New Mom? Start Here.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and thank you for choosing Facey Medical Group’s Women’s Health team for your medical care. We look forward to working with you to ensure a safe, healthy outcome for you and your baby. Before you come in for your first visit, please print out and complete our medical history form. We want you to be able to spend as much time with your provider as possible, so please take care to fill it out as completely as possible. Having the most detail possible will help us to provide you with the best prenatal care.
Comprehensive Prenatal Care Using a Team Approach
We feel truly privileged to have the opportunity to be with you during the delivery of your baby. The chance to share in this special experience is one of the best aspects of our work. Our medical group uses a team-based approach to providing you with complete medical coverage during your pregnancy and delivery, and we want to make sure you understand how our physician coverage at the hospital, known as “call,” works.
Since each of us cannot be available at all times, we rotate call responsibility to provide a dedicated physician to the obstetric service every day and night. This ensures round-the-clock hospital coverage to you when you are in labor and minimizes the cancellation of scheduled appointments at Facey offices. It also means that a Facey OB-GYN physician other than the one you regularly see during your prenatal visits might deliver your baby.
General Information
We'll provide you with a detailed packet of pregnancy information when you come in for your first office visit. And until your first visit happens, we'd like you to follow these general guidelines to ensure your baby's health during pregnancy.
We encourage members of your family and friends to be involved in your pregnancy. Please bring another adult to help supervise any young children who accompany you on your first visit, and to any scheduled ultrasound appointments.
If you are not already taking prenatal vitamins, please start now. You will need folic acid, 0.8mg daily. We recommend over-the-counter vitamins. We also recommend DHA supplements (omega fatty acid), 200 mg daily. Do not take fish oil.
Proper nutrition during your pregnancy is vital to your new baby's development and overall health. The right amounts for you may vary depending on your own health situation. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) provides some basic guidelines, but you should talk with your doctor about whether any adjustments to your daily dosages are necessary.
| Nutrient |
Why You Need It |
Best Sources |
|---|---|---|
|
Protein |
Main building block for cells provides reserves for labor and delivery. |
Eggs, lean meats, poultry, fish,cheese, milk, dried peas, beans. |
|
Carbohydrate |
Provides energy, allows protein to be used for tissue growth. |
Whole-grain & fortified breads & cereals, fruits, vegetables, rice, pasta, potatoes. |
|
Vitamin A |
Promotes healthy skin, eyesight & bone growth. |
Orange & yellow fruits & vegetables; liver, egg yolks, fortified milk. |
|
Beta Carotene |
Antioxidant, body converts it to Vitamin A. |
Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. |
|
Vitamin D |
Prevents bone deformation; regulates use of calcium in mother and baby. |
Fortified milk, sardines, sunlight. |
|
Vitamin C |
Forms healthy gums, teeth & bones, keeps tissues in top shape, and improves iron absorption. |
Citrus fruits, broccoli, peppers, berries, melons, potatoes with skin |
|
Folic Acid |
Helps blood cell & hemoglobin formation; early in pregnancy may prevent neural tube defects. |
Dark leafy greens, dried peas & beans, whole-grain breads & cereals, citrus fruits, bananas, cantaloupe, tomatoes. |
|
Thiamine |
Helps release energy from carbohydrates; maintains healthy brain & nerve cells & heart function. |
Whole & enriched grains, beans, pork. |
|
Calcium |
Promotes strong bones & teeth, helps blood clot, helps nerves & muscles respond. |
Milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, sardines, green/leafy vegetables. |
|
Iron |
Helps prevent anemia, carries oxygen to blood, helps immune system, prevents fatigue. |
Meats, fish, poultry, legumes, green/leafy vegetables, whole & enriched grains. |
|
Niacin |
Helps metabolism of carbohydrates & fats, helps functioning of nervous & digestive systems, maintains healthy skin. |
Meats, poultry, fish, whole & enriched grains. |
|
B6 & B12 |
Helps prevent anemia, skin lesions, helps normal brain function, helps in making DNA, helps with nervous system. |
Green leafy vegetables, meals, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, yogurt. |
It's important to pay special attention to medications you take while you are pregnant, especially during the first trimester, a critical time for your baby's development. Unless otherwise noted, the following medications have no known harmful effects during pregnancy when taken according to the package directions. However, no drug can be considered 100% safe.
If you wish to learn more about the safety of any medication please contact your OB-GYN or pharmacist. Your health care provider will consider a medication's benefits and risks, and make recommendations for your specific needs and particular situation to ensure you and your baby’s health.
| Symptom | Medications |
|---|---|
|
Cough |
• Robitussin Regular |
|
Headache or Fever |
• Tylenol (acetaminophen) |
|
Muscle Aches/Pain |
Bengay, Tiger Balm, or Icy Hot |
|
Cold & Flu |
• See Headache or Fever |
|
Allergies |
• Benadryl or Claritin |
|
Itch or Rash |
• Hydrocortisone cream or ointment |
|
Heartburn/Acid Reflux |
• Maalox, or Mylanta |
|
Sore Throat |
• Mix 1tsp salt in 8oz glass of warm water and gargle |
|
Minor Cuts & Scrapes |
• Bacitracin, Neosporin, or Polysporin first aid ointment |
|
Nasal Congestion |
• Sudafed (DO NOT use in 1st trimester) One pill 3 times per day |
|
Gas |
• Mylanta or Gas X |
|
Nausea |
• Ginger |
|
Hemorrhoids |
• Tucks |
|
Insomnia |
• Benadryl |
|
Diarrhea |
• Imodium A-D |
|
Constipation |
• Metamucil |
|
Yeast Infection |
• Gyne-Lotrimin |
We recommend a healthy, balanced diet. Most pregnant women need only an additional 300 calories a day. Minimize caffeine. Consume no more than one cup of coffee or 12 oz. of soda daily. Avoid any alcohol, smoking or illegal drug use, including marijuana.
Exercise is very beneficial for pregnant women. Remember, you should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising. Avoid overheating and stay well-hydrated. Do not use hot tubs or saunas while you are pregnant. Interior painting, hair coloring, perms and manicures are fine with proper ventilation.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection carried in cat feces, raw meat and unpasteurized milk. Because there is a risk of exposure to toxoplasmosis from cat litter, we recommend that you avoid cleaning the litter box. If your cat is strictly an indoor cat, you are probably not at risk. We also recommend that you avoid consuming raw meat or unpasteurized milk.