The Pregnant Pause: Deborah Knight

Amanda Jephtha writes.

Deborah Knight is the co-anchor of Sydney’s Ten News at Five and a regular host of Meet the Press.

Pregnant with her first child, Deborah and her husband Lindsay have spoken publicly about their IVF treatment. They hope their story will encourage others to continue the often arduous and anxious IVF ride.

I asked Deborah to complete The Pregnant Pause statements, giving us a little snippet into her unique journey to motherhood.

Being pregnant is…
...full of surprises, and ongoing nerves. I thought the anxiousness would ease the larger you grew, but the worry doesn't seem to lift. The joy of having this little life growing inside far outweighs any negatives though. It truly is a miracle.


The thought of birth…
... is very surreal. It's still some way off, and feels a bit abstract at the moment. But I can't wait to meet this little person.


I’m most looking forward to…
... meeting this little person. I've waited so long, and tried so hard to create him/her, that I can't wait to see what he/she's like.


I’m least looking forward to…
... changing nappies, and dealing with sticky fingers. Why are kids so sticky? And I think returning to work after spending time with the bub will be terrible.


My belly is…
... more rotund, but not too large yet. I feel like I've eaten too much all the time, but I can't wait to see a more prominent bump.

Is your nesting affecting your unborn babe?

Amanda Jephtha writes.

It can be difficult to know what to believe with so many study results published daily. Particularly with many concluding in dire consequences. So what should we believe?

I erred on the side of caution when it came to my unborn baby. I read everything and anything to do with pregnancy and babies (and still do).

An article published today piqued my interest. The study found that household chemicals, such as bleach and hair spray, may impact an unborn baby’s lung development. Children who were exposed to more chemicals before birth had higher rates of wheezing and worse lung function as eight-year-olds.

What can we do to help prevent this from happening to our babes?

Like the article says, perhaps we could take example from our grandmothers. Bicarb soda, lemon juice and vinegar make for effective household cleaning. Simply add a dash of elbow grease for pristine results.

If you don’t fancy concocting your own natural household cleaner, you can buy non-toxic cleaners ready-made. Joliv sells both a spray and a scrub for those harder to clean areas.

Paint the nursery in no- or low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint. Better still, have someone else paint the nursery. Ensure the room is well aired and make sure you don’t need to use the room for several days.

Ditch the hairspray. Let your luscious pregnancy locks sway naturally.

These measures benefit your unborn babe, those around you, the environment – and your back pocket. And any excuse to have someone else do the hard work suits me!

Secret Singlet Business

Amanda Jephtha writes.

I dreamed of little singlets, blindingly white, all lined up in a row with matching wooden pegs on the line. These tiny garments, embraced by the sun and smelling like the breeze, would keep my baby’s rounded body warm all day long.

Welcome to reality.

Babies move. And babies get picked up.

No matter how well I tucked that singlet into Lex’s bottoms, it would continue to ride up, exposing his torso to the winter elements. Adjusting this and that all day long soon became a frustrating exercise, for both the babe and I.

So how could I stop the singlet’s bothersome habit?

Singlet onesies.

Singlet onesies are singlets which do up between the legs with press studs. They range in size from 00000 to 2, and can either be gauzy and lightweight for summer or heavier cotton for the cooler months.

Regular singlets can still be used effectively underneath all-in-ones. Although they do ride up during the course of the day, no little back or belly will be exposed. If you, like me, prefer to have everything tucked into place – and have it stay there – you might do without the humble regular singlet.

So if you share my dream of tiny singlets swaying in the breeze, anticipating your babe's arrival, make sure they’re singlet onesies!