Pregnant? The next nine months are crucial for your health – and your baby’s

From the minute you find out you’re pregnant, your life is a whirlwind of planning and activity.

The next nine months are a whirlwind, full of painting the nursery, stocking up on diapers, picking out onesies and setting up college funds.

But if you’re pregnant, perhaps nothing is more important than your health. Proper prenatal care can set up you – and your baby – for a successful start to life.

Build doctors’ visits into your schedule

During pregnancy, your friends and family are by your side – and so is your OB/GYN. Plan to visit your obstetrician once or twice a month for the first eight months, and then every week for the final month.

At these checkups, we’ll monitor your health closely. Common underlying health problems can include hypertension and diabetes, which not only put your health at risk, but can also restrict blood flow to the placenta, thereby endangering your baby.

Your doctor will also screen for infectious diseases that might pass to your baby, such as hepatitis and HIV. As you go into your final trimester, most physicians will also give you vaccines for common illnesses, including flu shots and the MMR vaccine, so your baby can be born with immunity.

Prenatal visits are also crucial chances for your doctor to find any potential birth defects. Common problems include issues with the kidneys, spine or heart, and if we catch them early, we can start treating them earlier – potentially even in utero.

Are you taking care of yourself?

Many pregnancy-related health concerns, such as hypertension and gestational diabetes, can be prevented with healthy diet and regular exercise.

You should realistically plan to gain a pound or less every week that you’re pregnant. If you’re gaining more than that, talk to your doctor about additional measures you can take to remain healthy.

I encourage all my patients, even if they’re not 100 percent sure they’re pregnant yet, to supplement their health with a prenatal vitamin.

Additionally, while you’re pregnant, stay mindful that everything you ingest and experience is also passed on to your baby. Some of the most common questions I receive from patients revolve around diet and forbidden foods. Usually, my advice is to limit yourself to a single helping of tricky foods – such as tuna and lunch meat – a week.

But pregnant women should always avoid unhealthy activities – particularly smoking! – as they become doubly dangerous.

We all know cigarettes are chockfull of chemicals. If you smoke while pregnant, those chemicals are passed through the placenta, and they can put your baby at a higher risk for health problems such as asthma, cerebral palsy, premature birth and low birth weight.

We’re here to help

Pregnancy is an exciting, magical time, but if you’re feeling anxious or worried, you’re not alone.

If you don’t already have an OB/GYN by your side, you can choose from many excellent physicians in the Wichita area.

And if you’re looking for extra support, Wesley Medical Center’s Baby Your Baby health education fair is coming up Saturday at the hospital. From 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., you and your family can take part in several classes, such as infant CPR, labor education, classes for dads and baby and prenatal yoga.

Your baby deserves a healthy start to life – and you deserve a healthy pregnancy.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 6:18 AM with the headline "Pregnant? The next nine months are crucial for your health – and your baby’s."