CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PREGNANCY!!!!
Pregnancy is a unique and exciting experience. You will notice many changes in your body as your pregnancy progresses, and you will have many questions. We will go over any specific questions you may have when you come in for your routine appointments. You should call anytime that you have any concerns or problems between appointments. This packet will give you some general information about pregnancy and introduce you to our practice and how it works.
Dr. Byrke Beller, Dr. Richard Beyerlein, Dr. Julie Haugen and Dr. Tamara Stenshoel all share “on call” coverage. They share a similar philosophy about the quality of care you deserve. All of the physicians have privileges at Sacred Heart hospital. In addition, Dr. Beller and Dr. Beyerlein have privileges at McKenzie Willamette hospital. This means that you have freedom to decide where you would like to deliver based on your doctor. The nurses at both hospitals are caring, supportive and specially trained in obstetrics.
The nurses here at Pacific Women’s Center are available to assist the doctors at the time of your appointments, answer your phone calls and provide current information regarding your pregnancy. They are an excellent resource for you should questions or complications arise.
We see patients in the office Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00am. Please check with your nurse for your specific doctor’s hours. There is always a doctor available daily in case of an emergency.
SUGGESTIONS FOR TREATING NAUSEA AND VOMITING IN PREGNANCY
Nausea and vomiting have long been recognized as a sign/symptom of early pregnancy. Statistics vary, but from 60-85% of all women experience some degree of nausea. Textbooks suggest 6-16 weeks as the most common time frame for symptoms, although a low percentage of women experience nausea and vomiting throughout the entire pregnancy.
Although commonly called “morning sickness,” the symptoms are not limited to morning and can come in the late afternoon and evening as well as all day. Hypersensitivity to odors often contributes to the nausea.
The following suggestions may be helpful:
TIMING OF MEALS
Eating small, frequent meals (every 2-3 hours) is helpful instead of three large ones, because you are more likely to feel nauseated when your stomach is empty. Think of this as “grazing.” Avoid eating and drinking at the same time. Save fluids until an hour or so after you have eaten something solid. If you dell like eating a regular meal, be sure you don’t overeat.
FOODS TO AVOID
Fats and greasy foods tend to upset the stomach. Avoid fried foods and foods cooked with grease, oils of high fat meats. Limit of avoid butter, margarine, gravy, bacon, oils, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and pastries. Highly seasoned foods such as those cooked with garlic, onion, chili and other spices may upset your stomach. Eat lightly seasoned foods. You may need to avoid fast-food restaurants for a while.
FOODS TO TRY
Think of what appeals to you at the moment. Sometimes it helps to run through a list of adjectives to determine what sound good. For example: “Salty” (chips/pretzels); “tart/sour” (pickles, lemonade); “earthy” (brown rice, mushroom soup); “crunchy” (celery stocks, fresh apple); “bland” (mashed potatoes, custard); “soft” (bread, noodles); sweet (cake, sugary cereal); fruity (juices, popsicles); wet (juice, seltzer); dry (crackers).
It is helpful to keep these things on hand so that you can satisfy your craving immediately. A nutritious diet is important in pregnancy, but breaking the cycle of nausea and vomiting is important too. When the nausea has subsided, fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods will sound good.
ROUTINE LABORATORY TEST DURING PREGNANCY
The following tests are performed at your first prenatal visit:
Blood Tests: to determine your blood type and Rh and antibodies
To test for Anemia, Syphilis, German measles immunity, Hepatitis B infection, HIV
Urine tests: to test for protein, sugar or infection
Vaginal Tests: to check for infection, Pap smear (if it is due)
At 16-18 weeks: Blood Test
Triple Screen as described in this information sheet, if you choose.
At 24-28 weeks:Test repeated for anemia
Glucola test to rule out gestational diabetes
At 28 weeks: Repeat antibody screening test for Rh negative women
At 36 weeks: Group B strep culture
MEDICATIONS FOR PREGNANCY
Although it is best not to take any medications during your pregnancy, there may be times when medications are necessary for the relief of certain common conditions. This is a list of “over-the-counter” medications that are considered relatively safe for use in pregnancy. TAKE ALL MEDICATIONS AS DIRECTED, AND DO NOT EXCEED MAZIMUM DAILY DOSAGE. If the condition for which you are taking medication does not improve in 1 or 2 doses, call your physician to discuss the condition.
UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS:
Benalyn
Robitussin
Dimetapp
Sudafed
Actifed (after first trimester)
Chloroseptic
Vick’s Vapor Rub
Hall’s or Vick’s Cough Drops
FEVER:
Tylenol
HEADACHE:
Tylenol
DIARRHEA:
Kaopectate
Immodium
CONSTIPATION:
Metamucil
Citracal
Milk of Magnesia
Colace
Surfak
HEMORRHOIDS:
Preparation H
Anusol
Tucks
Diaper Wipes
NAUSEA:
Emetrol
INDIGESTION:
Tums
Mylanta
Maalox
Rolaids
OB POLICY AND PROCEDURES DURING LABOR GUIDELINES
The physicians at Pacific Women’s Center, LLC want you to have an informative and pleasurable labor and delivery experience. They would like to be notified when you believe you are in labor. Please call if you are experiencing any of the following:
Contractions every 5 minutes lasting for 1 minute AND continuing 1 hour or more. Contractions are measured from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next
Your bag of water breaks (A large gush of clear fluid or continuous leaking of fluid for several hours)
If you believe you are otherwise going into labor
Contact our office during the day at 541-342-8616. The office staff will page your physician or the physician on-call who will then call you back with instructions.
After office hours page your physician with the pager number provided to you by your doctor. Please be sure to DISCONNECT any caller ID restrictions whenever you are expecting a call from our office including the page from your physician. (You can disconnect your caller identification restriction by pressing *87 and to turn is back on you would press *77).
If you have paged your physician directly and not received a call within 10-20 minutes, please call the office line for assistance or follow any individual instructions provided you by your physician.
As with ANY emergency or urgent condition, if you have received no response from a physician and you believe that you should be seen, go directly to the hospital to be evaluated.
The physicians recognize that this is an important time in your life. They will make every attempt to follow your anticipated plans for the labor and delivery experience. However, there may be times when the physician will need to instruct you to present to an alternate hospital than the original one chosen. This typically happens when they must coordinate the care of multiple patients and need to arrange a common location. This may occur at either Sacred Heart Medical Center or McKenzie Willamette Hospital.
