30 brief prenatal care measures

1. Supplement 0.4-0.8 mg of folic acid every day from 3 months before pregnancy to 3 months after pregnancy. If there is a risk of folic acid metabolism, follow the doctor’s advice to increase the amount.

2. Count fetal movements 3 times a day, 1 hour each time. ≥3 times per hour is normal. If the fetal movement suddenly decreases or increases, seek medical attention promptly.

3. During the second and third trimester of pregnancy, you should mainly lie on your left side. When you are tired, switch to the right side. Do not lie down for more than 15 minutes.

4. Pregnant mothers with a standard weight should control their weight gain during pregnancy to 11.5-16kg. If they are too thin or too fat, they can be adjusted appropriately according to the doctor’s advice.

5. Supplement calcium until the end of lactation. Drink 300-500ml of pure milk every day. If the intake is insufficient, take additional calcium supplements.

6. Take iron supplements with vitamin C. Do not take it with milk or tea to avoid affecting absorption.

7. There are no absolute taboos. You can eat foods that you are not allergic to. Raw meat and alcoholic foods are absolutely prohibited.

8. For pregnant mothers with normal blood sugar, it’s okay to eat milk tea and cakes 1-2 times a week, just don’t overdo it.

9. Drink 1500-2000ml warm water every day, do not use milk tea or sweet drinks instead

10. Choose loose-fitting pure cotton underwear. You can change to maternity underwear in the second trimester. Do not tighten your breasts.

11. Wash the vulva with warm water every day, do not use private lotion, and change underwear frequently

12. If your body allows, walk on flat ground for 30-40 minutes every day, without deliberately climbing stairs.

13. Do not lift heavy objects or high enough objects to avoid stress on the abdomen.

14. Pregnant mothers who have long-term exercise habits before pregnancy can continue to do yoga and swimming during the second trimester, but do not do jumping movements.

15. NT will be done at 11-13+6 weeks, Tang screening/non-invasive surgery will be done at 16-20 weeks, and glucose tolerance and major abnormalities will be done at 24-28 weeks. Don’t miss the time.

16. There is no need to cut off sugar deliberately for the first 3 days of glucose tolerance, just eat normally to avoid inaccurate results.

17. After 28 weeks, have a prenatal check-up every 2 weeks, and after 36 weeks, do a weekly check-up. Don’t be lazy.

18. You can start learning the Lamaze Breathing Technique around 34 weeks, which can relieve labor pain during normal delivery.

19. Don’t sit for long periods of time during the third trimester of pregnancy. Get up and stand for 5 minutes every hour to avoid edema.

20. If you have edema, you can raise your legs by 15-20cm. Don’t eat too salty food and don’t deliberately drink less water.

21. If you have signs of stretch marks (itchy belly, red fine lines), you can apply body lotion/pregnancy oil. The main function is to moisturize. Don’t believe the claims that it can completely eliminate stretch marks.

22. Pubic bone pain can be relieved a lot by placing a pregnancy pillow between your legs and wearing an abdominal belt when standing.

23. Do not touch your belly in circles for a long time, especially for pregnant mothers who are at risk of contractions and premature birth.

24. It’s normal to have mood swings during pregnancy. Cry if you want. Don’t hold it in. Talk to family and friends more often.

25. Do not travel alone during the third trimester of pregnancy. Carry your prenatal checkup book and mobile phone with you when you go out.

26. Pack up the maternity bag before 34 weeks, put it in a conspicuous place, start it and carry it away.

27. Go to the hospital immediately if redness, water rupture, and regular uterine contractions occur (pain once every 5 minutes, lasting more than 30 seconds each time)

28. If your water breaks, don’t stand and walk. Lie down with your butt elevated and call an ambulance to go to the hospital.

29. Discuss with your family in advance who will be the decision-maker during the birth to avoid confusion of opinions at the time.

30. Don’t believe the saying “a smooth birth must be smooth if it’s good”. Follow your doctor’s advice and choose the most appropriate delivery method.

In fact, the original intention of compiling these 30 items is that I have seen too many pregnant mothers who are made anxious by the miscellaneous information on the Internet. Sometimes they are afraid that eating the wrong things will affect their babies, and sometimes they are afraid that they will not be able to give birth if they do not exercise enough. Pregnancy is already tiring enough, so there is really no need to make it so complicated.

When it comes to food, we have to mention the taboos that everyone is most concerned about. Many people say that you cannot eat crabs, ice, or spicy food during pregnancy. In fact, from the perspective of evidence-based Western medicine, as long as you are not allergic to these foods before and do not have gastrointestinal discomfort after eating them, you can eat them in moderation. Only raw meat and alcohol-containing foods are absolutely prohibited. Of course, the views of traditional Chinese medicine are also reasonable. If you have a constitution that is deficient in the spleen and stomach and causes diarrhea when you eat cold foods, then it is indeed safer to eat less cold foods. You can choose according to your own situation, and you don’t have to listen to anyone’s advice. I once had a pregnant mother who couldn't bear to eat hot pot for 5 months during her pregnancy. Finally, she secretly ate a very spicy meal. After eating it, she felt so guilty that she came to ask me. I told her that as long as she didn't have diarrhea or discomfort, it was completely fine. Her eyes lit up at that time.

There is also the matter of exercise. The popular idea of ​​"climbing stairs to aid in natural delivery" really confused a lot of people. Last month, there was a 38-week pregnant mother who climbed 20 floors a day in order to open her fingers faster. After climbing for three days, her knees were swollen with fluid and she also had frequent contractions. When she came to the emergency department, she was so scared that she cried. In fact, our clinical practice never recommends pregnant mothers to climb stairs. Not only does it put a lot of pressure on the knee joints, but if you have a low-lying placenta and a history of premature birth, it will increase the risk. Just walking slowly on the ground for 30 minutes is better than anything else. If you have exercise habits before pregnancy, you can also swim or do gentle yoga during the second trimester. Just don't do jumping or abdominal-stressing movements. If you are really too lazy to move, standing more at home and walking is better than sitting for a long time. There is really no need to force yourself to complete any exercise KPI.

There are also many pregnant mothers asking about pregnancy oil. To be honest, this thing is really not a panacea. When I was pregnant with my girl, I started applying thousands of imported pregnancy oils from the third month of pregnancy. In the end, I still had three fine lines on my belly. 70% of stretch marks depend on heredity and your skin elasticity. Applying oil can only moisturize and relieve dry and itchy skin, and can reduce the probability of getting stretch marks, but it really cannot be prevented 100%. Don’t believe the “zero wrinkles” propaganda promoted by merchants. It’s purely IQ-based. In fact, the effect of using ordinary body lotion and olive oil is almost the same.

By the way, there is also the matter of belly touching. Many expectant fathers like to touch the pregnant mother’s belly to interact with the baby, and they also like to touch in circles. You really need to pay attention to this. Especially in the third trimester of pregnancy, frequent circling and touching the belly can easily stimulate uterine contractions. Pregnant mothers at risk of premature birth should avoid this. If you want to touch the belly, just touch it gently from top to bottom a few times. Don't rub it back and forth. Last week, a 36-week pregnant mother came for a prenatal check-up and said that her stomach has been tight recently. After asking for a long time, she found out that her husband touched her belly for 10 minutes every night and talked in circles. Not long after the change, she said that the contractions were much less.

In fact, there are really no standard answers to prenatal care. These 30 items are also a reference for everyone. For example, if you really can’t drink pure milk, you can drink sugar-free yogurt or eat cheese slices to supplement calcium. You don’t have to force yourself to follow the rules. If you are really unsure about something, ask your obstetrician or nurse directly. Don’t blindly search for folk remedies on the Internet, which are more reliable than anything else.