About Your Ob Visit

If you are reading this, you have probably already completed your first prenatal visit. There will be a number of return visits during your pregnancy. These visits are very essential for a healthy pregnancy and a safe delivery. The time you spend at these visits allows you to ask questions and to talk about any concerns you may have.

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A Routine OB Visit includes:

• weight

• urine check

• blood pressure

• baby growth check

• listening for the baby's heartbeat

• watching for pregnancy complications and responding to any concerns you may have

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Some visits will require additional workup such as:

• around 16-18 weeks a test is done on maternal blood to check for Down's
  syndrome and Neural Tube Defect (or spina bifida) and other anomalies

• around the middle of the pregnancy, an ultrasound is done for anatomy

• Between 24 weeks and 28 weeks, a test for gestational diabetes is done Between 35 weeks and 37 weeks of vaginal culture done for group B streptococcus bacteria.

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Generally, the time between visits will become more frequent. Initially, and until you are approximately 28 weeks, your visits will be every 3- 4 weeks. From 28-36 weeks, your visits are every 2 weeks, and from 36 weeks until delivery, every week.

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If you miss an appointment please try to make it up as soon as you can as certain tests have to be timed accurately during the pregnancy and should not be delayed.

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If you have any questions, the doctor, nurses, or office staff will be happy to assist you.

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Medications During Pregnancy
(Please do not use more than 2 days. If your symptoms do not subside in two days please call the office)

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Headaches, muscle aches, and pain

- Tylenol 1-2 tablets every 4 hours

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Nasal congestion

- Normal Saline spray

- Flonase

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Coughs

- Robitussin DM 1 ‘Tsp every 4hrs

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Sore Throat  (You can gargle with salt water. DO NOT SWALLOW because it can cause swelling)

- Sucrets throat lozenges

- Cepacol

- Vicks, Halls, and Ricolla

Allergy

- Zyrtec, Claritin, Muccinex, and
Benadryl

Constipation

- Drink plenty of fluids (8or more
Glasses a day)

- Increase fiber intake
- Fruits, veggies, exercise by walking.
- Colace (stool softener)

Diarrhea

- Pepto Bismol, and Immodium

Heartburn

Avoid fatty, spicy, sugary, and acidic foods.

- Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, and Rolaids, Prilosec, Nexium

Hemorrhoids

-Witch Hazel, Tucks, Preparation-H, Anusol

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PATIENTS SHOULD NEVER TAKE-  Aspirin, Goody’s, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Naproxen, Aleve, Sudafed.

*IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICATIONS, PLEASE CALL 512-444-1181

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COMMON COMPLAINTS DURING PREGNANCY

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1. Nausea             
- Eat dry crackers, toast, or cereal whenever nausea starts. Eat 5 or 6 small meals each day so your stomach does not get empty. Avoid eating greasy or spicy foods. Limit your liquid intake during meals but drink water freely between meals. Avoid strong food smells until nausea passes. Peppermint, ginger root tea, and ginger food products may help.

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2. Tender Breasts

- Wear a good support bra. If it is more comfortable, you may want to wear it during sleep.
Tylenol may help.

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3. Frequency of Urination

- Limit fluids before going to bed and before going where restroom facilities are limited. Be sure to drink plenty of water at other times. Always wipe from front to back. If you get chills, fever, a bad headache, or have pain and burning when you go to the bathroom, call the office.

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4. Fatigue 

- Try to get daily exercise by walking to help prevent fatigue by conditioning your body and improving circulation. Plan to relax by lying down on your (left) side at least once a day toward the end of the pregnancy. It 1s common to feel this way in early pregnancy and in the last two months.

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5. Constipation

- Increase roughage-fiber intake. Eat raw fruit, vegetables, prunes, and whole-grain or bran cereals. Drink at least 8 glasses of fluid a day. Exercise by walking is especially good. Never hold back the urge to have a bowel movement. Metamucil or Colace may be helpful.

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6. Hemorrhoids

- Avoid constipation and diarrhea. Take brief Rest periods during the day with legs elevated. Sit only on firm surfaces. Drink plenty of fluids and eat “roughage” fiber. Apply gauze soaked in witch hazel, tucks, or hemorrhoidal ointment. If severe, call the office.

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7. Lower Backache

- Rest frequently during the day. Maintain good posture. Don’t stand in one position or one- place too long- shift positions. Use footstool under your feet while sitting to keep knees higher than hips. Wear low-heeled shoes. Heat and Tylenol may help. Ask for information on stretches that may help.

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8. Vaginal Discharge

- If you have symptoms of itching, burning, odor, or non-white discharge, call the office. Light yellow/white discharge without any symptoms may be ok. Avoid vaginal sprays, powders, feminine hygiene products, and colored or scented toilet tissue. DO NOT DOUCHE.

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9. Heartburn 

- Avoid heavy, greasy, or spicy foods. Don’t lie down just after eating. Try eating smaller amounts of foods but eat more often (5-6 times a day). Maalox and Salt-Free Tums may help.

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10. Dizziness 

​- Move slowly in changing positions to avoid creating blood pressure change, especially if you have been lying down. Eat regular meals. Avoid long exposure to the sun.

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11. Sharp Pains

- Lie Down. Move slowly in changing positions. This may occur at night after having suddenly rolled over. Heat and Tylenol may help.

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12. Varicose Veins

- Avoid stockings or girdles with elastic bands, but support hose may be helpful if put on early in the day. Frequently, lie down for rest periods and elevate legs. Avoid standing for a long time. Elevate legs whenever you sit down.

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13. Shooting Pains Down Legs

- Change positions immediately. Sit if standing or stand up if sitting.

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14. Lower Leg Cramps 

- Take prenatal vitamins and get adequate calcium. Elevate legs frequently during the day. Use a heating pad or hot water bottle for relief. Point toes upward and press down on kneecap to help relieve the cramp.

15. Trouble Sleeping

- DO NOT eat immediately before sleep, but drinking milk helps sometimes. Try a warm bath before going to sleep. Use extra pillows to get comfortable. Ask someone to give you a back rub. Avoid drinks with caffeine.

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16. Feel faint when lying on back

- Lie on left side

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17. Swelling of feet and hands

- Lie on your left side 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day. Frequently, get exercise and increase fluid intake. Eat 3 servings of protein each day. Avoid salty foods such as potato chips, bacon, olives, etc. Frequently, elevate feet. Wear loose clothes and shoes.

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18. Bleeding gums

- Use a softer toothbrush and a gentle brushing technique. Increase you intake of orange juice and foods high in Vitamin C. Inform your dentist if it continues.

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EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY

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Regular exercise during pregnancy is a good idea. What is comfortable, and safe, depends on the level of fitness you have achieved before you became pregnant. This is NOT the time to take on a new sport or increase your activity level.

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Exercising three times a week, whether you’re pregnant or not, is far better than exercising in spurts. But there are some special changes your body experiences during pregnancy you need to be aware of which will affect any exercise you do. Because of changes in you hormones, your connective tissues are move relaxed, and your joints are more susceptible to injury. Your heart rate when you are at rest is higher than it was before you became pregnant and will raise more rapidly when you exercise.

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Here are some guidelines you should use to know to stop a particular exercise:

a. if you feel pain anywhere
b. if you have abdominal cramping
c. if you have vaginal bleeding
d. if you have leakage of fluid for the vagina
e. if you experience extreme shortness of breath and/or any dizziness
f. avoid exercising in either extreme heat or extreme cold

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Remember, as your joints, ligaments, and muscles change, so too does you sense of balance and stability, as well as you stamina. If you are in doubt about what kind of exercise or sport you can do, or if your participation causes any strain, fatigue, or problems, consult your doctor.

 

Finally, any form of exercise should be preceded by a warm-up period to help ready your muscles for the work ahead, and be followed by a cool-down period to help your heart rate return to normal and you body to cool off.

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WALKING:

15-30 minutes of brisk waling is the perfect exercise even if you weren’t a walker before you became pregnant. Start out at a slow but steady pace for at least five minutes. Walk up to 15-30 minutes at a brisk pace. Then slow down for 5-10 minutes.

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AEROBICS:

In general, low impact aerobic exercise is usually safe. It’s important to avoid any high-impact exercise and to avoid jerky movements. Wear shoes that give you good footing and reduce any jarring shock to the body.

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SWIMMING:

If you are use to swimming, by all means continue. Swimming is an excellent exercise because it uses so many muscle groups while the water is supporting your weight. Diving, however, should be avoided sue to increased chance of injury.

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BIKING:

Generally, biking is fine. Start up in moderation and avoid unusual fatigue. Remember to protect you head with a bike helmet and avoid busy, dangerous roads, both of which are important any time you’re biking but especially when you’re pregnant.

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