Education regarding your pregnancy and childbirth is very important. I’ve found that different people learn in different ways. Classes work best for the majority of people, but not for all. In the end, you are responsible for your own education and what works best for you. Your provider can refer you to classes at your hospital but if you know that classes don’t work for you, utilize other resources or your good old public library.
Domestic violence is sometimes a hard thing to define. Of course it is obvious in some instances. It is never okay to be hit, pushed around or limited in your activities. But some domestic abuse is more subtle. It is also not okay to feel belittled or unimportant. If you feel that in anyway your health or your safety are in danger, please talk to us. This is very hard to say out loud sometimes, so I’ve also included some references to get you started.
The use of marijuana, amphetamines, heroin and cocaine can have significant influence on the health of your pregnancy. I won’t belabor this point. Most importantly, if you use these substances, please talk to me about your use. I am not judgmental. I just want
the best outcome for you, your baby and your pregnancy. I may or may not be able to help with your issue, but if I have the knowledge that there is a risk factor, I can make better recommendations in the monitoring of your pregnancy. If you want to read more go to the
Most over the counter medications are safe during pregnancy. The exceptions are aspirin, naproxyn (Aleve), ibuprofen (Motrin). So specifically this means that when you have a cold or flu you can take what you normally would take unless it contains one of the above. Even combination cold and flu remedies are fine as long as they don't have aspirin or ibuprofen. Make sure you read the label and don't take another medication that does the same thing and therefore double dose yourself. You can also take all lozenges. Common drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Benadryl and Robitussin are safe. You can also take allergy medications like Zyrtec and Claritin and Flonase.
If you want more detailed information, please click https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/treatingfortwo/
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/medicine-and-pregnancy
In general, exposure to chemicals and work hazards is well regulated in the U.S. So, in almost all instances, if it is okay for you to work in the job when you are not pregnant, it is okay when you are pregnant. There are exceptions of course. Please ask your provider if you think there may be an issue. You can also check out some general information on environmental hazards.
Seat belts absolutely need to be worn during pregnancy. Please place them below your enlarging abdomen, not across your belly.
Don’t start smoking during pregnancy and if you do consider quitting or asking your primary care provider for help. Smoking is directly associated with growth restriction and placental insufficiency during pregnancy as well as pre-term labor and abruption (the placenta coming away from the uterus-this is an emergency). This is one of the few times in life that you can get a do-over. If you can stop smoking by 16 weeks, in general the risks of smoking can be voided for your pregnancy.
Alcohol is a touchy subject in general because the information regarding use in pregnancy is fraught with myth and lack of knowledge. What do we know? We know that alcohol can cause significant birth defects and developmental problems. The problem is that we don’t really know how much alcohol it takes to cause these problems. There have been case reports of people saying that they had very little alcohol during the pregnancy and had these effects. Of course, we have doubt with any recall history like this. The bottom line is that we recommend against it because we don’t know how much is safe.
In general in a healthy pregnancy, travel is perfectly fine up until 36 weeks. This recommendation could change if you’ve had problems in your pregnancy so ask your provider if you think you might have special circumstances. It is important to consider that you might not comfortable for long travel after 32-36 weeks. Also you would not want to go into labor when away from home (not very likely until after 36 weeks). If you deliver away from home, you will need to stay there until your baby is ready to come home. The only real danger of travel in pregnancy involves the increased risk of blood clot due to inactivity. You have an increased risk of getting a blood clot if you sit still too long anyway, pregnant or not. And when you are pregnant, you have an increased risk of blood clot, so double whammy. You can reduce this risk by making sure you drink plenty of water and stretching your legs or walking frequently. We find the bladder to be a wonderful safety valve in this case as a pregnant women can’t go long without going to the bathroom anyway. There are no real studies for this, your provider may recommend a single adult aspirin before a long trip. There is no harm in a single dose and the effects on making your platelets “slicker” lasts for 10 days.