You just took a pregnancy test. The minutes slowly pass by that feel like an eternity. Is it going to be positive or negative? Am I pregnant? You see one line slowly show up… and then another. You are pregnant! A little baby is being fashioned and formed in your womb even as you look at the positive pregnancy test. So many thoughts, feelings, and emotions well up inside; excitement, fear, anticipation, joy, apprehension, wonder, anxiety. So many questions flood your mind all at once. What will my baby look like? What is my life going to look like in the coming months? What do I do now?
There are many unknowns in pregnancy, especially if this is your first time being pregnant. Every pregnancy is different and you may experience different thoughts, feelings, and emotions even if this is your second or third time being pregnant. That is all totally normal. So, what do you do now? Take a deep breath. Take a minute to soak it all in and smile!
Now it’s time to begin looking ahead and planning. A good first step is to schedule a prenatal appointment within the first 7-10 weeks of pregnancy to confirm the viability of the pregnancy, and to make sure the baby is in the uterus. There are a few options of who you can see for your prenatal appointments. OB/GYN’s are providers who are specially trained in prenatal care, pregnancy complications, and labor and delivery. They are typically seen in a doctors office, or sometimes even in the hospital. Another option is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). A CNM is a nurse who has gone through training and received their certification to perform prenatal care and assist with labor and delivery. Depending on their training, CNM’s may specialize in delivering in hospitals, birth suites or home births. If you are unsure who you would like to see, you can set up initial appointments with different OB/GYN or Midwives to see which specific provider is right for you.
Prenatal appointments are scheduled and designed to monitor your pregnancy, track your baby’s development, and help you prepare for the upcoming labor and delivery. For the first 28 weeks, or through your 1st and 2nd trimesters, your prenatal appointments are typically scheduled every 4 weeks. When you are in your 3rd trimester, appointments will be scheduled every 2 weeks, and when you hit 36 weeks, your provider usually wants to see you every week until the birth of your baby.
At your initial prenatal appointment, your provider will want to get a detailed record of your health history, any medications you are currently taking, and do a basic medical examination. They will usually want labs to be drawn to check for your blood type and iron levels. It can be common for women to experience low iron levels during pregnancy, and it is easily treated by taking an iron supplement daily. Vital signs and a urine sample are taken at every appointment to track overall health and monitor any signs of possible infection. The first ultrasound is usually performed around 8-10 weeks. The provider will check the baby’s heart rate, ensure the baby is in the uterus, and take measurements of the baby to determine the gestational age for a more accurate due date. Your provider may measure your belly from your pubic bone to the fundus (top) of the uterus to measure the growth of your belly and baby over the weeks and months of pregnancy. If you are experiencing nausea, headaches, or other discomforts with pregnancy, your provider can help you manage your symptoms to make you more comfortable.
At around 20 weeks, an anatomy ultrasound is often performed to provide a detailed examination of the baby. Measurements are taken of the heart, the baby’s blood flow, the umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid. It can be determined at this ultrasound if your baby is a girl or a boy! You will also be tested for gestational diabetes around this time in your pregnancy and given education and treatment if necessary. Around 35 weeks you will be tested for Group B Strep, an infection that is treated with antibiotics if you are positive. The provider at this point begins monitoring for any signs or symptoms of complications that may arise in later pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, fetal growth restriction, or preterm labor. They will also want to begin discussing a birth plan with you. It is important to be open and honest with your provider so they can better come alongside you during your pregnancy. If you ever wonder or sense that something may be wrong, don’t hesitate to call and ask them to check on you or your baby.
If you think you are pregnant and haven’t seen a provider yet, here at The Well PRC, we offer free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds to confirm pregnancy. During the ultrasound, we check the baby’s heart rate, confirm the baby is in the uterus, and take measurements of the baby to determine gestational age. We give you a bottle of prenatal vitamins which are so important to make sure the baby is getting all the proper nutrients they need to promote development. You can talk with an advocate about any resources you may need during and after your pregnancy. We offer classes in our Earn While You Learn (EWYL) program where you can learn about pregnancy, labor and delivery, parenting, etc., while earning points to spend toward supplies in our boutique. This program gives you the opportunity to have someone you trust walk you through your pregnancy and help answer any questions you may have. You will leave feeling heard, appreciated, cared for, and nurtured. Pregnancy is a time of change and unknowns, and we want to help you as you walk through this wonderful journey into parenthood. Please give us a call or contact us. We are here for you!
