2.1: Prenatal Care and Nutrition

Real World Parenting

Lesson 2.1: Prenatal Care and Nutrition

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Unit Main
Ideas

What are the essential elements of
prenatal care?

How does a birth plan help prepare an
expectant caretaker for the birth process?

What are the expectations and needs of a
newborn’s medical care?

What are the expectations and needs of a
new mother?

Open Ended

When a woman finds out she is pregnant, what would you recommend she do to take care of herself?

Draw

What myths have you heard about pregnancy? Draw on the picture and/or share in the chat.

Let's talk about prenatal care

Multiple Choice

What kind of doctor does a woman need to see when she's pregnant?

• Dermatologist

• OB-GYN

• Oncologist

• ENT

Prenatal Care

• One of the first and most important steps to a healthy

pregnancy is to connect with an obstetrics and
gynecology (OB-GYN) doctor, also called an
obstetrician.

• OB-GYN doctors specialize in pregnancy, childbirth, and

the female reproductive system.

• A pregnant person will likely visit an obstetrician for

different reasons during each trimester of their
pregnancy.

• Check out the next slide for info about each of the 3

trimesters!

OB/GYN Visits Trimesters 1-3

• Trimester 1- Weeks 1-13 of pregnancy- This appointment usually combines fetal ultrasound and

maternal blood testing. This screening process can help determine the risk of the fetus having certain birth defects. Doctor appointments will take place each month.

• Trimester 2- Weeks 14-27 of pregnancy- In the second trimester, there will be a checkup every four weeks. During these visits, the birthing parent will have prenatal screenings (some optional, some required), which may include several blood tests called multiple markers. Some doctors may perform a single ultrasound at 20 weeks, although the frequency can vary based on the patient's insurance
coverage.

• Trimester 3- Weeks 28-40 of pregnancy- In the third and final trimester, ultrasounds and non-stress tests (NST) are performed to check for fetal growth and activity and to get a more precise estimate of the baby's due date based on the parent's health and the baby's growth. The doctor will also monitor blood pressure and continue to look for any abnormalities in the baby.

Multiple Choice

True or False: What a mother eats during pregnancy will influence the baby.

• True

• False

Nutrition During Pregnancy

• Having a well-balanced diet during pregnancy is important

for the health of both the baby and the mother. In addition,
for safety reasons, some foods should be avoided.

• A diet high in protein, folic acid, iodine, iron, choline,

calcium, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin D can benefit the
parent and fetus.

• Following a healthy diet can also help prevent anemia.

o Anemia is a condition where there are too few red

blood cells in the body. Anemia during pregnancy can
increase the risk of preterm labor or low birth weight for
the baby, developmental delays, and postpartum
depression.

• In addition, mothers and babies benefit greatly from a pre-natal multi-vitamin.

Open Ended

What is one thing you learned so far today?

Multiple Select

What are the first steps a person should take after finding out they are pregnant?

Select all that apply.

• They should continue to eat raw or undercooked foods.

• They should continue life as normal without making any changes.

• They should find an OB-GYN doctor and schedule a visit.

• They should begin taking a prenatal multi-vitamin.

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

• fruits - bananas, apples, mangoes;
• vegetables - broccoli, spinach, sweet

potatoes;

• grains - oatmeal, brown rice,

whole-wheat bread;

• proteins - lean meats, eggs, nuts, tofu;
• dairy - low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese,

or yogurt; and

• oils - olive oil, nut oils, avocado oil

• uncooked or undercooked fish or

shellfish, like raw oysters or sushi;

• undercooked or raw eggs, poultry, or

meat;

• unpasteurized milk, juice, or cheese;
• deli meats, hot dogs, or smoked

seafood; and

• salads made with lunch meat, seafood,

chicken, or tuna.

Alcohol, including beer and wine, must ALWAYS be
avoided during pregnancy.

Foods to Add

Foods to Avoid

Categorize

Options (12)

Fruits

Vegetables

Whole grains

Proteins

Olive oil

Uncooked shellfish

Raw food, like sushi

Deli meat

Hot dogs

Alcohol

Raw eggs

Water

Categorize each food into one of the two categories below:

Foods to Add

Foods to Avoid

Drinks to Add

Drinks to Avoid

Alcohol During Pregnancy

• Drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause miscarriage, stillbirth,

and a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual
disabilities for the unborn fetus.

• These disabilities are often referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Disorder (FASD). Children with FASD can have the following
characteristics and behaviors:

o small head size
o shorter than average height
o low body weight
o poor coordination
o hyperactive behavior
o difficulty with attention
o learning disabilities
o speech and language delays

Prenatal Vitamins

• A mother should also begin taking prenatal vitamins during

pregnancy.

• Prenatal vitamins are supplements that provide a mother

and their baby with the essential nutrients they need to
remain healthy and support prenatal development.

o Prenatal vitamins provide essential nutrients such as calcium and iron.
o Calcium- helps support the baby's musculoskeletal system, as well as its nervous

and circulatory systems.

o Iron- helps support the development of red blood cells and the ability to carry

oxygen to the baby during pregnancy.

o Folic acid- helps prevent neural tube defects (serious abnormalities of the brain

and spinal cord).

• Prenatal vitamins also provide nutrients such as Vitamin D,

Choline, Vitamin A, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Zinc, Iodine

Word Cloud

How might a woman feel physically when she's pregnant?

1-2 words

Effects of Pregnancy on the Body

• It is common for a birthing parent to experience various

aches and pains during pregnancy, as the growing baby takes
up more space inside the womb and crowds the internal
organs.

• These discomforts may be felt in the back, abdomen, groin

area, and thighs. Fortunately, there are remedies available to
alleviate these common side effects.

Common pregnancy discomforts include:

o Body aches
o Fatigue and sleep problems
o Heartburn and indigestion
o Morning sickness

Multiple Select

Which of the following are common side effects of pregnancy?

Select all that apply?

• Back pain and body aches

• Fatigue

• Arm cramps

• Frequent headaches

Staying Active While Pregnant

Exercise promotes healthy weight gain and strengthens the heart and
blood vessels, which can help reduce complications with delivery.

Some of the benefits of regular exercise throughout pregnancy include:

o increased energy;
o reduced back and pelvic pain;
o decreased risk of complications;
o improved posture;
o weight control;
o stress relief;
o reduced risk of anxiety and depression; and
o improved sleep and better management of insomnia.

Multiple Select

How does exercise benefit a pregnant person?

Select all that apply.

• Increased energy

• Stress relief

• Improved sleep

• Increased appetite

Open Ended

What advice would you give a mother who doesn't feel like exercising?

Summary!

In this lesson, you learned:

o the basic guidelines of a healthy diet for expectant mothers and

the importance of nutrient supplements;

o the foods and substances that may be harmful to a mother or

fetus during pregnancy, and

o common physical problems expectant mothers may experience

during pregnancy and how exercise techniques may help
counteract these.

• Next lesson, you will learn about

labor, birth, and bringing a newborn
home.

• Ticket out...

Open Ended

What is one thing you learned today?