Pregnancy glossary B - Basal Body Temperature to Breech

• Basal Body Temperature
• Birth centre
• Birth defect
• Bloody show
• Braxton-Hicks contractions
• Breastfeeding
• Breech

Basal Body Temperature

This refers to your base body temperature, used in charting your fertility, measured at the same time each day - before getting out of bed in the morning.

Birth centre

A homier alternative to a hospital room - equipped to care for women experiencing a low-risk pregnancy. Birth here is usually attended by midwives or doulas and many centres have doctors on call in case of emergency.

Birth defect

Any defect that is present at birth - caused by abnormal genes or non-genetic prenatal events.

Bloody show

As you get closer to labour, a thick plug of mucus in the cervix comes out. Loss of this plus is sometimes accompanied by some streaks of blood - this is normal and a sign your baby is on its way.

Braxton-Hicks contractions

An English doctor named John Braxton Hicks in 1872 first described these contractions - a quick, usually painless tightening of the uterus that may occur throughout your pregnancy.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the act of feeding your baby the milk your body has produced. At first, your baby gets colostrum - a small amount of clear liquid but still enough to sustain your baby until your milk comes in a few days later.

Breastfeeding can be difficult to master for some women, while others find it effortless. It is worth persevering with - breastmilk helps build your baby's immune system and provides a perfect amount of vitamins and nutrients.

Breech

In about 3-4 percent of pregnancies, the baby approaches full-term by presenting in breech position - meaning it is bottom down, rather than head down.

Find more:

• Birth Terms
• Labour Terms
• Pregnancy glossary index

This article was written by Claire Halliday for Kidspot New Zealand.