Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Becoming Parents and Parenting Infants and Toddlers

Optimizing The Chances Of Having Healthy Babies

Before and during pregnancy maternal health is very important because if the mother is not healthy the baby will not be healthy. Many pregnancies in the United States are not planned, but a planned pregnancy is very important because preparing your body for pregnancy is very beneficial.

In Expectation Of Pregnancy

 Before becoming pregnant it is important to follow six steps to improve the chances of creating a healthy baby. the six steps include taking multivitamins with folic acid, avoiding drinking more than four drinks in one setting, updating immunizations, gaining or losing weight if necessary, checking with a doctor about prescription drug use, and knowing about sexually transmitted infections they might have contracted (Heath, 2012, p. 124). Preparing a person's body for pregnancy is as important as taking care of their body during pregnancy. 

During Pregnancy

• Diet & Nutrition

When a person is pregnant they are no longer just eating for themselves, but they are feeding their baby. Maternal malnutrition is directly related to low-birth weight. While pregnant it is important to have a diet enriched with vitamin A, folic acid, iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc (Heath, 2012, p.124).

• Avoiding Harmful Substances

While pregnant is it important to avoid smoking, drinking, and any other harmful substances. Smoking while pregnant can lead to low-birth weight, pre-term delivery, cognitive and behavioral issues, and asthma (Heath, 2012, p.125). Almost 40,000 newborns are affected each year from the exposure of alcohol during pregnancy (Heath, 2012, p. 125). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders include physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities. Many people need to consider the risk of taking some prescription drugs, so if you are wanting to become pregnant or are pregnant you should consult with a doctor about all medication, even over-the-counter medication.

• Prenatal Care

The first visit to the doctor should occur within the first trimester. The first trimester is from fertilization to 12 weeks. During the first trimester a fetus is very vulnerable to teratogens and the first visit is to the doctor is very educational. According to Heath, women that do not get prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low-birth weight baby (Heath, 2012, p.126). Also, prenatal care also helps women feel at ease because all their questions and concerns can be answered by a physician. 

Image from: http://cdn.glamcheck.com/health/files/2011/10/Prenatal-Care.jpg

 Reference:

Heath, p. (2012). Parent-child relations: Context, research, and application (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Dr. Gerald Keasling

 Dr. Gerald Keasling discusses the importance of visiting a doctor as early as possible to receive prenatal care. Dr. Gerald Keasling also discusses that the loss of medical insurance sometimes causes women to have minimal prenatal care and that the lack of prenatal care can lead to low-birth weight and other health related problems for infants.

Keasling, Gerald, Dr. (Author). (2010). A doctor speaks on the importance of prenatal care [Video]. (Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5m4wz0ATtc)

 Prenatal Care Affects Maternal Postpartum Behaviors

Early prenatal care has been linked to healthy babies, but also it can be beneficial to the mother. A study interviewed 4,898 mothers following delivery of their baby and then the same mothers were interviewed for a second time almost a year later. the study published in 2010 concluded that women who received prenatal care in their first trimester were less likely to smoke again nearly a year after giving birth which is beneficial to both the mother and child. Prenatal care also helped determine the mother's postpartum behaviors.

Reichman, N., Corman, H., Noonan, K., & Schwartz-Soicher, O. (2010). Effects of prenatal care on maternal postpartum behaviors. Review Of Economics Of The Household, 8(2), 171-197. doi:10.1007/s11150-009-9074-5

Our First Glimpse

Today we saw

Our first glimpse of You.

A little piece of heaven

Our dream come true.

The day we will meet

Seems so far away.

But until you're ready

In my womb safely stay.

Our gift from Angels

Sent from above

For us to cherish

And forever to love.

Our first glimpse. Retrieved from http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/

Poems_for_Expecting_Parents

To Check Out More Information Visit:

1. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/prenatal-care.cfm

This website focuses on just women's health. This website is a great source to visit before becoming pregnant, so you can explore need to know information. Many women, especially young females, do not have the chance to plan to become pregnant, but if you are planning to become pregnant you should take full advantage of all the resources made available to you.

2. http://www.lpch.org/disease healthinfo/healthlibrary/pregnant/tests.html

Pregnancy is broken into three trimesters. Each of these trimesters your doctor will perform different tests to make sure your baby is developing properly. I have not experienced the joy of motherhood yet, but I think before becoming pregnant it is also important to know what tests are important to receive during pregnancy. The website listed above goes over each trimester and what tests that will/cam be administered during that specific trimester.