How to Prepare for Your First Pregnancy Ultrasound
Ultrasounds provide a safe and effective way of viewing your growing baby. Read on to learn more about why they are done and what you can expect at the appointment.
There’s nothing more joyful than learning that you’re pregnant, but you likely have tons of questions, too. Every pregnancy is different of course, but many moms-to-be find themselves wondering — about whatever’s happening or however they’re feeling — is this normal?
The process of growing a baby is nothing short of miraculous. In a mere nine months (although it can sometimes feel like nine years), everything changes. You’ll be on a hormonal roller coaster, possibly ride waves of morning sickness, and happily anticipate meeting your new little sweetie.
One of your top priorities should be picking a great OB/GYN. After all, they’ll be with you throughout your pregnancy and see you through the main event: the birth of your baby.
Dr. Thomas Hatchett is a compassionate OB/GYN with 26 years of valuable experience— an unbeatable combination. His passion for providing the most advanced care combined with great warmth and care is what has earned him legions of devoted adult and tiny patients. He works closely with Brittney Barron, CNM, a nurse practitioner and certified nurse-midwife.
There’s no way to describe how pregnancy will feel if you haven’t experienced it before, especially because no two pregnancies are the same. However, every expectant mother needs to get first-rate prenatal care, starting as early as possible.
Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron balance the very real concerns of monitoring your health and your baby’s development by making sure your questions are answered and you’re at ease with this exciting life transition.
Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron will see you monthly for the majority of your pregnancy, about the first seven months. From 28-36 weeks, they will see you twice a month, and after the 36-week mark, you’ll get weekly checks, so they can carefully assess when it looks like you’ll go into labor.
The baby’s healthy development and your condition and comfort are paramount throughout your pregnancy, and Dr. Hatchett will monitor both you and the baby by:
In addition to these routine observations, Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron will perform tests in the later stages of your pregnancy that will rule out complications like gestational diabetes and other conditions, as well as testing to see if you are immune to the chickenpox, for example, and don’t have Hepatitis B or C.
Of course, if they find that you are dealing with one or more of these issues, they will make an informed decision on how best to proceed what is best for both of you, based on your medical history and condition, and evidence-based best practices.
And it should! Apart from the fact that your body is building a baby for the very first time, there are a few other helpful things to know so you aren’t surprised or even fearful about your pregnancy experience.
Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron will walk you through the cravings, the sometimes uncomfortable changes in your body — like swollen feet when you’re in your third trimester — and the utterly amazing first-time experiences you’ll be having by the week, including the first time you feel your baby move, known as quickening.
They will steer you toward the best foods for your pregnancy and tell you what to avoid, inform you that there’s a wide range of “normal” when it comes to weight gain, and calculate an accurate due date for you.
You’ll find that everyone from your mother-in-law to the person standing next to you in the elevator will have advice about how to “do” pregnancy properly. And you’ll learn that a “birth plan” can be a great thing or the biggest oxymoron there ever was.
The bottom line is that Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron will treat you and your pregnancy as special and deftly handle any surprises, which is just as it should be. You can relax and let all the unsolicited advice go as you entrust your care to Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron.
Getting prepared to have your first baby is actually a team effort. We know that you’ll be the only one having that baby, but Dr. Hatchett and Brittney Barron will see to it that the day you meet your little one is expertly orchestrated and truly blissful.
Make an appointment with us to start your first-time-mom journey by calling our office or using our easy online booking tool.
