11736 Pregnant WhatNext Leaflet

8/3/2019 11736 Pregnant WhatNext Leaflet

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Pregnant -

what next?


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Published by NHS Health Scotland

Edinburgh OfceWoodburn HouseCanaan LaneEdinburgh EH10 4SG

Glasgow OfceElphinstone House65 West Regent StreetGlasgow G2 2AF

NHS Health Scotland, 2009

ISBN: 978-1-84485-470-7

NHS Health Scotland is a WHO CollaboratingCentre for Health Promotion and PublicHealth Development.

We are happy to consider requests for translations inalternative languages and formats. Please contact ourpublications team at [email protected] telephone 0131 536 5500.


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Your pregnancy test is

positive what next? Now that you are pregnant, you should make an

appointment to see a midwie as soon as possiblerom seven weeks onwards.

To do this, you will need to phone your GP surgery,local health centre or maternity hospital, and ask or

a booking appointment with a midwie. You can alsophone 0800 224488 or your local contact.


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Your frst appointment

You will usually have one or two early appointments withyour midwie. These are called booking appointments.

In order to plan the best care or you and your baby, yourmidwie will need to ask a ew questions about you and youramily history, including details o any previous pregnancies,and your partners health and liestyle. You will also be askedabout your diet, whether you smoke or someone in yourhouse smokes, how much alcohol you drink, and i you aretaking any medication or drugs. At these appointments youwill also be given the opportunity to discuss your relationshipwith your partner. Your midwie will also communicate withyour GP to ensure she has your ull medical history.

What about tests and checks?

Your midwie will oer you some tests and screening checksas part o your routine care. These tests are to protect youand your babys health. Your midwie will discuss these

urther with you, or look in Tests and checks you may haveduring pregnancy under the Your pregnancy section oReady Steady Baby. You can also go online and checkwww.readysteadybaby.org.uk


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Who will I see?For most healthy women, the majority o your care will

be provided in the community by a midwie. Midwives arehighly-skilled, qualied proessionals who care or womenthroughout their pregnancy, during childbirth and aterthe birth, and until your baby is roughly 10 days old. Yourmidwie will plan the care that is best or you using nationalguidelines so that you and your baby obtain the best carethroughout your pregnancy.

I you and your midwie eel you require additional supportor investigation during your pregnancy, your care will bejointly managed by your midwie and the maternity team.This is known as maternity team care.

Maternity team care

Obstetricians are doctors who will help

support you i you have complicationsduring your pregnancy.

GPs will continue to provide you withyour routine healthcare throughoutyour pregnancy. In addition, somemay also see you as part o yourroutine care beore your baby is born.

Neonatologists and paediatriciansare doctors who specialise in caringor newborn babies and children,and may be present at the birtho your baby. A paediatrician ormidwie will also examine yourbaby ater they are born.

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Anaesthetists are doctors who specialise in givinganaesthetics, such as epidurals, spinals or generalanaesthetics.

Physiotherapists help women adjust to the physicalchanges during pregnancy by giving advice on sae exercise,pelvic foor education, and also help to prepare you or labourby oering relaxation, breathing and positioning exercises.Ater you have had your baby, they will also give advice onpelvic foor exercises.

Dieticians can give advice on ood and nutrition, particularlyi you have specic dietary requirements, or example, i youhave diabetes or would like support with weight managementduring and ater pregnancy.

Ultrasonographers perorm ultrasound scans to checkor abnormalities and to measure your babys growth anddue date.

Maternity care assistants provide a supporting role to

midwives and can support you with breasteeding andparenting skills.

Health visitors or public health nurses will support youand your baby at home when your baby is around 10 days old.They may also visit you beore your baby is born. They willprovide you with inormation about the routine health checksand vaccinations your baby will be oered, and will give youyour babys Personal Child Health Record (or Red Book).

Social workers can help support you i you are nding thingsdicult at home. They can also help where there are worriesor the welare o the child.

Nursery nurses can oer you support and advice on caringor your baby and developing parenting skills. They may alsocarry out some o the checks your baby may require daily.


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How oten will I see my midwie?

During a rst pregnancy, its typical to have around 10appointments with your midwie, with visits becoming more

requent towards the end o your pregnancy. The pregnancyjourney overlea shows your visits. I you have had a babybeore, you will see the midwie around eight times. The exactnumber will vary depending on you and your babys healththroughout the pregnancy.

Your opportunity to ask questions big or small

You will probably have lots o questions throughout yourpregnancy and your midwie and maternity team are thereto support you. You might like to discuss:

any worries you have or symptoms that arecausing you concern

the types o tests you will be oered

the acilities and birth options available to you

what preparation or parenthood classesare available

the type o exercise you can take

how to care or your teeth and gums.

Yourmidwife

isthereto

supportyou.


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Your pregnancy

journey

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Weeks 112 (1st trimester)

At this time your body is changing and adjusting topregnancy. You are producing large amounts o pregnancyhormones and all your babys essential organs are orming.

To give your baby the best start, its important to thinkabout other changes you need to make such as giving upsmoking, drinking, drug use, and eating a healthy diet.

Weeks 79

Your rst appointment with your midwie will take place now,either in your home or at your midwies clinic. In some areasyou will have two appointments with the second one lastingabout an hour.

Weeks 1012At this time you maybe oered a bookingor dating scan, providinginormation on yourbabys growth as wellas some routine

blood tests.


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Weeks 2022

You will be oered a detailed scan and,i youre thinking about how to eed yourbaby, the bump to breasteeding DVDwill give you lots o inormation.

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Weeks 1316

Some urther routine blood tests andchecks will be carried out to help protectyou and your babys health. Your midwiewill discuss any tests oered and whetheryou wish to have them.

Weeks 1328 (2nd trimester)

Throughout this period your baby will be able to hear andmove around, and you may eel like you have more energyas your hormone levels stabilise.

Weeks 2940 (3rd trimester)

Your baby is ully ormed now and putting on weight. Youwill be seen regularly by your midwie or checks at weeks28, 34, 36, 39 and 41. I this is a frst-time pregnancy, you

will also be oered a midwie check at weeks 31 and 38.


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Keeping healthy during

your pregnancyHealthy eating

A healthy diet will benet you and ensure your baby has thebest possible start. It will also help prevent pregnancy-relatedtooth decay and gum inections.

It is recommended that you take 400 micrograms (mcg)o olic acid daily beore you become pregnant, and or

the frst 12 weeks o your pregnancy, as its difcult to

get enough rom your diet alone.

This is to help reduce birth deects, such as spina bida.Folic acid tablets are widely available rom pharmacies and

supermarkets or can be prescribed by your GP. Good sourceso olate include oranges, bananas, broccoli, peas, sprouts,chickpeas, and ortied breakast cereals.

A higher dose o 5,000 mcg (5 mg) o olic acid is recommendedor women who have previously had a baby with spina bida.

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Should I be taking other vitaminsand minerals too?

During pregnancy, its also important to make sure that you

get enough vitamin D and iron or strong bone growth inbabies. For vitamin D, this is best achieved by taking a daily10 mcg vitamin D supplement.

I you or your amily receive income support, income-basedjob seekers allowance, child tax credit, are on a low income,or you are a teenager, you will be eligible or ree vitaminsthrough Healthy Start. Speak to your midwie about how

to get these.

Caution very high levels o vitamin A in the rst ew weekso pregnancy have been shown to harm the development osome babies. Thereore avoid liver or cod liver oil and generalmulti-vitamins unless you are advised to do so by a healthproessional. When youre pregnant, check any supplementsyou take careully.

For more inormation on oods to avoid, look in Eating wellwhile youre pregnant in Ready Steady Baby.

Speakto

yourmidwife

about

HealthyStart.


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Smoking, drinking and drug use

Oten, being pregnant, gives you the chance to think aboutyour health, including thinking about stopping smoking,

drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

From the evidence we know that:

i you or someone in your household smokes, thiswill aect your babys health and development duringpregnancy, ater your baby is born, and into childhood

stopping smoking will reduce your risk o miscarriage,stillbirth and your baby being born prematurely

any alcohol you drink will reach your baby and maycause harm

any recreational or street drugs you take may aectyour babys development.

Its important to talk to your midwie about all o these issuesso she can support you with any changes you want to make,

and most areas will provide specialist support to make theprocess easier.

For urther inormation aboutstop smoking services visitwww.canstopsmoking.comor call 0800 84 84 84 or talkto your midwie.


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Caring or your teeth and gums

During pregnancy, your hormone balance changes andyour gums may become red, swollen and bleed more easily.

However, this should disappear ater the birth o your baby.

What will help?

Continue to brush your teeth twice a day or twominutes using a toothpaste containing 1500 parts permillion (ppm) fuoride. Remember, only spit out excesstoothpaste dont rinse.

I your gums bleed, it is important to keep brushing twicea day and, i it continues, contact your dental team.

I you experience pregnancy sickness, avoid brushingyour teeth immediately ater being sick as this can wearaway the top surace o enamel. Instead, rinse yourmouth with alcohol-ree fuoride mouthwash aterwards.

NHS dental care

For more inormation on how to register with a dentist,phone the NHS Helpline on 0800 224488, or speak toyour midwie.

NHSdental

careisfreewh

ile

youarepregna

nt

andforoneyear

afterthebirth

ofyourbaby.

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How to contact

your midwifeYour midwie will give you a contact number that you can callat any time so, i something is worrying you, theres no needto wait until your next appointment.

Your midwies number

Your local maternity unit

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Remember, at each appointmentyou will be asked to bring yourhand-held notes with you torecord any inormation about

your health and that o your baby.

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Notes/things to ask


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Notes/things to ask


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2954

9/2009

www healthscotland com

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11736 Pregnant WhatNext Leaflet