(Back to Main Obstetrics Page) | (Visit our WHP Childbirth website) OBSTETRICS Every aspect of your health is interrelated. Our sensitivity to your overall needs has led us to provide innovative and comprehensive obstetrical services. In order to serve our clients to the best of our ability, new obstetrics patients are only seen on a limited basis. Second opinion consultation visits are generally available. An amniotic fluid sample is drawn and tested for certain genetic disorders. This test is performed in the doctor's office, and genetic amniocentesis is performed at 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. Breastfeeding, Lactation, and It's Suppression Breastfeeding is beneficial to both the mothers and babies. Breastfed babies have fewer illnesses and are 10% less likely to be admitted to the hospital during their first year of life. Medical research shows that breastfed babies benefit psychologically with higher scores on cognitive and IQ test. Breastfed babies have 50% less ear infections and three times less respiratory illness than bottle-fed babies. Mothers who breastfeed have increased protection against premenopausal breast cancer. Breastfeeding mothers also burn an increased 300-500 calories per day. The American Medical Association recommends breastfeeding for at least six months, preferably for one year. A good start begins with early mother-infant contact and proper positioning. Latch-on is important to prevent breast soreness and engorgement. You should expect to breastfeed every 1.5-3 hours; start 10 minutes on first breast; up to 20 minutes on 2nd breast. You should expect 6-8 wet baby diapers per day, 3-4 stools per day, and your baby should regain birth weight in two weeks. To suppress breastfeeding, you should wear a sports bra, avoid nipple stimulation, avoid hot water from shower, which may trigger letdown. Another option is to use cold cabbage leaves for the 1st 48 hours to decrease engorgement (breasts filling with milk) and tenderness. Exercise is very important to you and your baby. If you stay active, you will feel better. Outdoor exercise and recreation gives you a chance to get sunshine and fresh air. Walking is particularly good because it strengthens some of the muscles you will use in labor and is important for a healthy psychological outlook. If you normally are active in sports, continue to enjoy them. However, it is wise to stop when you get tired. Also, try team activities instead of individual games. Avoid strenuous workouts. Do things with your friends and family. Swim, dance, go on a picnic, and participate in light sports that pose no danger of falling or being bumped. If you are thinking of trying a new sport or exercise or have been using a specific exercise routine, talk it over with your physician. Avoid lifting heavy objects and moving furniture while you are pregnant. Stretching will not harm you or your baby, but do not reach for things from a chair or ladder because you might lose your balance and fall. During the latter part of your pregnancy, you will probably begin to feel awkward because your balance is affected by your increasing size. At this point, you may want to substitute walking for more active sports. Two to four percent of the deliveries in the United States are complicated by birth defects, which may have a genetic base. Understanding if you are at risk and what screening tests are available to you and the baby's partner is an important part of prenatal care. Tay Sachs, Canavans, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia are the most common genetic diseases that we offer testing for. We can discuss ways to screen for genetic disease and provide referrals to other centers with more in-depth testing capability. Our physician and facility are well suited to high-risk pregnancy assessment and complications. We have on site 3-D ultrasound or NST, body fat testing, rheography for deep vein thrombosis assessment, and the ability to do laboratory tests including fetal fibronectin testing and amniocentesis. Gestational diabetes is a fairly common complication of pregnancy. In most cases, a woman who develops this condition has a family history of diabetes. The reason it shows up in pregnancy is that around the 26th or 27th week of pregnancy the placenta starts to produce a hormone that acts against your insulin. If you have inherited a tendency toward diabetes, your body may be unable to handle this challenge, and your blood sugar goes out of control. The extra blood sugar crosses the placenta, and your baby uses it to put on fat. When gestational diabetes goes untreated, the baby becomes very large, and delivery becomes difficult. However, in most cases, this condition is easy to treat. By following a special diet, tailored to the individual by our nutritionist, most gestational diabetic women can keep their blood sugar in normal range. Random blood sugar checks are done during regular office visits. Occasionally, a woman may need to check her blood sugar at home. Only rarely does a gestational diabetic require insulin shots. It is important, however, to follow the special diet for the health of both the mother and baby. Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring (FHM) Fetal heart rate monitoring measures the well being of the fetus in the uterus. Fetal monitoring cannot prevent a problem from occurring, but it can help alert your doctor to early warning signs. An instrument measuring sound wave reflections is passed over the surface of the abdomen or internally to build a picture (sonogram) of the unborn child. The sonogram enables the doctor to determine the position and size of the baby, estimate due date, and spot some abnormalities. As of the printing of this book, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) does not recommend routine ultrasounds in pregnancy, but studies confirm routine ultrasound maybe helpful. We generally offer you a sonogram only if it is indicated for medical reasons. Some insurance plans mandate the timing and number of ultrasounds. We will help you understand and work within the guidelines of your insurance. Food plays an important role throughout your life in promoting a healthier you. Nutrition has an even greater importance to your health and your baby's health when you are pregnant. Eating wisely means choosing foods that provide you and your baby the protein, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that both of you need. Your body must increase blood, fluids, and tissue to develop your uterus and to prepare your breasts for breastfeeding. Protein, carbohydrate, fat, minerals, vitamins, water, and fiber are needed in the diet each day.
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