Healthy Babies
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If you don’t have any medical issues, start by keeping track of your menstrual cycle. At least three months before you begin trying to get pregnant, start taking a prenatal vitamin so your body has the reserves it needs before pregnancy.

If you are not already established with an OB/GYN and have a lot of questions regarding your health and pregnancy, schedule a preconception counseling visit with your chosen provider. This can be helpful to answer any questions or concerns and prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy

During pregnancy, you need more folic acid and iron than usual. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects. These defects are serious abnormalities of the fetal brain and spinal cord. Ideally, you'll begin taking extra folic acid at least 3 months before you become pregnant. Iron supports the development of the placenta and fetus. Iron helps your body make blood to supply oxygen to the fetus. Iron also helps prevent anemia, a condition in which blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells.

Prenatal vitamins are available over-the-counter in nearly any pharmacy. Beyond checking for folic acid and iron, look for a prenatal vitamin that contains calcium and vitamin D. They help promote the development of the baby's teeth and bones. DHA, omega-3 fatty acid, is one of the key building blocks for fetal development.  It is also beneficial to take a prenatal vitamin that contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, and iodine.

Pregnancy tests work by detecting a certain level of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your urine. You can take a pregnancy test as soon as you’ve missed your period. However, it’s best to wait at least one week after you’ve missed your period to get the most accurate results.

Call your OB/GYN’s office and schedule a prenatal visit. Your provider will want to see you for your first appointment between 8-10 weeks or about a month after your first missed period and a positive pregnancy test. If you are unsure of the first day of your last menstrual cycle, call and speak to a nurse regarding the next steps.

Despite its name, “morning” sickness can happen at any time of the day. Especially during those first few months of pregnancy (but sometimes beyond), you may feel nauseous, even to the point of vomiting.

Things our providers recommend to help you manage your nausea:

• Eat small frequent meals. Going too long without eating during pregnancy can cause nausea or make it worse. If you experience continuous nausea, eat every one to two hours.
• Avoid greasy, high-fat foods. They are more difficult to digest.
• Try eating foods that are easy for your stomach to tolerate, like those on the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast).
• Consume dry starch foods, such as crackers, toast or cereal, in the morning before you get out of bed. Also, it helps if you stay in bed for 20 minutes or so after eating and get up slowly from the bed for a sudden change of position can aggravate nausea.
• Hydration is very important, so drink water and other non-alcoholic, decaffeinated beverages.
• Ginger products: Ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger candies, gum, or capsules.
• Eat plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods such as cereal, fruit, bread, and rice. They are easy to digest and provide energy.
• Take prenatal vitamins with food and at supper or bedtime.
• Eat a high-protein snack before bed to stabilize blood sugar.
• Limit your consumption of coffee. It stimulates acid secretion, which can make the nausea worse.
• Consume liquids separately from meals, waiting about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Wear sea sickness wrist bands called Sea Bands. These can be found at most pharmacies.
• Start taking over the counter Vitamin B6, 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at bedtime. With the bedtime dose of Vitamin B6, take Unisom ½-1 tablet. Those combined in the evening can help.
• If you aren’t getting relief, talk with your doctor to see if you should try a prescription medicine.

Despite its name, “morning” sickness can happen at any time of the day. Especially during those first few months of pregnancy (but sometimes beyond), you may feel nauseous, even to the point of vomiting.

Things our providers recommend to help you manage your nausea:

• Eat small frequent meals. Going too long without eating during pregnancy can cause nausea or make it worse. If you experience continuous nausea, eat every one to two hours.
• Avoid greasy, high-fat foods. They are more difficult to digest.
• Try eating foods that are easy for your stomach to tolerate, like those on the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast).
• Consume dry starch foods, such as crackers, toast or cereal, in the morning before you get out of bed. Also, it helps if you stay in bed for 20 minutes or so after eating and get up slowly from the bed for a sudden change of position can aggravate nausea.
• Hydration is very important, so drink water and other non-alcoholic, decaffeinated beverages.
• Ginger products: Ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger candies, gum, or capsules.
• Eat plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods such as cereal, fruit, bread, and rice. They are easy to digest and provide energy.
• Take prenatal vitamins with food and at supper or bedtime.
• Eat a high-protein snack before bed to stabilize blood sugar.
• Limit your consumption of coffee. It stimulates acid secretion, which can make the nausea worse.
• Consume liquids separately from meals, waiting about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Wear sea sickness wrist bands called Sea Bands. These can be found at most pharmacies.
• Start taking over the counter Vitamin B6, 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at bedtime. With the bedtime dose of Vitamin B6, take Unisom ½-1 tablet. Those combined in the evening can help.
• If you aren’t getting relief, talk with your doctor to see if you should try a prescription medicine.

The answer is a definite yes! If you’re already active, we encourage you to continue exercising. We recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week, for 150 minutes total each week. Walking, swimming, and yoga are some of the safest exercises you can do during pregnancy. Regular exercise keeps circulation and heart function strong. Proper exercise improves flexibility and will keep your muscles strong and resilient, which will help when it is time for you to deliver the baby. Staying fit and strong will make the birthing process go much smoother, and in some cases, much faster.

If you haven’t been active, talk about your plan with your OB/GYN. Start out slow, with 10 to 15 minutes of exercise, and add 5 minutes a week. Walking may be the easiest thing to do. When you work up to 30 minutes, walking can do wonders for your health.

During pregnancy, it may be more difficult to perform certain types of exercise. Lifting weights or using weight machines may be limited as you move into the third trimester. Exercises may have to be modified to account for the shift in your center of gravity and ensure that you can continue to exercise without injuring yourself or the baby.

A lot of women read online that they should sleep on their left side throughout their entire pregnancy, but that’s difficult and not necessary. You can sleep on either side, right or left. You just want to avoid sleeping on your back later in pregnancy. As your belly grows, sleeping on your back puts more pressure on the blood vessels that supply blood to your uterus. If you find yourself sleeping on your back in your second or third trimester, don’t panic. Just turn to one side or the other.

Try sleeping on one side with your knees bent, it'll help reduce the amount of pressure on your uterus and help you breathe better. Plus, this position can help relieve backache. You can use pillows under your belly, between your legs, and behind your back, if you like.

It is common for couples to wonder whether sex and pregnancy are safe together. Unless your health care provider advises you otherwise, sex during pregnancy is safe for both you and your baby. The baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in the womb, by your abdomen, and by the mucus plug which seals your cervix and helps guard against infections.

Your body goes through significant changes when you become pregnant. The amount of blood in your body increases by about 20-30 percent, which increases the supply of iron and vitamins that the body needs. Many women lack the sufficient amount of iron needed for the second and third trimesters. When your body needs more iron than it has available, you can become anemic. Mild anemia is normal during pregnancy due to this increase in blood volume. This is usually treated with an iron supplement and increased iron-rich foods in your diet.

To prevent anemia during pregnancy, make sure you get enough iron. Eat well-balanced meals and add more foods that are high in iron to your diet.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition in which a hormone made by the placenta prevents the body from using insulin effectively. This is caused by the pregnancy. Glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells. Unlike type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes is not caused by a lack of insulin, but by other hormones produced during pregnancy that can make insulin less effective, a condition referred to as insulin resistance. Gestational diabetic symptoms disappear following delivery.

Expectant moms in the Fox Valley can access excellent birthing classes at Ascension NE Wisconsin St. Elizabeth Campus Birthing Center and ThedaCare.

Both healthcare providers prioritize the well-being and education of expectant mothers, offering valuable support and expertise throughout this transformative experience.