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| We have helped many thousands of families from South Florida and from around the world have healthy pregnancies, wonderful delivery experiences, and an easy transition into parenting. Whether you are pregnant, are trying to become pregnant, or merely have started thinking about the possibilities of raising a family, we are here for you. |
| CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASSES |
| Whether you are our patient or not, we invite you to take part in our childbirth education program offered in cycles every several weeks. Taught by our Certified Nurse Midwife Irene Besser, the class is a series of 3 interactive sessions each Wednesday evening from 6:30pm-8:30pm at our office. |
| We feel it is ideal to start the class between 24-32 weeks of pregnancy, and is intended for couples. The pregnant woman is a must, but her partner can be whomever she wishes: her husband, boyfriend, partner, parent, friend, etc. It is helpful to have the companion be someone intending to be present at the birth. The basic curriculum is as follows: |
| First Session |
| Coping with the 2nd half of pregnancy: what to expect The process of labor The delivery experience Vaginal deliveries & c-sections |
| Second Session |
| Pain management: medicines, epidurals, etc. Natural pain control & breathing techniques Preparing for labor & the hospital |
| Third Session |
| Caring for your newborn Breastfeeding Returning to normal physically, emotionally & sexually |
| Cost is $100 for existing patients at the Miami Center of Excellence for Obstetrics & Gynecology, $125 for non-patients. |
| HOW MANY MONTHS PREGNANT AM I? |
| Your due date is calculated as 40 weeks from the first day of your last period, which is 10 months, not 9 months! So, we will always tell you the number of weeks along you are, not the number of months. |
| I’M PREGNANT… NOW WHAT?? |
| Once you believe you are pregnant, please call our office for an appointment. We will see you as soon as possible to confirm your pregnancy, help determine your due date, and explain the do’s and don’ts of pregnancy. We will have you back for a sonogram to see your baby’s heartbeat, and schedule your New OB visit! |
| Your New OB visit is the time when we perform a complete physical examination and obtain a number of blood tests. We prefer this to be done at about 10 weeks because the accuracy improves in testing some of your hormone levels. |
| When you are about 12 weeks along, we perform a sonogram in the office for a test called the Ultrascreen. This is a screening test for Down Syndrome and certain other types of chromosome (genetic) problems. It is covered by your insurance, and allows 95% sensitivity in detecting these issues, and in giving you peace of mind. It has no risk, and also allows you another opportunity to see your baby! Best of all, you will have your results of the test before you leave the office. Currently, we are the only office in South Florida offering this highly specialized, advanced test. The test is offered to all women, though women over 35 years of age are at an increased risk for chromosome problems. In the past, many of these women underwent risky invasive procedures, such as amniocentesis, to test the chromosomes. And while this is an option to every pregnant woman, the risk-free, non-invasive Ultrascreen is our choice for a first step. |
| Your visits thereafter are usually about ever 4 weeks. |
| At 16 weeks, we perform a blood text from mom for certain types of spinal birth defects in the baby. We also order your anatomy ultrasound. This sonogram is not performed in our office, but rather by the specialists nearby. Here, the radiologist carefully reviews your baby’s anatomy, and can tell you if you are having a boy or girl, if you wish to know. |
| Between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, all pregnant women are screened for gestational diabetes. This requires drinking a sugary drink, and one hour later having your blood sugar tested. |
| At approximately 30 weeks, if your insurance will allow, we perform another ultrasound to make sure your baby is growing properly. We may also be able to give you a free 3D picture of your baby, and discuss the 3D/4D ultrasound packages we offer. Your visits will now become every 2-3 weeks until 36 weeks, when they become weekly. We often repeat an ultrasound at 36 weeks to estimate the baby’s weight, and to make sure the baby is in position head down. We also perform testing for a bacteria called beta-strep (or GBS). If positive, you will be treated with an antibiotic in labor. We check your cervix at this visit and then every week thereafter. |
| WHAT IS A NURSE MIDWIFE? |
| A Certified Nurse Midwife is a nurse who undergoes extensive specialized training in pregnancy, delivery, and women’s health. A midwife does many of the things your obstetrician does, and can even assist in c-sections if needed. Your midwife is well equipped to care for you in labor, and often stays with you through the entire labor & delivery process. If you feel you would like to try laboring in a “natural” way, without pain medications and with as few interventions as possible, your midwife can help you prepare and help you through the actual process in labor. Your midwife will also care for you should you decide you want pain medication, and even in higher risk, more complicated situations in collaboration with the obstetrician. Our practice feels strongly that pregnancy is a normal process, but your midwife is trained to quickly identify any medical problems that may arise. |
To understand more about midwifery care, schedule an appointment! Also, visit www.myMidwife.org. |
| NAUSEA IN PREGNANCY |
| EXERCISE IN PREGNANCY |
| Yes, you can (and should) exercise in pregnancy! Unless you are palgued by particular pregnancy problems we will discuss with you, pregnant women who exercise will usually feel better, have easier deliveries, and an easier time postpartum. Please click this link: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp119.cfm |
| HOW YOUR BABY GROWS |
| Please click this link: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp156.cfm |
| BACK PAIN IN PREGNANCY |
| Back pain is one of the most common problems in pregnancy. As your center of gravity changes with your growing belly, the small muscles of your back start working overtime just to keep you standing upright. This leads to muscle pain & strain, and compression of some nerves such as the sciatic. If your pain is troublesome enough, we can refer you to a talented chiropractor who cares for many of our patients during pregnancy. You might also consider a visit to the Sky and Sea Spa in our office for a pregnancy massage. For more information on back pain, please click this link: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp115.cfm |
| WHAT TO PREPARE FOR THE HOSPITAL |
| SHOULD WE BANK CORD BLOOD? |
| In our opinion, yes you definitely should. The blood in the baby’s umbilical cord contains some special cells, called stem cells. These are plain blood cells that can change to develop into any type of cell in the body. One analogy is to say it is a plain vanilla cell that can become chocolate, strawberry, mint chip, or any flavor you can imagine! These cells can be used for baby, sibling, even potentially mom or dad to treat a variety of diseases. As each day goes by, there are more and more diseases added to this list. It is estimated that 1 in 25 people will have some use for cord blood. Though the science of cord blood treatment is at its infancy, it is being studied and used not only for the treatment of blood problems such as leukemia, but also for serious medical conditions like heart attack, cerebral palsy, brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, juvenile diabetes, autism, and the list goes on. |
| You have one opportunity to save this blood, and that is at birth. Otherwise, the blood from the cord is literally thrown into the trash. While banking your child’s cord blood is certainly another expense, it provides an unbelievably valuable resource should you need it. Think about the other expenses you make. Some people spend thousands of dollars on a crib that the baby will only sleep in for a year or two. |
| We feel so strongly that we can honestly say there is no way we would have a baby and not collect the cord blood. If we feel so strong about it for our own family, how can we not emphatically recommend it for you? |
| The three companies we believe you should consider are: |
| Cord Banc, USA www.cordbanc.com |
| CBR (Cord Blood Registry) www.cordblood.com |
| Viacord www.viacord.com |
| WHAT ARE ALL THE TESTS I’LL UNDERGO DURING MY PREGNANCY? |
| FREQUENT CONCERNS OF PREGNANCY |
| STEPHANIE’S “GOOD READS FOR MOMMIES” |
| WE CAN ANSWER YOUR EVERY QUESTION! |
| While we prefer you get your pregnancy information from us, we realize that there are times when you cannot ask us directly. Take everything you are told by friends and family with a grain of salt. There are many myths in pregnancy, and it is easy to become overwhelmed. Also, be wary of what you read on the internet. However, there is one site we can count on for being consistently accurate (besides ours!). |
| For an extensive library of free, helpful information on a variety of topics pertaining to your pregnancy and women’s health, please click the following link for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/ |