First Prenatal Visit: Questions To Ask

The first prenatal visit is always scary and confusing. It doesn’t matter if your pregnancy is planned or not.

You feel stressed, nervous, and anxious. You know that things are going to change. Because of that, it’s essential to have prepared questions to ask during your first prenatal visit. This article will prepare you and remind you of everything essential to ask.

It’s important to relax and realize that pregnancy is natural. It can be difficult, challenging, and stressful, but it is natural. Your body was made to go through these changes, and you shouldn’t be afraid of anything.

It’s good to have a list of questions to ask before your first prenatal visit. It’s normal to forget some crucial things, so write them down. Keep in mind that it’s always better to ask your doctor for something you wish to know.

Every woman is different, and sometimes the general information we find in books and online can be wrong in some instances.

So, prepare your body and mind for your first prenatal visit and relax. Everything will be fine once you learn more about everything that is happening with your body during pregnancy.

Use every advantage of your health care. Do everything you can to avoid possible birth defects and accidents. There are no stupid questions. This is the time to be curious and well-informed about everything.

Food

One of the first questions to ask during your first prenatal visit is about food and drinks. When you’re pregnant everything you eat and drink goes to your baby too. Some foods can harm your baby, and you must avoid them.

On the other hand, some foods should be consumed more since they are good for you and your child. This is why you have to ask your doctor about this, so you don’t make any mistakes in your diet.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Certain kinds of fish have more mercury inside them, which is not good for you when you’re pregnant. Therefore, try to avoid bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, swordfish, shark, and tilefish.

Other types of fish are safe to consume. Fish has a lot of protein and healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are great for your health and your baby’s development. If you suddenly crave octopus while pregnant or clam chowder, make sure it is properly cooked.

Besides taking care of what kind of fish you’re eating, you should also avoid eating raw food like raw fish and seafood. Seafood can easily be contaminated, and that’s why it’s not recommended for pregnant women.

When being pregnant, it’s also good to avoid deli meat, unpasteurized foods, and undercooked foods. When your food is not fully cooked, it’s easier for the bacteria to get inside your body and cause a mess.

Raw sprouts are also not recommended when pregnant. It’s also important to wash your fruit and veggies, clean your food properly, and cook it well.

Finally, avoid eating unhealthy, junk, and fast food. It’s okay to eat it from time to time, especially when you’re having cravings. So if you crave Taco Bell or Hot Cheetos, go for it but in smaller quantities.

That food contains a lot of processed sugar, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients. Therefore, it’s not something that will be beneficial for pregnant women and it’s a high risk for high blood pressure. Also, it’s important to cut back on sugar in order to avoid gestational diabetes.

Caffeine

Asking about caffeine intake should also be on your list of questions for the first prenatal visit. Prenatal appointments will teach you so many amazing things about your body, but you have to be interested to learn them.

Caffeine in small doses is fine. However, you should definitely limit your daily caffeine intake to less than 200 mg.

According to some studies, too much caffeine during pregnancy can affect your baby’s development, height, and birth weight. Additionally, it can even lead to miscarriage.

So, make sure to talk about this during your first prenatal appointment, especially if you’re a coffee lover. Remember, caffeine can also be found in some other drinks. Energy drinks and sodas also have a lot of caffeine and processed sugars.

Carbonated Drinks And Juices

Carbonated drinks and store-bought juices are filled with sugar and artificial flavors. These drinks should be avoided all the time, not just when you’re pregnant.

However, since every woman pays more attention to food and drinks during pregnancy, it’s common to avoid certain things. These drinks won’t give you any nutrients or energy. Instead, you will fill yourself with unnecessary sugars. It’s not healthy for you or your baby.

Of course, drinking natural, organic, and homemade juices are something else. These types of juices will be beneficial in every way possible. I want to add that water is your best friend during pregnancy.

Prenatal Vitamins

Asking questions during your first prenatal visit can be overwhelming, but you must stay concentrated because you need the information. Your first prenatal appointment is a great time to ask about prenatal vitamins.

Some women take these even when they’re just trying to get pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are packed with everything you need to grow a healthy baby inside you.

It can be difficult to consume everything your body needs, and taking certain supplements is a great way to solve this. Prenatal vitamins will protect you and your baby.

You need more of everything when pregnant, so you shouldn’t think about not taking prenatal vitamins. Some women have experienced complications because they didn’t take any prenatal supplements.

However, there are so many things on the market. Some of them are overrated and expensive. Some of them are cheap, but they don’t work. I like to educate myself about the ingredients. That will help you to choose the right prenatal vitamins for yourself.

Unfortunately, analyzing ingredients and learning everything about them takes time, so if you’re not familiar with this topic, this would be a great question to ask during your first prenatal visit.

The doctor will give you the best suggestion, and you will feel safer and calmer when you follow the doctor’s instructions. Make sure to take your prenatal vitamin regularly and stick to the instructions.

Medications

One of the most significant questions to ask during your first prenatal visit is about medications and supplements. If you’re taking certain medications for some medical conditions,  or supplements, you have to consult with your doctor.

It’s important to avoid anything that can be potentially harmful to your child. Even if you’re not using any medication, this is still an important question to ask.

You have to know which over-the-counter medications are safe and which aren’t. In case you have a headache, a cold, or a stomach ache, you have to know what to buy.

The doctor will explain to you which drugs are safe to use and which ones you have to avoid. During your first prenatal appointment, make sure to give the doctor your entire medical history.

Many pregnant women forget about this, and it’s very important. Your healthcare provider is there to help you and answer all of your questions about the pregnancy, baby, and delivery.

Sometimes, even the smallest things are essential. So, feel free to tell your doctor everything that could be relevant.

Weight Gain

Many people think that it’s normal to gain a lot of weight during pregnancy. Actually, an average, healthy weight gain is around 22 to 28 pounds. There is no need to eat for two. You only need additional 300-400 calories when pregnant.

This is the main reason why you have to talk about it with your doctor. Your doctor will explain what the reason for weight gain is and why you shouldn’t overeat. Some women can even lose weight when pregnant.

In addition to this, I advise you to ask a question about cravings. Many pregnant women have cravings and need for certain foods or large amounts of food.

For me, this is an important question to ask during your first prenatal visit because if you understand what hormones can do to you, everything will be easier. You will know why it happens.

Asking a question about weight gain during the first prenatal appointment can also be because of your anxiety that you will gain a lot of weight. Maybe you are prone to gaining weight easily. Maybe you’re struggling with some eating disorder.

Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor what to do to avoid a lot of weight gain. A great question to ask is an example of a healthy, pregnancy diet.

Exercise

Exercising is healthy and beneficial for everyone. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. Your body will thank you if you work out regularly.

Certain exercises can help you to have an easier pregnancy or delivery. Working out is also great for mental health and energy in general. However, it’s important to talk with your doctor about this.

Even if you’re someone who exercises a lot, you have to check what’s okay and what isn’t. Your first prenatal appointment is a great moment to discuss this with your doctor in order to have a safe pregnancy.

Additionally, the doctor will help you with some suggestions for exercises that are extremely beneficial for pregnant women. So, don’t forget to add this to the list of questions to ask.

Avoiding Exercise

Sometimes your doctor will suggest avoiding exercising. That usually happens when your pregnancy is risky and you need to be careful.

If that’s the case, you have to be careful about every physical activity. You have to avoid moving too much or lifting something heavy.

It sounds hard, but you must do everything possible to have a safe pregnancy. Besides, being in bed always is not so bad, and you won’t be pregnant forever.

You can finally read all those books and watch all those movies. Use this time to rest and prepare for a new chapter in your life.

Pregnancy Symptoms

Some women feel the same when they’re pregnant and when they’re not. Some of them feel like everything is different in their minds and bodies. Both of these scenarios are perfectly normal. Every woman is unique.

During your first prenatal visit, a good question to ask is about symptoms. Ask your doctor what is normal to expect during pregnancy and what isn’t.

Of course, since there are so many normal pregnancy symptoms, it’s okay if your doctor forgets a few. Just make sure to remember those negative symptoms. It’s essential to know when to go to the doctor’s and when to stay at home. Find out more about the pregnancy symptoms during the first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.

This will help you to handle possible difficulties during pregnancy. Your knowledge is always helpful and valuable.

Tests And Appointments

It’s important to ask a question about tests and prenatal appointments during pregnancy. You need to know what to expect and what kind of things are waiting for you down the road.

This is even more important if your doctor tells you that your pregnancy is risky. You have to find out more about all the possible risks, prevention, and diagnosis.

It’s also good to ask for certain genetic tests in case you want to know more about your baby. The doctor is the person with all the answers to this.

Birth Plan

Maybe it seems early to ask a question about the birth plan during your first pregnancy visit, but trust me; it’s not. It’s important to talk with your doctor about this.

Your birth plan is something that you will create together with your doctor. It’s important to think about all the circumstances. Maybe you want something that’s not recommended.

Your doctor will give you some guidelines and rules. I would like to mention that there will probably be changes in your birth plan since you’re at the beginning of your pregnancy, but it’s good to start planning right away.

You have a lot of time to decide what kind of delivery you want. There are many options nowadays, you just have to choose something suitable for yourself.

When you decide, you have to tell your doctor. Write down your plan and ask your doctor to go with it.

Of course, if there is an emergency, your doctor might do something that’s not a part of your birth plan. That can be hard, but the most important thing is your and your baby’s safety and health.

Mental Health

Asking a question about your mental health seems unnecessary during your first prenatal appointment. However, I believe it’s important.

Some women experience significant changes during pregnancy and it’s important to know how to cope with them. Your doctor won’t have all the answers, but it’s good to ask for some suggestions.

Pregnancy is a state when your hormones are going wild. Besides, this is the time of your life when everything is changing forever. Therefore, it’s okay to feel lost, confused, and overwhelmed.

Sometimes those feelings are too much to handle and in that case, you should do something about it. You have to find a way to relax and stop thinking about certain things all the time.

You have to focus on positive things in life and you have to do what makes you happy. Taking care of your mental health is crucial to your prenatal care.

This is also important for the period after the delivery. Giving birth is something difficult, dangerous, and amazing at the same time. It’s good to work on your mental strength in case you have a hard time during birth.

Many women struggle with postpartum depression. It seems like something that can’t happen to you. Even if your pregnancy is amazing, and your delivery is easy, you can still go through this.

There are professionals who will help you with this, but I suggest working on your mindset and attitude even before birth. It could help you to fight some things more efficiently.

It’s hard to connect with your partner during and after pregnancy. You’re in a special state, and it seems impossible for your partner to understand. But, try your best. Try to open yourself up more.

Even though there are professionals who will help you through a rough patch, it’s good to have support and love from your family and partner. It’s easier to fight when you’re supported.

You should find some methods that can help with your mental state and expectations. Find something that is soothing and relaxing. We live in a stressful world, and fighting that stress is important.

Ask Whatever You Want

I gave you some basic questions to ask during your first prenatal visit, but you can ask anything you like. Every person is different and if there is something special in your life, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor.

Maybe you have a job that could be risky for you during pregnancy. In that case, explain your duties and environment, and ask your doctor if is it okay to keep working while you can, or if it’s better to stay away.

Maybe you’re someone who travels a lot. In that case, ask your doctor more about this topic. Can you travel, can you take some medications for nausea when traveling, how often can you travel, what to do if you have some medical problems when traveling, etc.

It’s good to ask questions about sexual intercourse. Many people think engaging in them during pregnancy is forbidden, but that’s not true. However, it’s still important to ask if you have certain health issues. Maybe your pregnancy is risky and you should avoid this for now.

We live in a world of beauty and procedures. If you’re someone who likes to visit beauty salons, it’s good to ask your doctor about this. Maybe some of the procedures and chemicals are not good for pregnant women.

So, ask whatever you want. Even if you have a question that seems silly, don’t worry, and ask your doctor about it. It’s okay to not know about some things. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Good Prenatal Care

Your first prenatal appointment is very important. If you feel uncomfortable, it’s okay to change your doctor. You’re starting a new journey in your life, and it’s important that you feel good and protected.

There will be many prenatal visits and it’s important to have a doctor that is trustworthy, reliable, and helpful. So, if your first prenatal visit goes bad, don’t hesitate to change your doctor.

Being pregnant is hard, and there is no need to feel insecure about something. You have every right to ask for another doctor. After all, it’s your pregnancy and your child. You deserve to have the best treatment.

You deserve to feel comfortable and safe during these nine months. You’re the one who matters right now.

Conclusion

The first prenatal visit and questions to ask will make you nervous. You don’t know what to expect and you’re scared. It doesn’t matter if this is a planned pregnancy or not, you still have many things to learn.

It’s good to explore on your own and read about pregnancy, childbirth, and everything else connected to these things. However, it’s essential to follow your doctor’s suggestions and follow the rules of medical care.

As I’ve said, if you’re not satisfied with your doctor, it’s okay to see another one. You just have to find your way of going through all of this. Becoming pregnant is a major thing in every woman’s life.

It’s something life-changing, challenging, and risky. Your mindset will change. Your body will change. Pregnancy is not easy.

This article will help you to organize your thoughts. You will know what matters and you will feel more confident and stable. I just want you to know that everything is going to be okay. You’re strong enough to handle everything.

Take some time to pull yourself together, because there is no need to feel stressed and anxious for too long. Your first prenatal visit will calm you down, just make sure you come prepared.