All About You
You're happy, sure, but you probably aren't feeling so hot. Swollen breasts, fatigue, and an urgent need to pee are some of this week's common symptoms. You may be feeling unusually moody and find yourself crying at a cell phone commercial, which makes it really hard not to spill the beans to your best friend.
This Week: Your First Doctor's Visit
Get ready to be poked and prodded! Your first prenatal visit will include a complete physical and a medical history as well as a battery of tests. Here's what to expect:
Urine samples: Your doc will test the golden dew for blood sugar levels (which can indicate gestational diabetes) and infections. If you're not a pro at peeing in a cup the first time, don't worry, you'll have plenty more practiceyou usually do your thang in a cup at the beginning of each visit.
Blood samples: They'll take blood to test your hCG levels and check for anemia; immunity to rubella (German measles) and possibly chicken pox; and for sexually transmitted diseases with unpronounceable names like syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia. They'll also be checking your blood type, Rh factor, and hemoglobin levels. Don't worry, this doesn't happen at every appointment
The Physical: For this and almost every other visit, you'll step on the scale and they'll cuff you (to check your blood pressure). But for this first, more comprehensive physical, the doc will also feel you up (checking your breasts for irregularities) and may perform a Pap smear if you haven't had one lately. Then there's the pelvis. Some OBs will just palpitate your belly to feel your uterus; others prefer to do an internal exam.
The Chat: If this is your first time with the OB or midwife, use this visit to get chummy (you can always find a different one if this one doesn't laugh at your jokes). Write down questions or concerns and bring them to the appointment, along with a pen for the answers. It's not too early to start talking about expectations for the birth, like what kind of pain medications your provider might give you or if he or she has experience with water births or any other types of birthing technique you're interested in trying. Don't forget simple questions, too, like the best way to reach your provider (especially after hours).
Find out when Baby will arrive by using our Pregnancy Calculator!
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