Pregnancy Q&A
How often should I expect to see my doctor during my pregnancy?
Your initial visit with a nurse practitioner or a doctor should be scheduled as soon as you know you are pregnant. This visit will include your medical history and family health history, a pelvic exam, prenatal blood work, prenatal education, a PAP test and calculating your due date.
Office visits will usually occur every four weeks for the majority of the pregnancy until the 8th month, when you will usually be seen every two weeks and in the last month, every week.
How much weight can I expect to gain?
Although it varies with the size of both the fetus and the mother, there are some guidelines women can use to predict how much weight they should gain. If your pre-pregnancy weight is considered underweight, you should gain approximately 28-40 pounds. If your weight is normal, you should gain 25-35 pounds, and if you are overweight, 15-25 pounds. We recommend a gain of 15 pounds or less if you are considered obese.
Are there any foods I should avoid during pregnancy?
Yes, most importantly, alcohol should be avoided in its entirety. The effects of caffeine are still somewhat unclear, so you should limit yourself to no more than 250mg per day. Many herbal supplements are not considered safe in pregnancy and should be avoided. You should also be wary of your salt intake since this can cause fluid retention. Finally, you should limit the amount of white fish such as tuna and swordfish, which have high mercury content. The safe amount is equivalent to one tuna fish sandwich a week or less. There are other foods that you should avoid, and your doctor can discuss them with you.
Is it safe to continue exercising during my pregnancy?
Yes, exercise is a regular part of many women's lives and does not need to change with pregnancy. Benefits of regular exercise include fewer complications during pregnancy and faster recovery from labor and delivery. Because of the physical changes during pregnancy, you may need to slightly modify your activities. Your joints become somewhat less stable and looser. Also, carrying more weight may shift your center of gravity and affecting your balance. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend decreasing intensity of your workouts to about 80% of what they were pre-pregnancy. Be careful to avoid dehydration and drink lots of fluids while working out.
If you have not been exercising regularly, pregnancy is not the time to start a rigorous workout program. However, in moderation, exercise during pregnancy can and should be a safe, healthy experience. A daily walk can be both physically and mentally invigorating.
How can I deal with morning sickness?
Morning sickness affects many but not all women and isn't necessarily confined to the morning hours. Try eating frequent small meals with simple foods. Avoid spicy and highly acidic foods. Try to keep a little in your stomach at all times. As a general rule, your stomach does not like to be empty or full; it wants to be about half full. If your nausea is severe, try eating dry saltine crackers just before going to bed at night and getting up in the morning. Ginger and lemon tend to be better tolerated smells and may help with nausea. If you go more than 24 hours unable to keep any fluids or solids down, you should contact your doctor.
I've heard of women developing diabetes during pregnancy. Is this common?
Diabetes occurs when there is a problem with the way the body makes or uses insulin. During pregnancy, the hormones produced by the placenta can change the way insulin works and makes your body resistant to it. As a result, gestational diabetes may occur in someone who previously has not had it and could make pre-existing diabetes worse and harder to control. Approximately 5% of women will develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, though that statistic seems to be increasing in recent years.
When not controlled, gestational diabetes can affect both the pregnancy and the baby. In general, the condition does go away after the baby is born, but gestational diabetes can increase a woman's risk for developing diabetes later in life.
