Your prenatal guide.

Nutrition

Eat small portions every 2 hours.

• Drink 8–10 glasses of water in addition to other fluids.
• Drink 1 quart of milk (at least 2% fat) per day.
• Eat 2–3 proteins per day.
• Eat 6–11 carbohydrates (60% of your calories) per day.
• Eat 4 fruits (some can be juice) and 4 vegetables per day.
• Avoid raw fish, soft cheeses and lunch meat (ask your provider).

Serving sizes

• 1 fruit = 10 grapes, 1 apple or 1 orange
• 1 vegetable = 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw
• 1 protein = 6 oz portion
• 1 carbohydrate = 1 slice of bread

Eat fruit with carbs. Choose complex carbs, and fats with nutritional value as well.

Exercise

Continue the activity you are used to.

• Keep your heart rate below 150 beats per minute.
• Walk 3–4 times per week for 30–40 minutes, or walk every day for 20–30 minutes.
• Stretch your arms, shoulders, thighs and so on.

Prenatal vitamin

Take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid.

• During pregnancy, take a prenatal vitamin that has 800–1000 micrograms of folic acid in it every day.
• Talk to your provider if you are having difficulty finding the right amount.

What to avoid

• Avoid all alcohol.
• Avoid smoking and any form of marijuana.

There is no safe amount of alcohol or drug use during pregnancy.

Appointments

Keep your appointments.

• Many complications in pregnancy can be minimized if caught early and monitored closely by your provider.
• Discuss with your provider the immunizations you need during pregnancy (Tdap and flu).

Attitude

Keep a positive attitude.

• Value your pregnancy.
• You are both physically and mentally nurturing a life.
• Pregnancy can be demanding, and you will need support.

The signs

• Contractions that make your belly tighten every 10 minutes or more
• A change in the color of your vaginal discharge, or bleeding
• The feeling that your baby is pushing down (pelvic pressure)
• A low, dull backache
• Cramps that feel like your period
• Belly cramps, with or without diarrhea

How to count your baby's movements

• Starting at 28 weeks, monitor your baby's movement twice a day, by hand or with an app like Baby Movement Tracker.
• Pick a time when your baby is usually active. Research shows babies are often most active at night and in the morning.
• Sit with your feet up or lie on your side. Count each of your baby's movements (kicks, jabs, pokes and rolls) as one kick, until you reach 10.

Every baby is different

One baby might make 10 movements in 10 minutes, while another takes 30. If your baby suddenly takes an hour to reach 10, contact your provider right away. Counting every day shows you what is normal for your baby.

Call your provider if you have not felt 10 kicks by the end of the second hour, or if the way your baby moves has changed a lot over the past couple of days.

Optional items for home, before the birth

• Digital thermometer (ear thermometers are not recommended for infants)
• Pads (Depends for large, overnight pads for moderate)
• Lansinoh nipple cream
• Lansinoh nursing pads
• Tucks (witch hazel compresses)
• Epsom salts (for sitz baths)
• D-Vi-Sol
• Infant Tylenol
• Diapers
• Saline drops for baby's nose (Ocean, Little Noses, etc.)
• Diaper rash ointment
• Q-Tips (for cord care)
• Infant nail clippers
• Pacifiers, size 0 and size 1
• Bath items (bath basin, washcloths, baby bath and shampoo, lotion, hooded towel, etc.)
• Breast pump and breast milk storage containers

Medicine cabinet

• Hyland's Earache Relief Drops
• Daniel's Ointment
• Wintercrest Ointment

Optional items for the birth

The pill

The pill is a hormonal method with many options to discuss with your provider. The mini pill is available for moms who breastfeed or who cannot take estrogen.

The implant

Nexplanon is a tiny rod that sits under the skin of your upper arm and is almost invisible. It is hormonal birth control using progesterone, and it can last up to 3 years.

The ring

The ring is a small band that you insert into your vagina, keep in place for 21 days, and remove for seven days while you have your period. It is a hormonal method using both estrogen and progestin.

The injection

Depo-Provera is an injection you receive every 3 months. It uses the hormone progesterone and is very effective if you get your shot on time.