Pregnancy is a beautiful journey, but it comes with so many ups and downs. From physical to mental challenges, women face a number of things. That is why, it is important for her and the people around her to take care of their needs.
First, understand what prenatal care is.
Prenatal care is preventive healthcare that is provided to a woman throughout her journey to become a mother. It is to ensure her health and well-being to make mother and baby healthy. It includes regular check-ups, screening, tests, vaccination, counseling, and monitoring.
Why It Is Important?
It is an important part of a healthy pregnancy, and through checkups and tests, doctors and parents get to know about the development, progression, and growth of the baby. Moreover, during visits, doctors can spot the problems, and it helps the mother to learn about labor and delivery. Even, parents can plan things for the baby.
But most importantly, through counseling and education, you can know what nutrition, medication, and physical activities are helpful for smooth delivery and a healthy child. Generally, pregnancy is divided into three segments called trimesters:
- Week 1 to 12- first trimester
- Week 13 to 26- second trimester
- Week 27 till delivery- third trimester
Every trimester has its own milestones and at that time mothers should make sure to take care of themselves properly for better results.
Monthly Guide For Prenatal Care
Month 1:
You will start to feel tenderness in your breast and have abdominal cramping. Some women even have little spotting which makes it tricky to analyze pregnancy. First, you don’t need to vary about the pregnancy, and this can be done via a pregnancy test kit. These are easily available over the counter.
Or you can make an appointment with your Obgyn. However, if you are going through infertility treatment, then it is always best to consult with your doctor first. If the tests show a positive result, then it is time to start folic acid, as these have proven their benefits to soon-to-be mothers.
Month 2:
By this month, your body started to adopt some changes, and in ultrasound, you can hear the heartbeat between 6 to 8 weeks. At times, doctors recommend blood tests and screening to know whether the baby started to begin their organs or not.
Some common symptoms include morning sickness, exhaustion, food cravings, etc. Although it varies from mother to mother. So, here are some prenatal care tips 101:
- Take small meals throughout the day. However, ginger tea is also helpful in dealing with nausea.
- Add protein to your diet and make sure to avoid spicy and greasy food.
- Add multivitamins, but the doctor recommended one only.
- Headaches are common during that time, so it is better to develop a habit of drinking plenty of water, avoid caffeine, and talk to your gynecologist.
Month 3:
Now the fetal started to develop limbs, organs, fingers, toes, and facial features some tests to check the condition:
- Non-invasive prenatal testing
- Ultrasound
- Genetic screening test
- Amniocentesis
When it comes to nutrition, folic acid, iron, calcium, protein, and healthy fiber should be added to your diet, as these help in the baby’s development. Moreover, you can indulge yourself in moderate exercises like yoga, walking, running, and gymming. Additionally, keep yourself hydrated and rest enough to keep your body and mind fresh.
Note: The first trimester or 3 months of pregnancy is the most crucial time for prenatal care. This is the time when the baby starts to develop organs and has a high risk of miscarriage. You can consider it as the foundation of fetal development. So make sure to follow doctors’ instructions, avoid toxic environments and toxins, and start to have a healthy habit.
Month 4:
Most of the women stated that the second trimester is the most comfortable month of their motherhood journey. Women started to feel more energized and didn’t feel nausea and vomiting. But that doesn’t mean, you should become lenient with your health.
Try to eat more, because some women complain about heartburn and constipation. But you can avoid it by drinking lots of water intake. Practice deep breathing, because your baby is adjusting itself inside your womb, and this will increase heartbeat. And lastly, upgrade your diet, and do the things that make you happy. Because a happy and healthy mother is equivalent to a healthy baby.
Month 5:
At this point of the month, you will start to feel wiggles and kicks, and at the end of week 20, the fetus becomes the size of a banana. It is time for an anatomical ultrasound which helps to evaluate the abnormalities and baby’s development. On the other side, blood and urine tests are also conducted to screen for anemia, and gestational diabetes and check for infection. Most importantly, the Tdap vaccine is recommended to the mother in the second trimester, and if you still even have it, then talk to your doctor about this.
Month 6:
Now the fetus is about 8 inches, and your baby started to grow eyebrows and eyelashes. As the baby grew, women started to face challenges to deal with stretch marks. Due to hormonal imbalance, and the growth of the baby, stretch marks appear in the breast, stomach, and thighs, which are common. Don’t worry, your doctor can recommend lotion or cream to reduce the chances of more marks. You can apply coconut oil after a shower around your belly area to reduce itchiness.
There is another way of pregnancy progress is by checking the size of the belly from the top of the uterus to the pubic bone. Apart from that, one thing that needs to be ensured is the sugar level. Around 6-9% of women develop diabetes during pregnancy. By checking and measuring this, doctors analyze the risk of birth defects and preterm birth.
You might be thinking about reducing physical activities, but it is necessary to indulge yourself in some moderate exercise to ensure your smooth pregnancy.
Month 7:
At 7 months, every kick will remind you how far have you come. But you will start to have back pain, fatigue, heartburn, shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, Braxton hicks contractions and you will have some mental health issues like anxiety. Now you have to focus more on your health because it will directly impact the baby also.
It is highly recommended to consult with a psychologist because your body is changing a lot, while 10% of women experience depression. So, it is time to open up about your feelings to family and experts. You need to add foods that are high in iron, vitamin C, calcium, and protein. Avoid sugary products, fatty food, caffeine, mercury, and fried food.
When it comes to tests, Syphilis, HIV, Rh factor, platelet, and anemia tests are conducted along with ultrasound to ensure that the baby and mother, both are healthy. However, to check whether the baby is getting enough oxygen, a biophysical profile ultrasound is also conducted.
As a parent-to-be, you should visit your doctor more often now for prenatal check-ups. Additionally, make sure to manage stress and blood pressure. Kindly avoid all the unhealthy food and stay away from the toxic environment.
Month 8:
Now you have some more weeks of sweet pain to go!
Remember, while practicing contraction, your belly will tighten and harden for some time and then it should be relaxed. But if you start to feel pain and discomfort, then don’t even think twice, and contact your prenatal care provider. There are check-ups also which are similar to previous months, and there are some like check-ups for swelling, Group B strep screening, etc., that are going to be conducted.
Most doctors recommend a weekly visit to ensure that everything will go smoother. Not only that, your test will also be conducted in 2 weeks for a closer look at the baby’s development. Make sure to sleep in a comfortable position, because having lower back pain, and pressure on the pelvis are some common symptoms that can make you discomfort. This is also the time to make birth plans, preterm labor, and delivery options, and for that, you should choose a hospital at your convenience.
This month is a sign to become more vigilant and prepared for healthy and smooth progress.
Month 9:
Once 37 weeks have passed, you can expect the delivery any time soon. Now the contraction becomes normal and noticeable. Once your 9th month starts, the first thing that you need to do is to talk to your doctor. Make sure you know about labor, pain, and delivery, because childbirth can be unpredictable.
Regular visits, fetal monitoring, and cervical and blood pressure monitoring are some of the things that you need to know. For better knowledge, you can attend childbirth education classes, pack your hospital bag, and choose a pediatrician like Cradle Children Hospital.
End Note
A lot of happen during those 38 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. We know, these changes are overwhelming, but don’t worry, experts like Cradle Children’s Hospital are there for you to help you out. This is not it, couples need to understand that, the journey should be smooth for a healthy baby, so rather than neglecting simple things, it is best to take care of the mother. Every week and every month will come with new challenges, so deal with empathy and enjoy your journey of parenthood.
If you have any queries, feel free to contact us!
