Some women can detect right away if their pregnant.› For verification, you can go to your local

drugstore to pick up a pregnancy test or schedule an appointment with your doctor.

For the average 9 months a women is pregnant, she will be exposed to several physical and emotional changes.

Through the course of your pregnancy you will experience endless emotions and your feelings can shift from one extreme to another.

Many women will ask themselves:› How do I feel about my body changing

shape?› Will my baby be healthy?› Do we have enough money?

Your partner is most likely going through several emotions as well.

He/she may feel left out, tired, or even overlooked.

Do your best to incorporate him/her so you can plan and grow together.

Physicians› About 90% of births in the United States are

assisted by doctors. › Family physicians, obstetricians, and gynecologists

all are physicians who provide care to pregnant women.

Family physicians› Family physicians provide primary care for people

of all ages.› They are physicians who study family medicine

while some are specialized or have experience in obstetrics (concerned with childbirth)

Obstetricians-Gynecologists› Also known as “Ob-gyns”, provide medical and

surgical care to women of all ages during pregnancy and childbirth.

Before giving birth to your baby, you have a few options to where you want it to take place.

At Home› Giving birth at home is proven to be just as

safe as in a hospital. As long as your birth attendants are trained and familiar with your situation, giving birth at home may even be safer avoiding less trauma and infections.

Freestanding birth centers› Freestanding birth centers is like being at home

with the access to hospital care if needed. Hospital

99% of all U.S. births are taken place in a hospital Labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum rooms

are offered in most hospitals.

During the first trimester you may experience some symptoms such as nausea and fatigue.

When experiencing nausea you should eat small amounts of food frequently, such as; crackers or toast in the morning and fruit juices and carbonated water throughout the day.

It is very important to eat healthy for yourself and your baby. Some nutritional needs that you should include in your diet are:› Folic Acid-mainly found in green leafy foods,

citrus fruits and beans. › Iron-found in beans, lean meat, egg yolk, and

prune juice.› Calcium-Our bodies absorb calcium efficiently

during pregnancy, therefore it is very important to include extra calcium in our diet.

› Protein-you can find protein in soy products, meat, beans, and grains.

The second trimester is usually the most physically comfortable time during pregnancy.

In the middle of this trimester is when the baby is big enough to feel his/her movements.

A concern women face on a daily basis during this trimester is weight gain and shifting body weight. People today celebrate women who are thin and in shape and it can be very troubled for a pregnant women to feel “fat”.

Up to about 34 weeks, your baby will be changing positions frequently and will begin to settle in a head-down position.

This can be uncomfortable at times because your sciatic nerve (which runs from your lower spine across your buttocks and down your leg) may get pinched from the position of the baby.

During this trimester you should think about attending breast-feeding classes and start to choose a pediatrician or family physician.

At about 35 weeks, your physician or you will collect a culture from your vagina to test for GBS (group B streptococcus).

About 10-30% of women normally have this bacterium in the vagina or rectum.

It is not a problem for the women herself, but can cause a serious infection in the baby.

If you have GBS, antibiotics will be offered when you are in labor.

During pregnancy it is important to:1. Decide if you want or do not want pain-

relieving drugs2. Become familiar with the benefits and

risks of pain-relieving drugs Some women like to create a birth plan

during pregnancy. This allows you to express yourself and what kind of labor plan you hope for and who you want to attend.

Breast milk is the best food for babies because it provides all the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop.

It also provides antibodies to protect your baby against infection.

“It takes a lot of energy to form a new human being, so make time to rest when you feel especially tired.”

What do you think would be the toughest part about pregnancy?