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Maternity >> Plan a Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery
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 If you're thinking about having a baby, don't wait for the results of a home pregnancy test before seeing a doctor. The best time to have that first prenatal visit is before you become pregnant, because a healthier you could mean a healthier baby.
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Early Pregnancy Signs
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Once you suspect you're pregnant, a simple test can confirm it. And the sooner you know for sure, the better, so you can start seeing your CentraState doctor for prenatal care. Some common signs are:
- Missed period. You might think this is the most obvious sign, and it is, but some women can actually still have a light period after they've conceived.
- Nausea or vomiting at any time of the day. So-called "morning sickness" can hit different women at different times, or may not occur at all. Feelings similar to premenstrual symptoms, but lasting longer.
- Unusual fatigue or sleepiness. Moodiness or irritability. An unusual metallic taste in your mouth.
- Loss of all or most of your usual inclinations for coffee, tea, wine and other alcoholic drinks.
- Heaviness or tenderness in your breasts and a mild tingling in your nipples.
- Increased need to urinate.
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Your First Doctor’s Visit
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The initial prenatal visit is usually the longest. During the first visit, a complete physical exam, along with a detailed family history and blood and lab work will be ordered or performed. The physician will calculate your baby’s due date and that date will serve as a reference point in future visits when your baby’s growth is assessed. All prenatal visits include a measurement of your weight, recording of your blood pressure and urine testing, and a discussion about how you feel and if you have any questions or concerns.
In an uncomplicated pregnancy, most women see their doctor once a month until the 32nd week. At that point, you will be seen every two weeks, and in the final month of pregnancy (37 weeks until delivery) your visits will be increased to weekly.
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Nutritional Needs
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What you eat before you become pregnant is almost as important as what you eat when you are pregnant. You should try to reach your ideal weight before conceiving. Being overweight or underweight can be a health risk to you and your baby during pregnancy.
Your baby depends on what you eat and drink for adequate nourishment. If a woman is nutritionally deprived, so is her baby. Although you need to make good food choices, you do not need to "eat for two." Most pregnant women require about 300 extra calories per day. These extra calories should be used to increase your protein and calcium intakes.
Foods rich in protein include lean meats, fish, beans and nuts. Milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products are great for ingesting the necessary extra calcium and protein.
A prenatal vitamin is recommended during pregnancy. Most daily vitamins don’t contain the recommended number of vitamins and minerals for pregnancy. Take a daily vitamin containing at least 400 mcg of folate for at least six weeks before conceiving.
If you have any questions about nutrition or would like to schedule an appointment with a nutritionist, contact our Nutrition Department at (732) 431-2000.
If you are a smoker, you should quit before you get pregnant. You should also stop drinking alcohol. Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption pose serious risks to a woman and her baby during the pregnancy, and have also been linked to low-birth weight and certain birth defects.
If you need help with quitting and/or cutting back on smoking and alcohol consumption, contact our Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center about classes, seminars, lectures and other options to assist you with your goal at (732) 308-0570.
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Exercise
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The amount of exercise that a pregnant woman can comfortably and safely carry out is usually related to what she has been accustomed to before pregnancy. During any form of exercise, it’s important for you to "listen to your body" and rest when you begin to feel tired, and stop exercising during any routine that causes pain or strain. Activities that involve sudden and excessive jolting motions, along with those that impose a danger of falling (horseback riding, skiing, roller-blading) are best avoided, especially as your pregnancy progresses.
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Body Changes
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Following is a list of body changes that can occur with pregnancy:
- Breast changes - Breast changes in preparation for milk production begin early in pregnancy. The brown circles around the nipples darken. Blood vessels become more noticeable. Breasts may increase in size and feel tender.
- Fatigue - Your body undergoes enormous metabolic changes to adjust to your growing baby, so it's not surprising that during the first 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, many women complain of extreme tiredness. This fatigue may lessen as your body adjusts.
- Nausea - May or may not be accompanied by vomiting. Both tiredness and an empty stomach are thought to contribute to nausea. Small, frequent snacks of bland food may help.
- Frequent urination - The growing uterus stretches the base of the bladder, resulting in a feeling of fullness.
- Bleeding gums - Happens often during pregnancy, even with just a mild irritation from brushing. This will disappear after pregnancy.
- Constipation - Can be due to the slowed action of the intestines and pressure on the rectum. Eating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables can help.
- Dizziness - Lightheadedness, especially when standing up too quickly, is related in part to the delay in the return of blood to the heart because of the pressure the uterus exerts on veins in the abdomen.
- Swelling - Commonly occurs in the feet and ankles towards the end of pregnancy.
- Mood swings - Many women report wide mood swings and unusual sensitivity.
- Quickening - Refers to the active movements of the baby that you'll feel, starting anywhere from 16-20 weeks. Often described as a fluttering sensation.
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Classes to Help You Prepare
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One of the best ways to prepare for the birth is to take a prenatal or parenting class. CentraState offers a full range of options to help you care for your child at every stage. Plan for a healthy pregnancy with proper diet and exercise. Prepare for delivery with Lamaze classes. Click Here for more information, or call (732) 308-0570. |
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The Miracle of Birth
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It's difficult for your doctor to determine exactly when you will deliver your baby. Every mother and every newborn is different. The onset of labor is usually indicated by the following:
- A bloody show - This is the bloodstained mucus discharge that appears when the cervix begins to stretch. Until labor, this plug in the cervix seals off the uterus. This can precede labor by a few weeks, so your doctor may not have you go to the hospital unless other signs of labor are present.
- Your water breaks - When the membranes surrounding the baby have been pressed to the point where they can no longer withstand the pressure, the membrane breaks. It may occur with a gush, or a slow trickle. Contact your doctor as soon as this happens.
- Contractions start - This feels like menstrual cramps over the lower portion of the abdomen and around the back. Contractions usually increase in intensity over 25 to 30 seconds and then ease. Once you feel several contractions in a row, you should start to time them. Labor contractions have a regular rhythm and last longer, while the interval between them is reduced. Many women experience Braxton-Hicks contractions, or false labor, starting around the 35th week of pregnancy. They are usually irregular and may be less intense.
What to Expect
Once labor is underway, it is divided into three stages:
- Stage 1 - Begins with the dilation (opening) of the cervix and mild contractions and ends when the cervix is fully dilated at 10 centimeters with stronger contractions. It is the longest stage of labor, lasting on the average, about 12 hours, and is typically longer in first pregnancies, and shorter with subsequent births.
- Stage 2 - Begins once the cervix is fully dilated. This is where you will feel a strong urge to push. This stage typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 hours. You will bear down with each contraction and push your baby out.
- Stage 3 - This is the final stage of labor - the delivery of the afterbirth, or placenta. It is the shortest stage, lasting about 15 minutes.
Pain Relief
Understanding the discomfort of labor is an important component in dealing with it. Women are encouraged to participate in prenatal childbirth classes, where much effort goes into explaining what to expect and how to deal with it.
There are a variety of pain-relieving drugs available under the supervision of your doctor. It is wise to discuss pain relief with your doctor before you deliver, keeping in mind that your actual labor experience may cause you to change your plan once labor is underway.
CentraState offers patients a range of anesthesia options during labor:
- Narcotics - These are the most widely-used medications during labor. They take effect in as little as two minutes. Narcotics take the edge off of the pain, and some women report that these medications help them to deal with the strongest contractions.
- Local anesthetics - These medications can be injected into the area around the vagina and perineum shortly before delivery.
- Regional anesthetics - When injected into the spinal or epidural region by an anesthesiologist, these medications can provide complete relief from pain, while allowing you to remain alert during delivery.
Alternative therapies
Some women find alternative therapies extremely helpful in dealing with the pain of childbirth. These include aromatherapy and whirlpool baths. These are both offered at CentraState. For more information, call (732) 308-0570.
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To learn more about our Maternity Center, call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727). For information on our childbirth classes Click Here or call (732) 308-0570. |
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Obstetrics and Gynecology |
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