Questions for your first visit

How long has he been in practice?

What kind of training does he have, and from where?

What is his general philosophy concerning pregnancy and birth?

Which hospitals/birth centers is she affiliated with?

Why did she become a doctor, or midwife?

How many babies does he deliver per week/month/year?

Who are the other people in the practice? Will you have visits with them also? Who will deliver? How long have the others been in practice?

Do you have a choice of whom you see in the practice?

What's the rotation schedule?

How often will visits be during your pregnancy?

What happens during a typical visit?

What kinds of pain relief options will be provided to you in labor?

What is his definition of a high risk pregnancy?

How does she feel about partners being involved at prenatal exams and during labor, and birth?

How does he regard written birth plans?

What's her c-section rate?

Will he be in town when you are due?

What tests does she recommend, and when should they be scheduled?

Does he recommend ultrasound tests? When, and how often?

Does she recommend certain prenatal classes?

About you and your pregnancy

What is my due date?

Should I follow specific recommendations concerning weight gain, exercise and diet?

What foods and activities should I avoid?

What kinds of options do I have for prenatal vitamins?

Should I be concerned about anything that I was exposed to before I knew I was pregnant?

Morning SIckness Battles

B6. With the approval of your clinician, try to take ten to twenty-five milligrams of B6 three times a day.

Ginger. Drink ginger-infused tea, or eat ginger snaps. Ginger has been found to suppress vomiting. Contrary to popular belief most ginger ale sodas do not contain real ginger, so drinking them might not help.

Seltzer. Sip on seltzer or club soda.

Lemon. make lemon Zest from the peel of a whole lemon, keep it in a baggie, and niff it when nauseous feelings start to rise. lemon-flavored hard candies may also help.

Yogurt. Eat yogurt to encourage the friendly bacteria in your intestines.

Licorice. If you like licorice, try strings, twists or drops.

Bouillon. Sip on a cup of warm bouillon. Bouillon can be soothing and contains sodium, which may be useful in replenishing your stores after bouts of vomiting.

Water. Stay hydrated by sipping water throughout the day. Drink between meals and not with meals to prevent your stomach from becoming overfull.

Crackers. Try saltines or other crackers.

Acupressure. Wear acupressure bands, usually displayed in pharmacies next to the seasickness medication. The bands fit around your wrists and have a small knob on the underside that presses into the area beneath your thumb about one inch below the inside of your wrist. This specific spot is thought to curtail nausea.

Avoid Caffeine. Cut out coffee, tea, chocolate, and soda.

Eat First. Eat dry toast or crackers in the morning before you even sit up in bed.

Change Vitamins. If your prenatal vitamins make you sick, take them at night-or not at all. There's no need to tolerate a vitamin that's making you ill, and there's nothing magical about the prenatal label. Children's chew-ables with iron work too, as long as the vitamin contains a B-complex, folate, and iron. Be sure to let your healthcare provider know if you decide to stop or switch brands.

Go for Protein. Avoid processed sugars, and eat frequent small, high protein meals instead. The protein will help keep blood sugar levels steady.

Sleep. Nap frequently. Fatigue only makes stomach upset worse.

Close your nose. Stay away from offending odors. For example, some mothers gag at the smell of frying fish or bacon.



*Taken from Great Expectations by Sandy Jones & Marcie Jones