Prenatal Check Up ~ What to Expect

First prenatal visit and the subsequent prenatal check up are two important things to do when you're pregnant.

Why ?

Because with the regular prenatal check up, any problems which might crop up during pregnancy can be diagnosed and attended early before it becomes a blown-up trouble. This is particularly important if you aim for a natural vaginal birth. Increased protein spill up in your urine and higher blood pressure can be a start of preclampsia, which if left untreated can be a life threatening condition for you and the baby. If it's found out too late, then there is frequently no other option except giving birth to the baby there and then.

Similarly, the same increase in sugar in your urine can be a sign of pending gestational diabetes - a diabetes condition which is caused by pregnancy.

Hence prenatal check up is important to ensure you're staying low risk and healthy to give birth naturally and without complication.

In addition, regular prenatal check up can find out if your baby has problem. If the baby you conceive has a trouble, then the problem can be addressed earlier. Or if the baby is found out to be needing a NICU after birth, then you can accomodate the needs before hand.

Before scheduling the first prenatal visit, it's important to choose and interview your health care provider, so when the time comes for the first prenatal visit, you already has narrowed down to maximum of 2 candidates (unless you want to go to several prenatal visit to meet and interview these obgyn or midwives). First prenatal appointment is usually the longest and is scheduled around 8 weeks gestation, after which you're expected to see your health care provider in a regular basis during your pregnancy.

Depending on your risk factor, your caregiver will determine the number of prenatal appointment you need to make. If you are a normal healthy woman with a low-risk pregnancy, you will see your caregiver once a month until you're 30 week pregnant. After 30 weeks, you will have to see your caregiver every two weeks. Then, one month before your due date (approximately 36 weeks), you'll see your caregiver every week.

During the subsequent prenatal check-up, your caregiver will perform the standard physical examination like the ones performed during the first prenatal visit, measure the baby's heartbeat with a doppler and may ask for certain prenatal testing to be done. Additionally, your caregiver may test your urine on every visit to quickly check on the level of sugar and protein in your urine.

The duty of a health provider during prenatal appointment is not only to look after the pregnant women physically, but also to ensure the emotional well-being of the pregnant mother. Unfortunately, this is an area which is often overlooked. A physician generally simply does not have enough time to sit and talk heart-to-heart with the pregnant mother to find out whether there is something in her life troubling her. A physician usually only has time for brief physical examination, ask you about your health concern, and give you brochures on pregnancy and birth.

In contrast, the midwifery model of care is strikingly different.

Granted, a midwife wouldn't do anything differently from what a physician would have done in terms of physical examination. However, a midwife has time to "do" beyond physical examination.

She can have a heart-to-heart talk with you over a cup of tea or maybe a massage during your prenatal check-up. She takes time to educate you about pregnancy including teaching you about nutrition and exercises you need to do, things you should avoid and how to basically to look after yourself during pregnancy.

Basically, she treats you like an important person, not just patient number one, two, etc. It is not surprising that midwives earn trust and have bond with their clients in the process. We tend to be comfortable with somebody we really trust. In birthing situation, the trust and bond between the caregiver and the pregnant mom is even more important, since the secure feeling helps moms to relax and labor. Therefore, to have a birth with somebody you trust really helps.

If you hire a midwife, you'll find that you long for your prenatal check up, which is in contrast to most women I know. Yes, most women dread the prenatal visit because of the long queue and short 'check-up time'. In fact, many women feel that they often feel rushed during their prenatal visit. Yet, prenatal visit is important if you're pregnant.

If you hire a midwife, you will not have to queue. To begin with, a midwife often offers to visit the client's home, so there's no queue here. Alternatively, even if she suggests you to visit her home for a prenatal visit, you'll likely the only client she sees for that particular day. So you won't have to wait.

And the prenatal appointment itself is nice and long. You won't feel like you're having a prenatal appointment. Instead, you may feel like you're visiting a long-time friend. Therefore, consider to have a midwife to look after you during your pregnancy and birth.

Use the prenatal appointments to bond with your caregiver and to ask questions pertaining to your pregnancy and childbirth. Alert your caregiver if you have any concern. The bottom line is you need to be comfortable with your health care provider if you want to have a good birth. If you have any doubt of the commitment of your caregiver to take care of you, don't hesitate to change the caregiver. You don't want to end up arguing with your caregiver during labor and birth.

Therefore, prenatal visit is important to gauge your feeling to your caregiver and to assess whether you really want him/her to be the one who helps you during one of the most vulnerable moment in your life.

*NOTE: Do you want to get more tips and techniques for having natural birth? Then subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter, "Born Naturally" and receive a FREE "Pregnancy Diet Secret" ebook.

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Child birth preparation articles:

• Natural child birth preparation
• Natural childbirth tips - tips for maximizing your chance of having a natural birth.
• Finding and choosing good birthing class
• Natural childbirth video - why you should watch it and what to watch
• List of best pregnancy books

For prospective homebirth moms: Preparation for giving birth at home.

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