Pregnancy Health care for women
Obstetricians are doctors who have specialized training to care for our patients through their pregnancy and childbirth. Health Care for Women appreciates the care you have taken in choosing an Obstetrician to take care of you for this journey. We have 3 Obstetricians on staff, as well as a Certified Nurse Midwife and a Nurse Practitioner to help you on your individual experience. We have included some information to help you through each phase of your pregnancy, so please take a look but always feel free to ask questions! You can make a list of your questions to talk to your care provider at your appointments or send us a message on our patient portal, or for urgent needs please feel free to call the office.
First Trimester
The first trimester is the period of time from conception to 13 weeks. This is a time of SO many changes! You may feel great and excited, or you may be feeling tired, sick, and hormonal. There are apps for pregnancy that we have listed for you, but feel free to find one that works for you. We have attached some information to help answer some of your questions and concern during this first trimester.
Second Trimester
The second trimester is the period from 13 weeks to 28 weeks. Hopefully, if you have been feeling ill, that will begin to get better. This is the phase where you will feel your baby’s movements at around 20 weeks gestation, so it’s very exciting but also a time of so many changes! We have attached some information to help answer some of your questions during this second trimester.
This is also the time to start thinking about Prenatal Classes and registering for them. They fill up fast so we recommend planning ahead! the Family Birthing Center page on Kootenai Health’s site gives some good information, a virtual tour, and the place to sign up for different classes.
Third Trimester
The third trimester is 28 weeks till birth. It probably feels at this point that the time has flown by! This trimester usually has the most questions! We have attached some information to help answer some of your questions during this third trimester.
Cesarean Section Delivery
Cesarean section is needed to safely deliver a baby in about 20% of pregnant women. This is performed in an operating room. Anesthesia is necessary and usually is either via regional (epidural or spinal) techniques. In emergencies, general anesthesia (being put asleep) may be required. With regional anesthetics, the pregnant mother is made numb from the upper abdomen to her toes. Before making the abdominal incision to deliver her baby, the skin is tested to make sure pain is not present. Typically a low abdominal (bikini) incision is made and the baby is delivered followed by the placenta. The incised tissues and lastly the skin are closed with absorbable sutures to complete the surgery. A bandage is placed on the incision when surgery is over. The typical hospital stay is 1-2 days.
Post Partum
It may be hard to believe that childbirth is over and that this baby is really yours. The postpartum period can be a time of joy and happiness, but it also can bring fatigue and sometimes sadness. If you know what is happening to your body and emotions, you can better face the ups and downs of the first few months of being a mom.