I Need Help With... Pregnancy
Information about Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a huge topic. Our patients often ask us about…
- Pregnancy symptoms…
- Teen pregnancy…
- If we have a pregnancy calendar…
- Pregnancy week by week…
- Early signs of pregnancy…
- Pregnancy tests…
- The stages of pregnancy…
- Bleeding during pregnancy…
- And of course, how to have a healthy pregnancy.
The questions are endless, and we can’t possibly cover everything here without writing a book on the subject. When you come in to see us, we can provide you with a list of recommended books and other sources on pregnancy.
Some of the top concerns or questions our patients have had have to do with pregnancy tests and the stages of pregnancy. In other words, how can you tell if you’re pregnant, and then how do you know the due date of the baby?
Many other patients ask what happens during the first trimester of pregnancy, and how to deal with various symptoms, such as cramping during pregnancy, pain during early pregnancy, spotting during pregnancy, headaches, and foods to avoid during pregnancy.
We’ll answer all your questions when you come see us. We’ll even tell you about specific pregnancy exercises that we’ve found to be most effective for both you and your baby.
Pregnancy symptoms – how to know if you’re pregnant
You’ll notice changes in both your emotions and your body. The physical symptoms are the most obvious:
- Tender breasts
- Bouts of nausea
- Unusual fatigue
- Dizziness
All of these might occur within the first two weeks after conception.
Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests look for a special hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a you are pregnant. The pregnancy hormone is made in your body when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about 6 days after conception, but may happen later with some women.
The best time to use a home pregnancy test is about one week after a missed period (in spite of what their labels might say). If your home test shows a positive result, then come in to see us right away. We’ll usually test your blood or urine for this hormone – a test that is far more accurate. In fact, the urine test can tell us if you’re pregnant about 2 weeks after ovulation.
Remember… the sooner you see us, the better for you and your baby.
What are the stages of pregnancy?
You’ll hear us talk about the first, second and third trimester. Most books or other information you find will divide your pregnancy into these three trimesters. When you come in to see us, we can give you a week-by-week calendar that tells you what (generally) to expect during each subsequent week of your pregnancy.
There are also many online resources with weekly calendars, images, and even charts that help you to understand what is taking place inside your body.
Problems during pregnancy
Some women might experience abnormal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. While not unusual, it’s always a good idea to have this checked out as soon as possible.
A tubal pregnancy can be quite dangerous, which is another reason we want to see you as soon as possible. Any pregnancy questions you have will be answered when we see you.
We’ll even talk with you about having sex during pregnancy, and what to do if you think you have a yeast infection or are experiencing worse-than-normal headaches or backaches.
Here are a few tips about relieving morning sickness that you might find helpful:
- Try using one of those wrist bands you can find in travel stories. They help prevent sea or car sickness and can help relieve your nausea.
- If something smells bad, don’t eat it.
- Stay away from rich, fatty foods.
- Instead of eating your usual big meals, go with several smaller meals
- Peppermint tea is said to help with upset stomachs.
- Saltine crackers and other bland foods will fill your belly without making you feel sick.
- Ginger ale is also a good one, as are other herbal teas.
- Try changing your multivitamin… sometimes the iron in prenatal vitamins can create a problem.
Call Us…
Be sure to call us if you want to get pregnant, and can’t… or if you think you’re pregnant. We’ll tell you for sure, and then do everything we can to ensure that you have a healthy, happy pregnancy and baby.