OB Pre-Natal Care
Weeks 9-12
Your next doctor’s visit is usually scheduled within four weeks of your first visit to check on you and your baby’s growth. Expect your healthcare provider to check your weight, blood pressure, and any other screening tests through a urine sample, blood draw, or ultrasound. Some tests can even tell you what your baby’s gender is at around nine weeks into your pregnancy. You may feel some symptoms of nausea and vomiting, or what is commonly called Morning Sickness. Keep reading to learn a few tips and tricks that can help you figure out what to eat during this time.
Developmental Milestones
- My Baby: At ten weeks, your baby is about the size of a grape. They can make a fist with their hands and move their legs. Their fingernails and toenails are starting to grow.
- My Body: You may feel constipated from taking your prenatal vitamins, but it is important that you keep taking them. Towards the end of this period, your appetite may start to increase as well.
Nutrition Needs
Morning Sickness
Morning Sickness, or the queasy feeling that sometimes leads to vomiting during the first few weeks of your pregnancy, has been linked to the rapid hormone changes happening within your body. While “Morning Sickness” makes it seem as though you should only feel ill in the first few hours of the day, feelings of nausea and vomiting can come at any point throughout the day. These sensations usually last during the first three months of pregnancy before tapering off in your second and third trimesters. Some tips to help you manage these feelings are:
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- Take your prenatal vitamins with food.
- Aim for six small meals throughout the day.
- Stay hydrated with infused water or smoothies.
- Eat and drink food and beverages that are cold.
- Keep snacks on hand for when hunger strikes throughout the day.
- Bland, easy-to-digest foods like crackers, toast, bananas, or applesauce can be great options when feeling nauseated.
*Severe or persistent nausea and vomiting can lead to dehydration and should be discussed with your doctor.
Safe Foods to Eat
What you eat during pregnancy can affect how you feel and can even prevent you from feeling sick to your stomach. Making safe choices about what you eat is extra important during this time. Some safety tips to prevent getting sick are:
- Cook all foods completely to avoid any raw or undercooked pieces. Raw foods can harbor bacteria, viruses, or parasites that lead to foodborne illnesses.
- Avoid fish high in mercury, like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Foods high in mercury can pass through the placenta and can harm your developing baby’s nervous system.
- Choose juice, milk, or cheeses that are pasteurized and have been treated to protect you from harmful germs.
- Avoid leaving food outside the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. Leaving food in the Temperature Danger Zone, or between 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for over 2 hours, increases the risk of causing a foodborne illness.
Recommended Recipes
Family Engagement Activity
- Fish offers a variety of beneficial nutrients, such as protein, omega-3 fats, Vitamin D, and calcium, to name a few. Consider making fish a regular part of your diet by including 2-3 4oz servings a week to meet your nutrient needs.
- For more information on eating fish during pregnancy, check out the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Advice About Eating Fish handout.
Caregiver's Corner
1st Trimester Screenings
Dr. Shad Deering is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine physician at CHRISTUS Children’s who shares what to expect during your pregnancy screenings at your doctor’s visits.
- To figure out your estimated due date (EDD), your provider may ask what the first day of your last period was. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, look at a calendar and write down when you think it could have been.
- Often, your provider will also conduct an ultrasound exam to confirm your estimated due date. An ultrasound produces an image of your baby with the help of sound waves. You can see your baby as he develops when the sound waves are directed in a specific spot using the transducer or wand. Once the estimated due date is figured out, it is unlikely to change very much.
- In addition to an ultrasound, your provider may also complete a Pap smear test to assess for cervical cancer and a blood draw or urine sample to check for any bacterial infection that could be concerning to you and your baby.
- Your healthcare team will decide which tests are best to perform depending on your medical history. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your care process throughout your pregnancy.
