You're pregnant
4-5 weeks: You’ve just taken your test and you’re pregnant! Congratulations! Exciting times are ahead: how will your pregnancy go, what will change when the baby arrives, and what should you already be thinking about?
In this stage of your pregnancy, it’s good to read up about lifestyle, nutrition and medication. One of the most important things to do now is start taking folic acid (0.4-0.5 mg per day). And you can register at our practice! We will make an appointment with you for your first ultrasound, as well as for your intake.
First check up
This is when you will first visit our practice. We will perform an ultrasound and ask you a lot of questions. This is because we assess risk factors during the intake. If you’re healthy and we don’t expect any problems, you’ll remain under the midwife’s supervision. Do you use heavy medication, or do you have other health issues that require additional treatment? In that case, we may refer you to a gynecologist.
During your intake we will ask you about your health, your partner’s, your immediate family’s and, if applicable, your other children’s. We will also discuss other risk factors like smoking, drugs and alcohol.
During your intake we will tell you about our practice’s vision on pregnancy support and what you can expect from us.
And of course we want to know how you’re doing. Do you have any questions for us, maybe?
You might have specific wishes when it comes to pregnancy support. We will discuss these with you.
We will also take your blood pressure and a blood sample. Something else we’ll discuss is whether you are interested in additional health tests for your baby, including the NIPT
11 weeks scan
This is when we will perform the term ultrasound and determine your due date. It’s also when you’ll receive counseling about the additional prenatal tests if you wish.
Heartbeat consultation
From this point on can attend our heartbeat consultations! We can listen to the baby’s heartbeat using the doptone, giving you peace of mind in between your regular appointments. You can make an appointment on the website. Tuesday between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Also on Thursday between 8.30 and 9.30
Regular check up
It’s time for your first regular checkup. During this appointment we take your blood pressure, discuss the blood test results and listen to the baby’s heartbeat using the doptone. Over the coming month, it’s important to sign up for maternity care (link to maternity care tab?), start looking into an antenatal class (link to course) and, if necessary, childcare. We will discuss the upcoming 20-week ultrasound and schedule it at the end of this appointment.
Are you too curious about whether you’re expecting a boy or a girl to wait for the 20-week ultrasound? For a small compensation, you can schedule an additional ultrasound. You have to schedule this ultrasound in advance.
20 weeks scan
Most women have their 20-week ultrasound between weeks 19 and 21. During the 20-week ultrasound the baby undergoes a physical screening, with a focus on neural tube defects (anencephaly, spina bifida, cleft palate). The baby will also receive a full body check to see if it is in line with regular fetal development. You will often have an appointment with the midwife directly after the ultrasound to discuss if there are any particularities with your pregnancy. Ideally you will have arranged your maternity care by now. You can also call your health insurance provider to let them know that you are pregnant and ask if you are entitled to a maternity package.
Regular check up
A regular checkup. We will measure your baby’s growth, your blood pressure, and your uterine position. The growth of your uterus tells us about the development of your baby and the amniotic fluid. Good to know: if we think your uterus is behind or ahead of the average development, we will schedule a growth ultrasound.
During this checkup, some women are referred for a blood test to rule out diabetes gravidarum, also known as gestational diabetes. Whether you qualify for this depends on your weight (at the beginning of the pregnancy), your parents’ background and the health of your immediate family. We usually discuss this with you during the intake.
Are you interested in our information evenings? You can sign up to attend with our assistants.
Where do you want to give birth?
Your will now have your regular checkups more often! We will see you every three weeks. Are you rhesus c or D negative? If so, we will take some extra blood during this checkup. (more information click here)
It is also time to start looking into where you want to give birth: at home, as an outpatient at the Franciscus Gasthuis, or in Geboortecentrum Sophia.
Growth and position scan
Most women have their first growth ultrasound at 30 weeks. During this screening, we measure the growth of the baby and the amniotic fluid. We also look at the position of the child and the placenta. If everything looks normal we will do another screening in about four weeks.
We will also take some blood to check your iron levels.
Preparation
A regular checkup. Have you already thought about the upcoming birth? The childbirth preparation course or a birth plan might prove useful. Both are optional, of course.
Birth plan
During this checkup we often perform another growth ultrasound and discuss when you should call us about the upcoming birth. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have about the birth! Do you have a birth plan? Email it to us beforehand so that we can add it to your file and make the necessary preparations. info@verloskundigcentrumbergweg.nl
Examination
Has your baby dropped? Today we will perform an examination to find out. It’s also a good idea to start reading about the so-called heel prick. This is a population study that involves drawing blood from the baby’s heel three days after birth to screen for a number of rare but serious conditions.
Ready to give birth!
You are now ready to give birth! But we’ll probably see you again for the 38-week checkup. Did you know that most babies are born between week 40 and 41? It’s a good idea to think about what you want to do with your maternity leave.
Information about the period after your due date
Another regular checkup. Maybe we can remove this from your calendar if your baby has already arrived! We will give you some information to prepare for the period after your due date.
The due date
Your due date has arrived! Is something stirring? Or isn’t much happening in the way of preparation in your belly? Today we discuss your options for the next few weeks: what can we do to stimulate the birth, and what are the consequences? Depending on your preferences, we’ll make a plan listing what we will and won’t do.
Waiting...
You might find yourself just waiting for something to happen… Patience is a virtue. If you decide to wait until week 42, we will perform an ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid in week 41.
You can choose to have labor induced after counseling if you wish. If you do, the amniotic fluid ultrasound will take place in the hospital.
The end is insight
The end is in sight! If you haven’t given birth yet, we will refer you to the hospital for induced labor. This was discussed this during previous checkups, of course. Did you know that only 5% of pregnancies last 42 weeks? Chances are that you are already recovering with your baby in a nearby crib.
More information
