Pharmacists are a wealth of knowledge and can help throughout your perinatal journey including pregnancy planning, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum health. With a practice vision of “healthy Albertans through excellence in pharmacy practice,” Pharmacists are here to support you in many ways through your transition into motherhood.
Connie, a Registered Prescribing Pharmacist at Mint Health + Drugs in Grande Prairie, has outlined some amazing ways she and the Pharmacy can support you during the Perinatal period.
Family Planning
A large part of family planning is preparing your body for conception and pregnancy success. The Canadian Pediatric Society encourages women to start taking prenatal vitamins at least 2-3 weeks prior to conception. One main focus is on Folic Acid intake and choosing a prenatal vitamin with 0.4 - 1.0 mg of Folic Acid is recommended (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2022). Mint Pharmacy carries Prenatal Ease Preconception Multivitamin aimed toward those women who are in the family planning stages.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings on many changes in a woman’s body when growing a baby. Here are some ways Mint Health + Drugs can help you during pregnancy:
Prenatal Vitamins. Ensuring your body has the nutrients needed for a healthy mom and baby can start with a solid prenatal vitamin. Key ingredients needed include Folic Acid (0.4 - 1.0 mg), Iron (16-20 mg), Vitamin D (400 IU), and some Vitamin B12. * Using trimester specific prenatal vitamins can help ensure your body has exactly what it needs through each changing trimester. These are available at Mint Pharmacy as well!
Compression Stockings. Leg swelling, varicose veins, leg soreness and restless legs are all common occurrences throughout pregnancy. Talking to a Pharmacist about compression stockings is a great way to keep blood flowing to reduce those annoying situations. There are options OTC as well as prescription options available.
Morning Sickness (or all day Nausea). Health Canada reports nausea affecting 50-90% of pregnant women. There are OTC options including Preggie Pops and Ginger tablets but there are also prescription options that Mint Pharmacy can prescribe for you!
Pertussis Protection! Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. Whooping cough (pertussis) is particularly dangerous for infants under 2 months of age because they're too young to be vaccinated. When you get the Tdap vaccine in pregnancy, you produce antibodies that protect your newborn during the first months of life (Health Canada, 2023). Mint Pharmacy offers the pertussis vaccine, a publicly funded vaccine for pregnant women between 27 and 32 weeks.
Colostrum Collection Kits. Colostrum is the “early milk” that a pregnant body begins to produce around the twentieth week and up until the first three or four days after a baby is born. This milk can be hand-expressed and collected safely for most low-risk pregnancies beginning at 37 weeks (La Leche League Canada, 2023). At Mint Pharmacy we have Colostrum Collection Kits which include 9 different sizes of syringes to make your collection storage easier!
OTC Direction. There are many products that are not safe to use during pregnancy and a Pharmacist can help steer you in the right direction for issues including cough, colds, constipation, pain, yeast infections, and more. Check out the attached Pregnancy cheat sheet for common OTC meds you may use!
Labor + Delivery
Labor + Delivery can be an exciting and sometimes nervous time for a mom-to-be. One feature item Mint Pharmacy has is their famous “Mint Mommy Kit” which is a premade collection of the most used products following birth. These items include nipple balm, breast pads, disposable underwear, and more.
Postpartum
You have done the hard and amazing job of bringing a tiny human earthside. Congrats! Now is the time your body may need some extra love and support. Mint Pharmacy is here to support you during this time by offering the following options.
Nipple Pain Prescription. Also referred to as the “magic nipple cream,” Mint Pharmacy keeps this prescription strength nipple cream available at all times. Following an assessment this ointment can be prescribed and filled for you right away. The store also contains OTC nipple ointments including medi-honey and other brands of pain relief.
Thrush. Thrush, or yeast, is a fungal infection that can occur in breastfeeding moms and in infants. This is something a Pharmacist can help treat for mom and baby following an assessment.
Milk Supply. Low milk supply is something that may occur due to many reasons including poor latch, lip/tongue issues, hormonal imbalances, and more. It is also something the Pharmacist can assess for and prescribe appropriate medication doses to help boost your supply.
Mastitis. Mastitis is inflammation of the breast tissue and if left untreated can sometimes lead to bacterial infections in the breast (La Leche League Canada, 2023). Symptoms of mastitis include flu-like feelings like fever, chills, feeling unwell, achy and increased heart rate. The Pharmacist can assess and prescribe antibiotics to help you feel better.
Diaper Rash. Sometimes diaper rashes need a little extra help. Talking to a Pharmacist regarding your baby's diaper rash is the first step in helping treat the broken skin.
OTC Direction. There are many products that are not safe to use while breastfeeding and a Pharmacist can help steer you in the right direction for issues including cough, colds, constipation, pain, yeast infections, and more. Check out the attached Breastfeeding cheat sheet for common OTC meds you may use!
Your friendly Pharmacist can be your best friend throughout your Perinatal journey! Saving yourself from needing to go into a walk-in clinic (especially with toddlers in tow) can be a game changer. Knowing your options is a key to keeping you and your family happy and healthy.
A friendly note on some other prescribing options Mint Pharmacy is able to do include UTI antibiotics, pink eye drops, birth control, skin rashes, and more!
Come in to say hi!
Written by: Hailee Schollarrdt
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