Prenatal Care
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Prenatal care is essential to maintaining your health and the health of your growing baby. Maintaining and continuing prenatal care can help catch any health concerns before they become major problems. Babies who do not receive adequate prenatal care are far more likely to be born with a low birth weight, and can suffer from a myriad of other health-related issues. Your baby's health should be a concern long before he or she is actually born. The months of growth and development for your baby are extremely important to his or her health and wellbeing after delivery and for the rest of his or her life.
Appropriate prenatal care will be time-consuming. You may feel that it is a little overwhelming at times to have constant appointments lined up, but it really is the best way to provide adequate healthcare for you and your child. When you first meet with your doctor, he or she will give you a suggested appointment schedule. Keep in mind that if you have a high-risk pregnancy, you'll need to see your doctor more frequently than the following prescribed appointment schedule:
- Weeks 1-28: once a month on average
- Weeks 28-36: Every other week or twice a month
- Weeks 36-Delivery: Every week
During the first prenatal visit, here are some things you can expect:
- Your doctor will calculate your due date
- Your blood and urine will be taken for lab work
- A complete family health history is required
- You'll have a pelvic exam, pap test, and a physical exam (this includes measuring and recording height, weight, and blood pressure)
Throughout your prenatal medical care, your doctor will monitor any health conditions you may have as well as test the baby for any possible complications or health concerns. But along with these tests, prenatal care is a great medium for the doctor to teach you more about pregnancy--if you happen to have any questions. Also, your doctor can help you find appropriate support groups, financial assistance, and additional pregnancy and childbirth education classes in your area.
Another aspect of getting the appropriate prenatal care is your nutrition and exercise habits. Eating nutritiously will provide your child with the strength he or she needs to grow and develop properly. If you have any questions about having a healthy and well-balanced diet, talk to your doctor. He or she can give you pointers, as well as the general amounts and types of food that you should eat each day to ensure the health of your growing baby--and for your own strength and health.
It is also imperative to take vitamins and supplements when you are expecting. Prenatal vitamins or multivitamin supplements are the most common paths. Whichever you and your doctor decide is right for you, make sure you have an extra 400mg of folic acid each day. It is recommended that if you are planning to get pregnant, you should even be taking folic acid before you are pregnant. This can decrease the chance of birth defects.
While aggressive exercise is not generally recommended for expectant mothers, it is still important to get some form of exercise throughout the day. Walking is usually highly recommended by doctors. If you want to mix it up a bit, there are specially designed workout routines to use during pregnancy (Pilates, yoga, water aerobics--among many others). If you had an active fitness level pre-pregnancy, most women can continue exercising much the same--as long as your health level doesn't diminish.
Throughout your pregnant, make sure to consult your doctor before you take any medications. Even some simple, common pain relievers shouldn't be taken by expectant mothers. Some may cause harm to you and your baby. Overall, the health of your baby and your health are the most important things. Take care of yourself. And by doing that, you can take care of your baby as well.
