still deciding on the right gift? We’re here to help with some suggestions of practical and thoughtful 4Baby products that will help any parent-to-be through their journey!

What makes pregnant women sweat more?

During pregnancy, blood flow can increase by up to 50%. This causes blood vessels to dilate, which brings blood closer to the surface of the skin, causing you to feel hot. You’re also exerting extra energy as your baby bump grows!

As your baby grows, their movements will become more powerful as their muscles become stronger. You may experience more discomfort later in your pregnancy. As your baby wriggles around, you may experience pain in your ribs, stomach or vagina.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The carpal tunnel is a small passage that runs through the wrist connecting nerves and tendons between the arm and hands & fingers. Pregnancy hormones can cause an increase in fluid and a relaxing or softening of the ligaments. For these reasons, nerves in the wrist can become compressed, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

What causes changes to the belly button during pregnancy?

About halfway through pregnancy, the top of your uterus is sitting around the middle of your bump. This added pressure can push out against the belly button. Your belly button may become shallower or flatten out as your skin gets tighter.

During pregnancy, a woman may experience an unusual amount of hayfever-like symptoms; itchy, congested or runny nose, sneezing, and watery eyes. This may be ‘Pregnancy Rhinitis’, which is not hayfever, nor is it a contagious bacterial or viral infection.

‘Trimesters’ are the three distinct stages of pregnancy – early, middle and late. These are commonly referred to as ‘first trimester’, ‘second trimester’ and ‘third trimester’. Each trimester lasts for approximately 3 months.

Some women experience an increased amount of itchiness during pregnancy. Itching can be caused by a few things which are usually manageable. In cases of extreme and relentless itchiness, you should consult your doctor about the possibility of ‘obstetric cholestasis’ or ‘intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy’ – though this is a rare condition.