Prenatal Care

Taking good care of yourself throughout your pregnancy has a great impact on the health of your baby. This chapter contains some guidelines to follow.

See Your Doctor Regularly

Regular visits to your doctor during your pregnancy are extremely important. Your weight, urine and blood pressure are checked at each visit. Be prepared at each prenatal visit-write down your questions ahead of time so you do not forget to ask anything. Ask your labor partner to attend your prenatal visits with you also since this is an excellent way for your partner to be involved throughout your pregnancy. Your doctor gives you advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle during your pregnancy.

Caring for yourself during pregnancy means practicing healthy habits such as eating nutritiously, exercising, and avoiding all alcoholic beverages, over the counter drugs, street drugs, and cigarette smoke. If you need prescription medication, inform the doctor or dentist that you are pregnant. See Prenatal Testing.

Eat Well

Eating healthy foods is important throughout your pregnancy. The food you eat nourishes your baby. Drink plenty of fluids, at least 8-10 cups of fluid daily. Fluids decrease constipation, limit swelling and help prevent bladder infections.

Good nutrition is linked with:

  • Healthier babies,
  • More energy and less fatigue,
  • Better weight gain pattern before delivery and weight loss after delivery,
  • Less premature labor,
  • Greater tissue elasticity that may help decrease the need for an episiotomy,
  • More rapid healing after birth.

Anatomy of MyPyramid

Eat a variety of foods according to the recommended amounts each day in each of the food groups of the pyramid.

Not only is a healthy diet important during pregnancy, it is important for you and your family for a lifetime.

Slow steady weight gain during pregnancy is best. Each woman gains weight differently. In general, the total weight gain for many women is 25-35 pounds. Usually, you can expect to gain about 10 pounds during the first 20 weeks and about 1 pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy. Your doctor will help you to determine what is best for you. Report any sudden weight gain of 3-5 pounds in one week to your doctor.

Care of Breasts

Avoid using soaps, creams or lotions on your nipples in the last month of your pregnancy. The best way to prepare for breastfeeding your baby is to take a prenatal breastfeeding class. If you have concerns about your breasts and breastfeeding call for a lactation consultation.

Rest

Be sure to get sufficient rest. Take time to lay down, nap if possible or just put your feet up and rest whenever possible. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep each night.

Avoid Alcohol

There is no safe use of alcohol during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can hurt your baby.

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, the alcohol in her blood stream passes into the bloodstream of her baby. The immature organs of an unborn baby take longer than the mature organs of the mother to break down alcohol in the baby's bloodstream. This means the blood alcohol level of a baby is higher and remains in the baby's bloodstream longer than it does in the mother's bloodstream. This may cause the baby to:

  • Be smaller than normal, and may never catch up with children of the same age,
  • Have cognitive disabilities,
  • Have heart defects or other internal organ problems,
  • Have physical deformities of the face and limbs,
  • Have central nervous system problems,
  • Have lifelong behavioral problems-nervousness, irritability, or restless and with a short attention span.

Any and all of these problems can make it difficult to care for the child and for the child to learn.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE)

Babies born to women who take several drinks a day may have all of the problems described and have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may be apparent when the baby is born, especially with facial deformities.

Children born with fewer and less noticeable conditions may have Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE). These effects may not be noticeable until the child is older, but can cause severe and lifelong problems. The most common fetal alcohol effects are cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities and retarded growth.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects can be prevented by not drinking alcohol.

If you are pregnant, do not drink alcohol. This is the best option for you and your baby. Even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy may affect the growth, behavior or intelligence of an unborn baby.

If you are pregnant and drink alcohol, your baby is at risk. Get help by talking with your doctor, nurse or minister. You can also call:

Avoid Smoke

Smoking exposes your baby to harmful chemicals and increases your risk of having a low birth weight baby. It is also advisable to limit your exposure to second hand smoke. For information on quitting smoking, call 262-928-7719 for a free Quit Kit.