So you are about to become parents? Well, congratulations! Watching the baby growing inside the belly is a thrill many soon-to-become parents simply cannot articulate in mere words. What many (first time) expectant mothers may not know, though, is that it is not just the body that undergoes changes but the entire personality.

Some women are racked by fatigue and a kind of mental bleariness during pregnancy. The fatigue may be owing to the dreaded morning sickness that afflicts most women in the first trimester. However, even prolonged rest periods may not make the mental confusion or spells of forgetfulness go away. Mums-to-be are strongly advised to maintain lists and put them up on the fridge door or kitchen wall where they are easily visible.

Then there are women who undergo, what is known as, ‘nesting’ phases. This means that they get into a cleanliness overdrive and overdo efforts in preparation for the new arrival. It is not uncommon to see women right up to their ninth month scurrying about with a broom and mop cleaning every nook and cranny. There is nothing wrong with this if it means having ample time left over for the care of the newborn after delivery; yet women are advised to take it easy as it over-exertion can prove harmful.

A lot of parents-to-be, nowadays, are seriously considering banking the cord blood of their newborns. What this means is that the umbilical cord and placenta, instead of being discarded, are now stored in a bank. Why so? That’s because these contain blood-forming stem cells that can be used for combating serious diseases like cancer and enhance one’s own immune system capability as well that of a sibling’s. In 1988 French scientists transplanted blood from a newborn’s umbilical cord to a sibling afflicted with a rare type of anemia. Stem cell research hasn’t looked back since.

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