Tips for Having a Healthy Pregnancy from Expert OB/GYN

I'm now six months pregnant with our little girl. Sometimes it feels like time is flying by, and then at other times it feels like i have been pregnant FOREVER!!!!  I am not the happiest pregnant person. I pretty much always feel sick and fatigued, and it lasts my entire pregnancy.

Despite still feeling that way, this pregnancy has definitely been my easiest. i am not sure if it is because this time around we are having a girl, or perhaps because i am older. But I think one of the reasons is because I have more time to myself this time around. My kids are older and in school, so I have the days to myself to concentrate on resting and feeling better.

Plus I have been given more resources this time around. Information has changed a lot since my last pregnancy almost seven years ago. In fact, I have partnered with Kaiser Permanente, who has taken the time to give me some Tips for Having a Healthy Pregnancy.

I met with Dr. Paula Richter, an OB/GYN at Kaiser Permanente in Irvine. She was wonderful at our meeting, and we had a great connection, and she was very sweet and caring. We discussed many of the questions I had about the current procedures of navigating through a pregnancy and giving birth nowadays. Things have changed even in the past 7 years...I love how Kaiser takes its cues from the mom to make her feel comfortable and help her have the experience she is wanting for her pregnancy.

We also had a great chat with Dr. Richter about steps I could take to have a healthy pregnancy. Tips on how to feel better and stay healthy during this time. Let me share them with you...

Tips for Having a Healthy Pregnancy

Healthy eating. eat well-balanced meals and a variety of foods which are low in fat and have no added sugars. Try to avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar, and sodium such as soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, fast foods, whole milk, and fatty meats. 

It's great to include healthy food options such as whole-grain breads, cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, lean meat, skinless chicken or turkey, baked fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. vitamins and minerals that are especially important for you and your growing baby include calcium, iron, and folate (also called folic acid).

Exercise. exercising during pregnancy can help you maintain muscle strength, avoid excess weight gain, and shed unwanted pounds after your baby is born. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes per day. Make sure to check with your doctor or nurse before starting any exercise routine, and don't overdo it.

Listen to your body and rest if you feel tired...as you should be able to carry on a conversation during any activity. walking, low-impact dance or aerobics, swimming, stretching or yoga are great forms of exercise to do while you are pregnant.

Keep up on your prenatal visits. one of the best things you can do to keep you and your baby healthy during your pregnancy is to attend all of your prenatal visits. at these appointments you can discuss any questions or concerns you have with your physician. there isn't any question that is not important. be confident to ask your physician or midwife anything you are questioning. and if a question comes up between visits, you can call your physicians office or email your doctor.

Prenatal vitamins. Take a prenatal vitamin each day as directed by your obstetrician or midwife.

Educate yourself. Even if this isn't your first baby, you can never be to prepared. Attending a childbirth class can help you feel more prepared for your delivery. Not only will you have the chance to learn more about childbirth and infant care, but you can ask specific questions and voice any concerns. Also, this is a great time to brush up on your family's medical history,  report any family incidences of birth defects, and talk to your doctor about problems with past pregnancies.

Sleep. rest when you can. daily naps are great! you can also stretch before bed to help prevent leg cramps and calm yourself.

Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a lunchtime manicure, spend a much-needed night out with the girls, or simply taking a quiet walk can help you relax and de-stress. go shoe shopping to purchase comfy shoes with good support. Put your feet up several times a day to prevent fatigue and swelling of your feet, legs, and ankles. Take a nap. being relaxed and stress-free is not only good for you, but also your baby!

Stay hydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water – at least eight to 10 glasses a day or around 3 liters. Try to avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and artificial coloring.

Prepare. Pack your bags for the hospital. this will take one more worry of your to-do list. Don't forget your insurance cards, pre-registration forms, camera, birth plan, etc.

Finally, Kaiser's website is also a great resource. They have an entire section just for pregnancy where you can find information on pregnancy week by week, a new baby checklist, what to bring to the hospital, and even sign up for Healthy Beginnings newsletters. You don't even have to be a member to enjoy these resources. And if you are a member, you can enjoy the many classes and health programs in your area.

Kaiser Maternity Ward Tour

After our meeting, I really wanted to check out the maternity ward at Kaiser Permanente. until now, I have only delivered my babies at one hospital, and i was curious to check out Kaiser's facility. They have two main hospitals in Orange County. One in Anaheim and the other in Irvine which are mirror images of each other. each offering the latest services to Southern California residents and beyond.

This was hallway on our way to the maternity wing. Isn't it nice and inviting!

On our tour, we ran into one of the midwife's who was on-call. for some women, a midwife is the perfect choice for them to have during their pregnancy. I never knew that i could have the option when delivering a baby at the hospital. I think I would have like this choice. She was so warm and nice.

I stopped by one of the rooms...all rooms are private which is so important to me, and took a peek at the baby beds. It's so surreal that soon I will be welcoming our little girl in a room similar to this.

We stopped in the hall where Dr. Richter showed me the baby bell which gets pushed overtime a baby is born. It plays a lullaby throughout the entire hospital to let everyone know that a baby has arrived. It's just one of the ways that Kaiser hopes to bring up everyone's moral at the hospital.

I was told the sweet music brightens the faces of many sick patients who love to hear a new little one has arrived on earth.

We also ran into one of the on-call pediatric physicians who comes to check in on the newborns. I was impressed at how friendly and kind all the doctors i met were.
it sure was fun to tour the Kaiser hospital maternity wing. you can also take a virtual tour of a Kaiser Birthing Suites here. It makes me even more excited to meet my little one. I just can't wait. I love babies.

I have to say that I was really impressed. I think I would really love to join the Kaiser network. The hospital was so clean and inviting. And I was also impressed by the classes and services they offer their patients.

I'm very interested to get to know more about their services and qualifications, because, being self-employed, it's a big job trying to find the best medical insurance for my family. There are so many factors to think about and it can be overwhelming making a decision. I may have never considered moving my insurance into the Kaiser Permanente network, but after my experience so far, I am really going to consider it for the upcoming year.

But for now....I am busy making a baby. 3 more months!!!!!

If you have missed the posts I have written about them, here they are:

My Trip to the Kaiser Orange County Farmers Market
How to Support Friends with Cancer
Our Family’s Visit Thrive Walk at the Orange County Great Park
Great Tips on Mens Health
Tips for Helping Families Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
Tips for Choosing the Right Birth Control