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The Truth About Your Diet During Pregnancy

One of the assumptions I made about pregnancy prior to becoming pregnant is I’d have a diet-related Get out of Jail Free card.  I knew that there are certain foods it’s best to avoid, but I thought at least I’d have a free pass to eat, well, not quite as much as I wanted, but to feel a bit more guilt-free about evening ice cream binges. That turned out not to be the case at all.  First off, the whole “eating for two” thing isn’t true.  At most, you should eat for one and a quarter.  In addition to that, … Continue reading →

Preparing Your Health History

One of the major components of your first prenatal check up is the health history interview. It should feel somewhat familiar, since many doctors do this on your first visit, but the prenatal version is a little more detailed. To prepare, it may help to look over some of these questions beforehand in case you need to make a few phone calls to your mom or relatives. What is your history with pregnancy? Have you been pregnant before? Have you ever had a miscarriage? Have you ever had an abortion? If you have had a baby before, how did you … Continue reading →

What To Expect…. in a Movie?

If you’re reading the pregnancy blog here on Families, I’ll bet you that you’ve also read the well known book, “What To Expect When You’re Expecting.” It’s a staple on every pregnant woman’s reading list. After all, the book sums up just about every symptom and milestone of pregnancy, and it comes with its own online community. I used to keep it at my bedside during my pregnancy so I could stay up late reading about what was supposed to happen to me next. I was always surprised by how accurate the book was! It just goes to show you … Continue reading →

Prenatal Care FAQ

Q: I’m pregnant! How long does it take to find a OB/GYN or midwife if I do not already have one? A: It depends on how much research you want to do. I would start with referrals from friends, and then I would call and talk to the nurses to ask their opinions. I found my OB/GYN through the recommendation from a nurse at his clinic (where there were multiples doctor’s practicing) who said he had great bedside manner. She was right! I researched and called around for a few hours over the course of two days before I found … Continue reading →

What To Expect At Your Prenatal Appointments

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A positive pregnancy test is the beginning of an exciting journey towards parenthood. Once you find out your are pregnant, you should immediately call your health care provider to schedule your first obstetric appointment, especially if your OB/GYN has a waiting list. If this is your first pregnancy, you may be wondering what will happen at your appointments. The following guidelines are based on a healthy pregnancy. Your doctor will adjust your care to meet your individual needs. How often will I visit my practitioner? How In the beginning, you’ll visit your practitioner about once per month. Your first appointment … Continue reading →

Fearing for Your Baby

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This blog is the result of a conversation I had with a close friend the other day. She is expecting a baby in December. She told me that she always worries about the health of her babies until they are born. I realized that I tend to do the same thing. In speaking with other mommies, I realized this is a very common issue among pregnant women. I’ve worried about my babies with each pregnancy. Would they be healthy? What if the baby was stillborn? What if he or she had a condition that was incompatible with life? If the … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Week in Review for Feb 10- Feb 16

Another week has passed so quickly. Pregnancy is a busy time. The Week In Review is a good way to catch up on your reading. Visit the Pregnancy Blog Archives for hundreds of articles on just about every topic related to this miraculous time of life. Saturday, Feb 10 Let’s Talk About Teenage Pregnancy – Breaking Through Stereotypes discusses the ageism that surrounds teenage pregnancy and young mothers. Let’s Talk About Teenage Pregnancy – Breaking the Big News talks about how to break the news to the father of the baby and your parents for pregnant teens. When you are … Continue reading →

What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Visit

If you are newly pregnant for the first time, you may be wondering about your first prenatal visit. Whether you are seeing an obstetrician or a midwife, your first visit will be longer and more involved than subsequent prenatal appointments. Regular prenatal care is important during pregnancy to assess your health and prevent or treat possible complications. You will be given a pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy. This is usually a urine test. Your urine will also be tested for protein, sugar and bacteria. This will be done at every prenatal visit. You will be asked the date of … Continue reading →

Becoming a Big Brother or Sister Part 2

Since Dylan became a big brother a month before we had expected that he would, we did not have all of the details in place for who he would spend time with during my labor and delivery. Well, that is not exactly true. We did have details in place, but we only had a plan “A” and not a plan “B”. As of a week before baby Blake’s arrival, everything was looking good and it seemed as though my dream of giving birth at home was about to become a reality. My husband and I talked about what Dylan would … Continue reading →

Blood Work

This may seem silly, but I absolutely abhor needles. The mere thought of blood being drawn from my veins leaves me cold. There are certainly much worse procedures to have done and I know that there are people that endure needles and much worse almost daily. God bless those people and thank God I am not one of those people. I remember going with my mother to her prenatal appointments as a child. There was the amazing part of hearing the baby’s heartbeat. Then there was the horrifying part of my mother having her blood work done … I couldn’t … Continue reading →