Never was there so beautiful a moment than when my baby looked up at me for the first time. It was then that I realized I would cherish this moment forever.

At Lakeside Women's Hospital we have created a place where you can cherish and celebrate the most special moments you'll ever share. Our physicians, nurses and staff are genuinely focused on you and the birth of your baby. This is why your doctor's office is located only steps away from where you will deliver. This is why our nurses and staff are exclusively trained and devoted to women health care. This is why you will find an environment that is peaceful, private, comforting and state-of-the-art in every way.

Experience health care exclusively designed for women ... and a celebration of life.

There is clear evidence that folic acid (Folate) prevents some birth defects. The necessary daily dose of folate, 400 micrograms, is found in a woman's daily vitamin, all prenatal vitamins, and any folate supplement. Since the fetal organs will be starting to form before you'll know that you are pregnant, this vitamin should be begun when you stop using birth control, rather than waiting until you have a positive pregnancy test. In fact, many experts now recommend folate for women of childbearing age who are sexually active even if they are using contraception, since birth control methods can fail, and many pregnancies aren't really planned.

By Margaret Hall, M.D., Board Certified OB/GYN

If you're thinking about getting pregnant, or are already pregnant, taking care of your health is extremely important. One half of all pregnancies are not planned! And many women don't realize they are pregnant for at least a few weeks. So you should always take care of your health. Your baby is counting on it! Here are some tips for a healthy pregnancy.

• Take at least 1 mg of folic acid daily. Your doctor will probably prescribe a prenatal vitamin with folic acid. You can also buy over-the-counter prenatal vitamins or take a folic acid pill to get your daily dose. Taking folic acid in a pill is the best way to be sure you're getting enough. Adequate folic acid early in pregnancy can help prevent some birth defects of the baby's brain and spinal cord. Some foods rich in folic acid include: leafy green vegetables, kidney beans, orange juice, peanuts, broccoli, asparagus, peas, lentils and whole-grain products.
• Achieve a normal weight. If you're overweight, talk to your doctor about how to reach a normal weight.
• Tell your doctor if you smoke, or use alcohol or drugs. Quitting is hard, but you can do it. Ask your doctor for help.
• Get adequate rest. Try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
• Get health problems under control. Talk to your doctor about any medical issues you might have, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, so these can be controlled and monitored prior to pregnancy.
• Talk to your family about any health problems that run in the family. Genetic testing is available for certain disorders.
• Go over all medications you take (prescription, over-the-counter, herbals) with your doctor. Make sure they are safe to take during pregnancy.

How soon after a missed menstrual period can you take a home pregnancy test to get accurate results? Many home pregnancy tests (HPT's) say they are 99% accurate on the day you miss your period. But most HPT's don't consistently pick up pregnancy that early. If you can wait 5 to 7 days after your missed period, most HPT's will give you an accurate result. Ask your OB/GYN doctor for a more sensitive test if you need to know sooner.

If you have any questions for Margaret Hall, M.D. or would like to schedule an appointment with any of the physicians at Lakeside Women's Hospital, call (405) 936-1000 or 936-1100.

All information listed on this sheet has been approved by your physician to take during your pregnancy. This is a list of remedies for the more common discomforts in pregnancy. We hope you will find it helpful in solving these problems.

Click here to download a copy of these instructions and keep them in a handy place to refer to when the need arises. If the problem in not resolved by the use of these instructions, please do not hesitate to call our office at (405) 936-1000.

CONSTIPATION AND \ OR HEMORRHOIDS:
1. Increase your water intake to 8 to 10 glasses a day.
2. Add bulk to your diet in the following ways:
    A. Fresh fruit
    B. Fresh raw vegetables - salads, "munchie" vegetables such as carrots, celery and broccoli.
    C. Fiber cereals - there are many cold cereals available; oatmeal is also good.
3. Increase your general exercise such as walking - it increases you overall muscle tone.
4. Metamucil, Fibercon or Citrucel on a daily or every other day basis to help keep bowel habits regular.
5. If #4 in not effective, you many use Milk of Magnesia per the bottle directions; the tablets may be easier to take than the liquid.
6. Colace can be used daily as a stool softener.
7. You may use over the counter hemorrhoid medications as well as Tucks wipes.
8. Warm Sitz Bath

DIARRHEA:
1. Clear liquids only.
2. Avoid milk or milk products.
3. Increase your amount of fluid intake so you will stay hydrated; use Gatorade, 7-up, juices, popsicle's or water.
4. Kaopectate may be helpful; please take according to the bottle directions.
5. If your diarrhea does not resolve within 24 hours (after doing the suggestions listed above) please call our office.
6. If your diarrhea is accompanied by uterine contractions or menstrual - like cramping, PLEASE CALL.

COLDS:
1. Increase your fluid intake; especially clear fluids such as soups.
2. Sleeping with a cool mist vaporizer may facilitate sleep.
3. Increase your amount of quality rest.
4. Call our office for a temperature greater than 101 degrees fahrenheit that persists in spite of Tyienol.
5. The following over-the-counter products may be helpful:
    A. Tyienol for aches or fever, (only Extra strength or regular) Advil is safe to use up to 24 weeks.
    B. Plain Robitussin for a cough.
    C. Mucinex as directed on label.
6. Colds are usually caused by a virus. However, if symptoms persist more than several days and / or your drainage is not clear in color, your may need an antibiotic. Please call us if this occurs.

SORE THROAT:
1. Lozenges (except Zinc), Chloraseptic spray, Warm salt water gargle.

NAUSEA:
1. Turns and small frequent meals.
2. Pepcid, Sea bands, Zantac, Mylanta, Maalox, or Emetrol
3.  Raisins
4. Book - "No more morning sickness", you can purchase at Barnes & Noble bookstore for about $10.95
5. B6 50-1 OOmg, one daily
6. Standardized Ginger maximum -100 mg 1, 3 times daily
7. Ginger Snaps.

HEADACHES:
1. Tyienol - you may use extra strength or regular (no Aspirin or Ibuprofen)
2. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) - may be used up to 24 weeks.

AFTER THE FIRST TRIMESTER:
1. You may paint in a well ventilated room.
2. You may perm or color your hair (use a well ventilated room).
3. You may tan in a tanning bed.                                                           

Study okays most travel for pregnant women, offers basic safety guidelines.¹

While pregnant women should avoid trekking in Nepal, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, or visiting countries where chloroquine-resistant malaria is endemic, most travel during pregnancy is not hazardous to mother or fetus as long as certain precautions are taken, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.¹

The study evaluates a number of factors associated with foreign travel, offering basic safety guidelines on immunizations, air travel, high altitude, travellers diarrhea, and malaria. The authors, who are associated with the Tropical Medicine and International Traveler's Clinic at Yale University, make the following recommendations.

• Pregnant women should avoid live vaccines. Unsafe immunizations include: typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, measles and rubella vaccines. Safe during pregnancy: polio and tetanus boosters made form inactivated viruses, influenza immunizations (after the first trimester), and hepatitis A rabies vaccines. The risks of acquiring Hepatitis B infection are generally not associated with travel.
• Commercial flying is safe during pregnancy, but women should try to stand and walk in the aisle for at least 15 minutes an hour on longer flights, Domestic airlines will not permit pregnant women to fly after 36 weeks gestation; most foreign airlines have a 35 week limit.
• Pregnant women must take every possible precaution in avoiding contaminated water or food. Iodides should not be used for water purification , however. In the case of diarrhea, sulfa drugs and tetracyclines should be avoided as well. Oral rehydration packets (contain¬ing electrolytes and glucose) should be carried to prevent dehydration if diarrhea occurs.
• It is recommended that pregnant women not eat more than 6 ounces in a week of fish (cooked weight). This advice is for fish caught in local water. You should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. You can safely eat up to an average of 12 ounces a week of other types of fish (cooked weight) from a store or restaurant.
• Pregnant women should avoid exposure to altitudes greater than 7,000 - 9,000 feet and should refrain from extreme activities such as water skiing or scuba diving at depths greater than 18 meters (60 feet).

¹Barry M, Bia F: "Pregnancy and travel." JAMA 1989; 261 (5): 728-731.

CP126-01

A program of regular exercise while you're pregnant will improve the efficiency and health of your heart and blood vessels, will help you maintain or achieve the body weight that's best for you throughout your pregnancy, will help prevent constipation, and will help you keep an overall healthy feeling as your body copes with the physical changes that occur during these nine months.

However, you must do the right kind and amount of exercise for your health and for your baby's well-being.  The following are some general guidelines:

• The most beneficial and safest exercises to do during pregnancy are low-impact, aerobic activities (swimming, walking, and cycling are good examples).
• AVOID high-impact sports such as strenuous jogging or intense Jazzercise or high-impact aerobics.
• AVOID isometric (weight-training) activities throughout your pregnancy if your blood pressure is high.
• Always spend 5-10 minutes warming up before and 5-10 minutes cooling down after the aerobic portion of your exercise session.
• Limit the aerobic segment of your exercise session to 20 minutes.
• Keep your heart rate at 140 beats per minute or less, (or upper 2/3 of your pre-pregnancy maximum) .  Check your pulse frequently during exercise to make sure.
• For your comfort, wear a good, supportive bra and good shoes.
• Be careful not to become overheated or to lose too much body fluid, especially in warm weather.  If you get dizzy or light­headed, you may be doing too much and you should switch to a less strenuous activity. To help prevent becoming overheated, make sure your clothing is right for the w®ather and for the kind of activity you're doing.
• Your level of exercise is likely appropriate (and not excessive) if you can sing or talk while you exercise.
  

CP157

Following is a list of books that pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and other facets of this time in your life. There are, of course, many other good books about these subjects not on this list. Places you may be interested in browsing are bookstores as well as your public library system.

• A Child is Born: Lennart Nilsson
• The Amazing Newborn: Marshall Klaus
• Babyhood: Penelope Leach
• Cesarean Birth: Kathleen Mitchell and Marty Mason
• Childbirth and Marriage: Tracy Hotchner
• Complete Pregnancy and Babv Book: A Guide to Prenatal. Infant and Toddler Care: Vicky Lansky
• Expectant Fathers: Bittman and Zaik
• Having Twins: Elizabeth Noble
• How to Stay 2 When Babv Makes 3: Marsha Dorman and Diane Klein
• Infants and Mothers: Differences in Development: T. Berry Brazleton
• Make Room for Twins: Terry Pink Alexander
• Making Love During Pregnancy: Elizabeth Bing and Libby Coleman
• The Mommv Book: Karen Hull
• The Mother's Almanac II: Marguerite Kelly
• The Nature and Nurture of Twins: Bryan
• On Becoming A Family: T. Berry Brazleton
• Planning for Pregnancy. Birth & Bevond: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Pregnancy. Birth and the Early Months: Feinbloom and Forman
• Pregnancy and Childbirth: Tracy Hotchner
• Pregnancy and Work: Fitzpatrick
• Pregnant While You Work: A Practical Guide to Having a Babv and A Career: Wenda Morrone
• Preparation for Breastfeeding: Donna and Roger Ewy
• Successful Breastfeeding: A Practical Guide to Nursing Your Babv: Dana and Price
• Welcoming Your Second Babv: Vicky Lansky
• Well Pregnancy Book: Nancy and Mike Samuels
• What Every Babv Knows: T. Berry Brazleton
• What to Eat When You're Expecting: Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, and Sandee Hathaway
• What to Expect When You're Expecting: Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, and Sandee Hathaway
• Working and Caring: T. Berry Brazleton Working Pregnant: Jan Paulson
• The Working Woman's Guide to Breastfeeding: Dana and Price

The relationship between a parent and baby is enhanced and strengthened through the nurturing touch of infant massage. Studies have shown, early psychological and sensory input is a very vital step in facilitating the development for infants. Providing infant massage is a great source of tactile stimulation. Research has shown that stimulated neonates have shown to have a greater weight gain per day as well as being more alert and active.

Benefits for Baby

• Promotes loving, bonding and secure relationships
• Enhances communication between parents and baby
• Helps reduces gas and colic
• Promotes enhanced sleep
• Provides stimulation and relaxation

Benefits for Parents

Provides time to share - quality time

Improves parents ability to understand infant cues

Increases confidence in parenting and handling skills

Parents become more relaxed

Bonding

The Need For Infant Massage

The popularity for infant massage classes has been growing with parents' desire to provide the best care for their babies. Infant massage is a natural way for parents to learn about parenting and for infants to learn about being loved and honored. Infant massage is being used in many hospitals and clinics as part of parent educational programs. Many physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals are integrating infant massage into their practices.

Infant Massage Classes at Lakeside

Lakeside Women's Hospital's infant massage program is directed by Alicia Jackson, certified massage therapist and certified infant massage instructor, CIMI.

Lakeside infant massage classes are for parents, grandparents and other primary caregivers. Each class includes:

• Talk about the best time to offer massage
• What types of oils to use
• Massage definitions and techniques
• Amount of pressure to use
• How long the massage should last
• Environment and sounds

Infant massage classes are available each Monday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Lakeside offers prenatal classes taught using dolls and postnatal classes taught using actual babies. Please bring a large baby blanket and pillow for support.

To enroll in classes or to find out more about Lakeside Women's Hospital infant massage program call (405) 936-1594 or visit www.lakeside-wh.com to see the class schedule.

What is it? Ultrasound is a medical procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to “Look” inside the body. It is a diagnostic procedure that can be performed on various parts of the body.

How does it work? Ultrasound works by use of a transducer that sends a signal (sound wave) to a computer, which produces an ultrasound image.

Ultrasound imaging, also known as ultrasound scanning or sonography, is a method of obtaining images from inside the human body through the use of high-frequency sound waves. The technique is similar to the echolocation use by bats, whales and dolphins, as well as SONAR use by submarines. The sound-wave echoes are recorded and displayed as a real-time, visual image. No ionizing radiation is involved in ultrasound imaging.

There are many situations in which ultrasound is performed. Perhaps you are pregnant, and your obstetrician wants you to have an ultrasound to check on the developing baby or determine the due date. Maybe you are having a problem with blood circulation in a limb or your doctor has requested a Doppler ultrasound to look at the blood flow. Ultrasound has been a popular medical imaging technique for many years.

The ultrasound department at Lakeside Women’s Hospital is accredited by the American College of Radiology. The ACR awards accreditation to those institutions exhibiting exceptional standards of practice, as determined by a review board of physicians and physicists.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call
(405) 936-1530.

Located at 10900 Hefner Pointe Drive, Suite 501 just south of Lakeside Women's Hospital