OB FAQs How is my due date calculated? Your due date is 40 weeks for the first day of your last menstrual period. However, a full term pregnancy lasts from 37 to 42 weeks. Therefore, it is more appropriate to think about a "Due Month." Ultrasound can be very useful in determining an accurate due date. But remember, only your physician can change your due date. Can I take hot baths or use a hot tub? Yes. There is no data that either baths or hot tubs are harmful. However, like so many other things during your pregnancy, keep things in moderation. Can I get highlights, dye my hair or get my nails done? Yes, again there is no medical evidence that any of these things is harmful to your pregnancy in any way. Is exercise safe during pregnancy? Yes. Exercise is safe during pregnancy and should not be avoided. However, there are a few considerations that need to be kept in mind. Your center of balance is constantly changing and you will need to be more careful with physical activity. Also, prolonged periods of time standing should be avoided. As your uterus grows, it will place more pressure on the large blood vessels that leave and enter your heart. The best activity for pregnant women is swimming. Other good activities for pregnant women include walking and stationary biking. Exercise reduces such discomforts as backache, constipation, fatigue and bloating. Exercise promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance. This is especially helpful for labor. Are any medications safe to take while I’m pregnant? Yes, there are. Follow the label on the medication for dosage instructions. Allergy and Colds Benadryl Sudafed Tylenol sinus Pain and Discomfort Tylenol Cough Robitussin Heartburn and Indigestion Mylanta Pepcid AC Maalox Zantac Tums Tagamet Rolaids Constipation Metamucil – If no relief, Pericolace Generic substitutes are acceptable Can I travel while I’m pregnant? Travel during pregnancy is okay but this is a situation where common sense should prevail. Flying across the country when you are 38 weeks pregnant probably is not a good idea unless you want your baby to have a California birth certificate. Long drives should be broken up so that you can get out of the car every two to three hours and walk. This will help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Can I work while I’m pregnant? Working during pregnancy is usually not a problem and most women can work until delivery. However, if you have any special concerns, please call. What is a labor attendant? Most women throughout the world have used a labor attendant during childbirth. This is not a new concept and dates back to the earliest days of mankind. The ancient Greeks called their assistants "doula." This term is used by women who are trained labor assistants. Pam Martin (330-707-9108) is the only certified doula that I am aware of in this area. Please feel free to contact her for your use during pregnancy. Should I breast or bottle- feed? Breastfeeding provides the right amount of all nutrients and contains antibodies that help protect baby from disease. Breastfed babies tend to be less constipated and have fewer infections and allergies. It is free, always available and requires no preparation or cleanup. Breastfeeding is good for the mother, too. The baby’s sucking releases hormones that contract the uterus, helping it return to its normal size more quickly. Breastfeeding burns calories, therefore you will lose any extra weight you gained quicker. Bottlefeeding allows more versatility when it comes to who is feeding the baby. Bottle fed babies tend to go longer between feedings. It is possible to measure exactly how much your baby is getting at each feeding. There are different types of formula to meet each baby’s needs. Whichever you choose, the decision should be based on what is going to be best for you and your baby. Is sex safe during pregnancy? As long as there are no problems with the pregnancy the answer is yes. As the pregnancy progresses you may have to find new positions that are comfortable. What about birth control after delivery? There are several forms of contraception available to you and your partner. Before choosing a method you should consider how well the method works, how likely you are to use it, how safe it is, how much it is going to cost and how well it will fit into your lifestyle. Each method of birth control has benefits and side effects. There is hormonal birth control in the form of a pill or injection. The pill is safe and highly effective when taken each day. For most women, the risk of serious complications is small and less than that from pregnancy and childbirth. The pill may pose a risk for women older than 35 who smoke heavily. Birth control pills help protect against certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the ovary and endometrium (lining of the uterus). The menstrual period is usually lighter and easier to predict. The woman also has to remember to take the pill every day at relatively the same time. The other type of hormonal therapy, the injection, provides birth control for 3 months. So a woman only needs four injections each year. During the time that the injection is effective, you don’t have to do anything else to prevent pregnancy. The draw back is that it can’t be withdrawn or stopped in the middle of the cycle. In the beginning the woman may have break through bleeding or irregular bleeding. Often the woman will not have a period at all. Another method of birth control is the intrauterine device or IUD. The IUD is a small, plastic device that contains copper or hormones. It is inserted and left inside the uterus for up to 10 years. The IUD is probably not a good choice for women who have not had any children because of the relatively small size of the uterus. None of these forms of birth control will protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, in women who have more than one sexual partner or whose partner also has another partner, a barrier method would be more beneficial. Barrier methods include the diaphragm, cervical cap, condom (male and female), and spermicides. The diaphragm is a round rubber dome that fits inside the woman’s vagina and covers her cervix. The cervical cap is a small rubber cup that fits over the cervix and stays in place by suction. The male condom is a thin sheath made of latex or animal membrane worn by the man over his penis. Latex condoms help protect against sexually transmitted diseases. The female condom is a thin plastic pouch that lines the vagina, held in place by a closed inner ring by the cervix and an open outer ring at the opening of the vagina. Spermicides are chemicals that kill sperm. They are placed in the vagina close to the cervix. They include creams, jellies, suppositories, and films. Spermicides are used in combination with these methods to further lower the risk of pregnancy. Barrier methods must be used each time you have sex to be effective. This requires some planning and limits spontaneity. Finally there is sterilization for those couples that are positive they do not want any more children. For women, this is called tubal ligation. This is a surgery usually performed under general anesthesia. The fallopian tubes are closed by tying, banding, clipping, or cutting them or by sealing them with electric current. For men the procedure is called a vasectomy. The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia in the doctor’s office or a clinic. A vasectomy involves clamping, cutting, and sealing the tubes that carry sperm to the penis. Sterilization is meant to be a permanent form of birth control. If there is a chance you may want to have a baby later, you should not choose this method. Abstinence is the only method 100% effective. Dr. DeSalvo will answer any questions you may have and help you make a decision on what method is going to be best for you. Finally, our goal is to have a healthy and safe pregnancy, please call the office 24 hours a day with any concerns that you might hav