Q My doctor doesn’t recommend that I breastfeed because of a medication I take. Which formula should I use? There are so many kinds. Should my brand contain prebiotics?

A Start your baby on a milkbased formula. Specialty formulas can help with specific digestive issues in pre-term, gassy, lactose-intolerant, and reflux-prone babies. But the hospital will most likely start a healthy, full-term baby on a standard cow’s milk formula.

As for prebiotics, these compounds help establish healthy flora in the digestive tract. Formulas that contain them most closely mimic breast milk and will potentially decrease the risk of future gastrointestinal problems for your baby. So I think they’re a helpful addition.

Q: I’m in my second trimester and the doctor suspects I have placenta previa. Will I have to have a C-section?

Dr. Weiss: You might not have to have a surgical delivery—if it turns out you don’t have placenta previa, a condition that causes the placenta to overlap your cervix. As the cervix dilates to allow delivery of the baby, the placenta could tear and bleed, which is why surgical birth is necessary. But the relationship of the placenta to the cervix isn’t as clear in your second trimester as it is close to full term. Once your uterus enlarges, your ob/gyn should be able to tell if you really have placenta previa. If you do, a C-section will be the safest delivery.

Q: Since I became pregnant, I feel like my husband is more distant. He works more and isn’t as excited about the baby as I am. Is this normal?

A: Yes, this does happen. His focus on work might be how he’s processing his anxiety about supporting a family. And hormonal changes—designed to make you the ultimate bonder—could make you more sensitive to his distance.

It’s important to remember he’s not having the body and brain overhaul you are. Help him understand what you’re going through without blaming him. Assure him your neediness is natural and remind him that soon the tables will be turned: You’ll be so enamored with the baby that he’ll be the one feeling left out! Until then, involve him in the pregnancy by having him attend doctor’s appointments with you. And join a yoga or birth-prep class so you can build your mommy support group.

Q: My childbirth educator suggested I plan an “early labor project.” What does she mean and what can I do?

A: Early labor lasts a long time—and it’s supposed to last a long time, so you need to relax and just let it happen. A “project” can help you look inward, connect with your creativity, and focus your mind, all of which ground you before the real work of birthing begins.

I recommend cooking or baking to my clients, and I did this myself when I was pregnant. In fact, my husband says that the bread I made in early labor with my son Sebastian was the best I’ve ever baked! Why bread? It takes touch and time. Your hands determine if you need more flour, more water, more kneading. You have to work through the fatigue of your fingers and arms as you knead. You have to stretch and push the dough, even when you want to quit. And this is exactly the kind of intention that will support you in labor.

Q I love my nightly glass of wine. I haven’t had anything to drink during this pregnancy, but I’m due in three months, and I’ve heard that the baby is pretty well developed now and that an occasional glass of wine is fine. Is it OK?

A I don’t recommended that you drink wine during
pregnancy. When an expecting mother has alcohol, it’s transmitted to her unborn fetus and can cause damage at any time, even the third trimester. Alcohol can lead to birth defects such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which causes a range of disorders, including abnormal facial features, low IQ, learning and growth issues, and developmental delays. You’ve done a great job saying no. You’re almost there... keep it up!

Q: I’m curious about childbirth hypnosis, but I’ve never used hypnosis before. Would it still work for me, and can my husband be involved?

A: Childbirth hypnosis CDs and classes are growing in popularity, as many seek to complement traditional childbirth education, which teaches anatomy and physiology, with instruction that focuses on the mind. Several of my clients have used hypnosis late in the third trimester to help turn their babies from breech to head down with great success.

You don’t need prior experience for hypnosis to work, but because you’re new to it, I would suggest in-person sessions with a certified practitioner rather than recordings. Be aware that continued practice is essential, which means committing time each day to the protocols. Your partner should attend with you, to learn the hypnosis script you’ll use, and pick up ideas for other support tools, all of which will give him confidence in using this method in the delivery room.

As you have with other classes you’ve taken in pregnancy, go in to your sessions with a willingness to explore. Studies of childbirth hypnosis continue to suggest it as a wonderful tool for pain management, but it’s also a great addition to your overall experience in what can be an anxious time. We hope you’ll write and tell us how it went!

Q:I'm going back to work after six weeks. I plan to nurse and will be pumping at work. What am I getting myself into? I've never even seen a pump, and I don't even know how long it takes to pump. My workday is so busy now, I barely have time to pee. How's this going to work?

A: It's absolutely possible to nurse your baby and pump during the day at work. The keys are knowing that you'll have to be flexible and accepting that you may occasionally need to supplement with formula.

I also went back to work after six weeks. With my first baby, I was very set on only giving breast milk, but I felt so overwhelmed by this obligation that I ended up weaning after six months. By the time I had my third baby- while I was in residency, no less- I was a little more relaxed and felt comfortable giving formula every once in a while. I nursed her the longest... 11 months!

It takes 20 to 30 minutes to pump. This includes set-up and breakdown of your pump, storing the milk, etc. Depending on what you do for a living, it can be difficult to pump three times a day while you're at work. I recommend pumping just before you leave the house, once mid-morning, and another time mid-afternoon. Accommodate these breaks by adjusting your work schedule, but don't skip lunch because that will just decrease your milk production. A successful nursing mom needs plenty of nutrition and rest. In fact, you need to eat more while nursing than you did while pregnant!

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Our experts:

Jill Wodnick, M.A., (jillwodnick.com) is a certified doula, prenatal instructor, and owner of Montclair Maternity, a New Jersey childbirth-education center.

Stephen H. Weiss, M.D., is an assistant professor in the department of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Lisa Dana, M.D., is a pediatrician at Golden Gate Pediatrics in San Francisco and a clinical faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco.

The advice provided in these columns is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment for specific medical conditions.

Q: My mother lives many states from me, but wants to be involved in my pregnancy. How can I connect with her?

A: The lives of mothers and daughters tend to interweave, whether they live near one another or not. But you can purposefully connect with your mom who's miles away through intentions and actions, by performing the same activities in your separate cities during your pregnancy.

Try making your mom a CD of songs that inspire you. Tell her that your baby's hearing starts working at 16 weeks, so she needs to send you a CD back! Or, make sharing sounds therapeutic and fun: Use a specific relaxation CD four times a week as you each go to sleep in homes far from each other. You might find your dreams have similar motifs.

Other habits can bond you, like reading a chapter a week of a narrative book on birth (my suggestions: Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife, by Peggy Vincent) or finding gentle exercise classes to commit to- hers may be seniors' tai chi, while yours can be prenatal yoga. Take advantaage of the ritual of food preparation as a way to promote good health for your growing baby and for the grandma-to-be. Agree to bake and eat a sweet potato twice a week, get your daily greens through kale and cucumbers, or snack on cashews and herbal tea each afternoon to create a lovely synergy of connection.

Get your mom's ideas and map out a protocol of healthy habits that work for you both. It's a loving and memorable way to share space from a distance.

Q: I didn't pass the first glucose test, so I had to take the second blood test and I'm waiting for the results. It made me wonder if perhaps I could have done something in my pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes. Some people have told me stress contributes to your glucose resistance?

A: Stress has no known relationship to the risk of developing gestational diabetes. In fact, of all the risk factors for gestational diabetes, there's only two you might have been able to plan around: your age and weight when you got pregnant. But, since research shows that only half the women diagnosed with gestational diabetes even have a risk factor, eliminating those issues might not have made a difference.

How much weight you gain during pregnancy is also a risk factor, but weight loss in pregnancy isn't recommended. Also, how much you work out while pregnant hasn't been found to influence your body's sugar control. The other risk factors can't be avoided: a family history of diabetes, ethnicity (Hispanic, African, Native American, South or East Asian, or Pacific Islander), and having polycystic ovary syndrome.

I suggest you stop worrying about something you might have done, and focus on eating well for a normal pregnancy while you wait for the results. Have small, balanced meals without a lot of simple sugars, and eat more than three times a day. I recommend a light breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Avoid high-calorie drinks: A glass of juice and a glass of milk a day are OK, but skip sodas. Water should be your main beverage.

If you do develop gestational diabetes, have yearly glucose testing after the baby is born, because this diagnosis gives you more than a 50 percent chance of developing adult diabetes.