Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is the most common complication of childbearing. Women with postpartum depression need not feel alone. You may find useful information on the web sites of the National Women’s Health Information Center www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/illnesses/postpartum-depression.html from groups such as Postpartum Support International www.postpartum.net and Depression after Delivery www.depressionafterdelivery.com.

Foot Pain

As the weight of your pregnancy increases, the “load on your feet” increases. Many women report a change in their shoe size after each pregnancy. Due to foot swelling, many women wear very flat sandals or even go barefoot. This allows for flattening of the arches and a strain on the muscles in the feet and calves.

Heartburn

In an effort to help resolve heart burn problems which you may experience in early or late pregnancy, try eating small, frequent meals slowly. Never bend over or lie down immediately after eating. Use this time to take a good 20 minute walk to encourage these acids to move down rather than up. Taking Tums after each meal may alleviate the heartburn. If not, try Mylanta. Speak with  one of our health care providers if your heartburn does not improve with these measures.

Hemorrhoids

These “badges of motherhood” are just varicose veins in the rectum. Hot weather, lack of adequate fluid intake, and an enlarging uterus can lead to compacted bowel movements, which can in turn cause these hemorrhoids to bleed.

Helpful Hints:

• Drink lots of water.
• Take a stool softener, such as Colace, Metamucil, Fibercon, or Surfak.
• Iron supplements may worsen your symptoms, talk with us.
• After a hard bowel movement, wrap a wash cloth around a plastic bag of ice, apply to the rectum to numb the area and decrease further swelling.
• Eats lots of fiber (salads, fresh fruit, whole grains, breads and cereals).
• Take natural laxatives daily, such as prunes or prune juice.
• Apply Tucks or cotton pads soaked in witch hazel to the area after each bowel movement.
• After deliver, hemorrhoids may just “show up” after pushing baby through the birth canal. Breastfeeding moms may experience a worsening of their hemorrhoids because their fluids are being used for breast milk. Drink more water and stay on stool softeners.

Nutrition

Are you getting at least three to four fresh fruits and vegetables daily?  have a Maryland apple every day!  This is a good source of fiber, which you need for proper bowel functioning.

Even in the cooler weather, water is still important.  Try a squeeze of lemon juice or other flavored extracts to improve the taste or even try mixing half water and half juice!

Starting your day with a pop tart and a glass of juice can actually cause your blood sugar to drop after two hours, causing dizziness, a rapid pulse, sweating, and symptoms of passing out.  Start you day with a protein-rich breakfast or whole grain cereal.

A daily diet of 2000 calories is sufficient to grow a 7-1/2 pound baby.

Did you know that two 12-oz sodas have over 280 empty calories?  That is just sugar, no protein or other nutrients for your baby.

Preterm Labor

Hot summer months often bring on preterm contractions. After your 24th week of pregnancy, you may expect at least ten contractions daily, some slightly painful and some only like mild contractions. Should you experience five contractions (even if not painful) within 1 hour, you should like down in a cool room, drink two glasses of cool liquid, and take two Tylenol. If you continue to have five or more contractions in the next hour, call our office. If contractions lessen to only two or three in the next hour, maintain bed rest for 24 hours.

Safety

Always wear your seat belt! Remember, you are buckling up for two now! If you become lightheaded when driving home from work, eat a late afternoon protein snack, such as cheese and crackers, to keep you blood sugar up until you can eat dinner.

Summer Safety Reminders

• Use a good sunscreen (at least SPF 15).
• Drink lots and lots of fluids to avoid dehydration, water is always best.
• Avoid caffeine as well as highly sweetened beverages.
• Exercise in the cool of the evening.
• Swim in well maintained pools, lake and ocean areas.

Swelling

Ankle and hand swelling commonly occurs late in pregnancy. This swelling will worsen on hot days, if you gain a large amount of weight with your pregnancy, when you consume foods high in salt content (chips, pickles, ham, ketchup, Chinese food…) and when you spend large amounts of your time on your feet. It takes at least tow weeks after delivery of your baby for the swelling to go away completely. Drink lots of water and elevate your legs. Remember, if you have had an epidural, lots of fluids were instilled by the I.V. It will take time to flush this through.

Ways To Reduce Swelling:

• Avoid salt in foods.
• Drink lots of water (at least eight 8 oz. glasses per day).
• Remain in cool environments.
• Elevate legs while sitting or lying

Yeast Infections

Summer and pregnancy both worsen the chances of yeast infections.

Preventive measures:

• Go without panties at night.
• Take frequent tub baths.
• Avoid perfumed bath products.
• Decrease your intake of sugary foods as they enhance the growth of yeast.

Should a yeast infection occur, over-the-counter yeast treatments, such as clotrimazole and Monistat are okay to use, but remember sometimes yeast infections may require more than seven days of treatment for an adequate cure.

Medications and Treatments for Pregnancy and Breast-feeding

The following list of medications are proven safe for use in pregnancy and breast-feeding. If you have symptoms which last longer than 4-5 days despite the regular use of the following medications or instructions, please call our office or your family physician during the regular business hours.

Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy:  Eat frequent, small meals. Avoid fatty foods. Keep crackers at the bedside and eat them upon awaking. Ginger root capsules, candied ginger or raspberry herbal tea may be helpful. Try Emetrol or Vitamin B6 50-100 mg. daily. Zantac 150 mg. twice daily, Prevacid 20 mg. once daily, Unisom (doxylamine-active ingredient) 1/2 tablet at bedtime + Vitamin B6 50 mg. 2-3 times daily.

Fever, Headache:  Regular or extra strength Tylenol, 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed.   

Colds, Nasal Congestion:  Actifed, Sudafed, Tylenol Cold medicine. AVOID nasal sprays except Saline nasal spray, which may be used as needed.

Cough:  Robitussin or any similar over the counter medicine, or any type of cough lozenge.

Indigestion and Heartburn:  Avoid eating within 2 hours of bedtime. Use Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta. (There are also an excellent source of calcium). Zantac 150 mg. twice daily or Prevacid 20 mg. once daily.

Constipation:  Drink at least 2 liters of water daily (avoid soda and fruit juices). Increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, avoid fatty foods. Use Metamucil or Citrucel one or two times daily, as needed to keep stools soft but formed. If constipation is severe, use Milk of Magnesia sparingly.

Hemorrhoids:  Keep stools soft by using techniques listed above for constipation. Use Preparation H or Anusol, cream or suppositories. Tucks can be very soothing.

Allergy:  Claritin, Zyrtec – 1 daily. Benadryl 25-50 mg. every 6 hours or as needed.

Genetic Testing

Informed Pregnancy Screen (Non-invasive Prenatal Screening)

Education Classes

We recommend that you take the classes when you are approximately 30 weeks pregnant. If you are pregnant with multiples, we recommend you take the classes when you are approximately 26 weeks pregnant. To register, speak to our receptionists at check-out. Payment for Childbirth Education and Breastfeeding Education is due at time of registration. Classes are held at the Trilogy Professional Building, 2nd floor, Room 203.

Class Times:
8:00 pm – 12:00 pm Childbirth Education
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Breastfeeding Education

Cost:
$60 per couple Childbirth Education
$20 per couple Breastfeeding

Zika Virus

Zika virus disease (Zika) is a disease spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected species of mosquito.  The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.  Symptoms usually last for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.  People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika.  For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.

For more information regarding Zika virus, please visit the Center for Disease Control & Prevention by clicking here.