Thursday, August 12, 2010

Thank me ... ?

My patients and their spouses are probably trying to be nice but God ... I feel so small when they thank me after giving birth.

I mean, here is a woman who goes through the whole pregnancy, sometimes understood, sometimes not (by her husband and colleagues) .... goes through the pain of labour ... summons up all her energy and brings out a beautiful baby..... and she thanks me for everything.

I feel that the mother deserves a whole lot more than the doctor!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Taking Vitamins during pregnancy DOES NOT make your unborn baby large

Vitamins and supplements are essential for the pregnant mother. The World Health Organization recommends routine iron supplementation in pregnant mothers. Vitamins belong to a DIFFERENT CLASS of food altogether. There are carbohydrates, fat, protein, fibre, water and there are vitamins. Vitamins do not have CALORIES!

So, the common notion that 'taking vitamins during pregnancy makes my baby large' is illogical and not supported by evidence.

You may get a large baby if its in your genes, you develop diabetes in pregnancy, develop excessive weight gain due to excessive carbohydrate intake or the baby itself is abnormal. Your baby also tends to be larger due to sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy, higher social class and increasing parity (i.e. 2nd babies are larger than 1st ones, 3rd babies larger than the 2nd and so on).