Getting the right Maternal care for You and your Baby
If you are an expecting parent, this one is definitely for you. There are a lot of challenges that come with expecting a newborn baby. For some people these challenges are exciting and for others, it can be frustrating. Luckily for you, we recognize that you might face some challenges, hence why we have come up with guidelines that can help during your pregnancy.
Staying Healthy and Ready for the big day
I am sure you are looking forward to the big day, the day when you finally get to meet your little one. Everyone does look forward to that day but more than looking forward, you would also need to stay ready and very healthy for this big day.
While pregnant, it’s of great importance to take care of your baby, one of the ways to achieve this is by living a healthy lifestyle. Also, of great importance is one’s pre-natal care (the regular visits to the hospitals for proper checking and monitoring of mother and baby).
The first thing to do once you realize that you are pregnant is to book appointments with a certified doctor. Your doctor can help review your medical history and help with coming up with ways that can make your pregnancy period better. On appointments like this, your doctor can take tests, these tests will require blood and urine samples. Your urine is taken to the lab to check for either bacteria or high sugar levels (which can lead to or be a sign of diabetes), or high protein levels (which can be a sign of preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure during pregnancy). Your blood is taken to the lab to check for your blood cell count, blood type, iron levels ( to check for anemia), and infectious diseases (such as syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis). All these tests are taken to ensure that you and your baby are not being affected by anything.
At Healthstart, we’ve got affordable plans that can cover costs for your prenatal or antenatal care during and after your pregnancy. It’s important that you have the right antenatal or prenatal care to manage a healthy lifestyle and also get provided with useful information. Information such as maternal physiological changes in pregnancy, biological changes, and prenatal nutrition which includes prenatal vitamins that help to prevent potential health problems throughout the pregnancy and promote the mother and child’s health alike.
The availability of preventive care has played a huge role in reducing the frequency of maternal death, miscarriages, birth defects, low birth weight, neonatal infections, and other preventable health problems.
Visiting your doctor while pregnant
Regular appointments with your doctor like I said before are very important if you are going to get the best out of your pregnancy period. Apart from checking your urine and your blood, doctors do some other tests. These tests may include;
- A pelvic exam to check the size and shape of your uterus (womb).
- A Pap smear to check for cervical cancer.
- An ultrasound to view your baby’s growth and position. This process will involve using soundwaves to create a picture of your baby on a screen.
After your first appointment with your doctor, you will be required to visit biweekly or monthly. Subsequent visits are important to stay updated with your blood pressure and weight and other issues that might affect the baby. The doctor will also listen to your baby’s heartbeat and measure the height of your uterus after the 20th week. You should always discuss any issues or concerns you have with your doctor.
Are you looking for the right maternal care for you and your baby? We have some affordable and quality plans that will ensure that you and your baby are safe and healthy for that big day. Looking to get started with our plans tap the link below.