Baby. Top 15 Ways to Have a Healthy Pregnancy. A Prenatal Health & Wellness Guide. Volume 4

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Vivian Dawson
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1 Baby Volume 4 A Prenatal Health & Wellness Guide Top 15 Ways to Have a Healthy Pregnancy

2 As your body changes, you might need to make changes to your daily life, such as going to bed early or eating more often. Congratulations You re Pregnant! During the first part of pregnancy (week 1 to week 12), your body goes through many changes. Hormones affect almost every organ in your body, and can cause you to experience discomfort even at this early stage. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other signs may include: Being very tired Tender or swollen breasts Upset stomach Throwing up (morning sickness) Cravings Dislike of foods Mood swings More or fewer trips to the bathroom Headache Weight gain or loss As you experience these changes, you might need to make adjustments in your daily life, such as going to bed earlier or eating more often. Most of these symptoms will go away as your pregnancy goes on. Or you might not have any problems at all. Each woman is different, as is each pregnancy. Just try to keep in mind that this time will pass and you will feel better soon. Source: Gifts for You and Your Baby! The Baby Steps Reward Program is an online program that rewards you for staying healthy and for seeing your. The program will give you the tools and the encouragement you need to take care of yourself and have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Watch your mail for a special invitation to join the program. To log in, you will need a special password. If you do not get an invitation and you would like to join the program, please call When you log on, be sure to check out videos, play games, talk to a nurse, and join the discussion board to talk to women who are expecting. Each activity you do will earn you points. You will also see a Milestone Tracker. This is where you log your visits and tests, each of which can earn you a $1 gift code that can be redeemed on Amazon Babies! You can earn up to $100 in gift points, which are ed to you each month. Volume 4 Hello Baby 3

3 Smoking and Pregnancy Most people are aware that smoking causes cancer and other health problems. Smoking through pregnancy can cause health problems for the baby too. Women who smoke while pregnant should try to quit. 1See your regularly TOP Eat this. Don t eat that. Do this. Don t do that. Confused yet? Here is a list to help keep it all straight and have a healthy pregnancy. 2Take your prenatal vitamins everyday make sure they have folic acid and iron Ways to Have a Healthy Pregnancy 3Eat healthy foods like fruits, veggies, lean meats, and calciumrich foods 4Drink more water to stay hydrated Source: 5Exercise unless your tells you not to 6Gain a healthy amount of weight check with your about where you should be 7Wash your hands often 8Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night 9Learn to say no to keep stress levels low 10 Get a flu shot 11 Talk to your about any health problems you have 12 Join a childbirth or childcare class 13 Quit smoking and stay away from others who smoke 14 Say no to drugs 15 Stay away from wine, beer, and liquor Pregnant smokers are more likely to: Lose a baby before birth Have babies who are born too early or at a low weight Have babies with birth defects When you stop smoking: Your baby will get more air, even after just one day of not smoking You reduce the risk that your baby will be born early You improve the chances of your baby coming home with you You will have more get-up-and-go and will be able to breathe better You will have more money to spend on the things you want You will feel good about yourself and what you have done for your baby Ready to Quit? You have many options; talk to your about which options are best for you. You can also call QUITNOW for help right now. Source: Gestational Diabetes Women who do not have diabetes before they are pregnant can get gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that happens only during pregnancy. It can show up in the middle of pregnancy and most s test for it between 24 and 28 weeks. It can sometimes be controlled through healthy eating and regular exercise, but some women might also need to take insulin. For most women, gestational diabetes goes away after birth. When it does not go away, it is then called Type 2 diabetes. Even if the diabetes goes away after the baby is born, 50% of all women who had gestational diabetes can get Type 2 diabetes later. It s good to keep up exercise and eat healthy after pregnancy to prevent or delay getting Type 2 diabetes. Aim to get your blood sugar checked every 1 to 3 years. Source: Tips for Women with Gestational Diabetes: Eat healthy foods Exercise regularly Test blood sugar often Take insulin if you need to Get tested for diabetes after you deliver 4 Hello Baby Volume 4 Volume 4 Hello Baby 5

4 Safe Sleep Quiz Thinking about safe sleep for your baby before you get home from the hospital is smart. Take the quiz below to see what you know. 1. The safest way for my baby to sleep is. A. on her stomach B. on her back C. Any position that makes her happy 2. When it s cold, it is safe to place a soft blanket over my baby in the crib. 3. The safest place for baby to sleep is in my bed. 4. I can tell whether my baby is too hot if? A. She is sweating B. Her chest feels hot C. The back of her neck is hot or sweaty D. All of the above 5. Using a crib bumper is safe. Answers: 1. B, 2. False, 3. False, 4. D, 5. False Source: english/ages-stages/baby/sleep/pages/ Preventing-SIDS.aspx Prenatal Checkups During pregnancy, frequent visits with your are key. These visits with your can help keep you and your baby healthy, spot any problems, and help prevent problems during delivery. Read below to see if you are on track. Stay on Track with your Doctor Visits Weeks 4 28 Weeks visit per month 2 visits per month Weeks 36 Birth 1 visit each week If you have a high-risk pregnancy you will need to see your more often At your first visit, your will perform a complete exam, take a blood sample, and tell you your due date. Your might also do a breast exam, check your womb, and do a Pap test. Your will ask you questions about your life and health habits. It is good to be open and honest with your. Most visits include: Checking your blood pressure and weight Checking your baby s heart rate Measuring your belly to check on your baby s growth Your may also perform other tests to look for low iron, diabetes or infections. Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your they are all important. Use the space below to write down things you want to ask your at your next visit. Source: prenatal-care-tests.html What Did They Say? The more you know about pregnancy, the less you will worry. Below are a list of words and definitions that you might hear during a s visit or during birth. Match each word on the left with its meaning on the right. 1. Amniotic fluid 2. Epidural 3. Colostrum 4. Breech 5. Episiotomy 6. Forceps 7. NICU 8. Crowning A. When the baby emerges feet-first or buttocks-first, rather than head-down. B. A thin white liquid that comes from your breasts before birth. C. When the baby s head has passed through the birth canal and your can see it. D. A liquid that protects your baby. It fills the sac around your baby in the womb. It is made up of urine and water. E. Sometimes used during labor to ease pain. It can make you feel numb from the waist down. F. A situation in which the may need to make more room for the baby to come out by cutting some skin near the bottom of the birth canal. G. A tong-shaped tool that can help guide the baby s head out of the birth canal. H. A special part of the hospital where s and nurses can keep close watch on your newborn. When babies are born too early or need extra special care, they are sent here. Answers: 1. D, 2. E, 3. B, 4. A, 5. F, 6. G, 7. H, 8. C Source: 6 Hello Baby Volume 4 Volume 4 Hello Baby 7

5 Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC 6704 Curtis Court Glen Burnie, MD TOOLS TO HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR PREGNANCY Text4baby provides free text messages three times a week with information to help you through your pregnancy and your baby s first year. Text BABY to to sign up! 24 Hour Nurse Chat is a free service that provides real-time access to a registered nurse who can give medical advice. It s free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To reach the Nurse Chat, call PP: EHP: USFHP: Visit your plan s website to access these features! HealthLINK@Hopkins allows you 24/7 access to your health information. This secure website will help you track your medications, visits, prior authorizations, and referrals. You can also search for and select a primary care provider (PCP) or specialist near you. You also have access to secure messaging with Customer Service and a variety of information and resources. Healthwise is our free online database of up-to-date health information on a wide variety of topics. For pregnancy-related information, visit and click the A-Z Healthwise box. This information does not take the place of visiting your PCP for medical needs and care. Health Promotion and Wellness:

Gestational diabetes. Information to help you stay healthy during your pregnancy. What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes. Information to help you stay healthy during your pregnancy. What is gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes Information to help you stay healthy during your pregnancy What is gestational diabetes? How gestational diabetes can affect my baby How to take care of myself and my baby during pregnancy