Keeping tabs on your baby’s growth is exciting, especially when you have a helpful growth chart to follow. Keep a bag packed towards the end of your pregnancy and have important phone numbers handy ahead of time.
Phone numbers and addresses to have on hand
Be prepared for your baby’s arrival (or in case you have questions or concerns during your pregnancy) by printing this list and filling out the information. Keep this list in your purse or on the fridge for easy access.
Your practitioner:
Name ______________________
Phone number ________
Address ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Your pediatrician:
Name ______________________
Phone number ________
Address ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Hospital or birthing center:
Name ______________________
Phone number ________
Address ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Consultant (ultrasound, internist, maternal-fetal medicine, and so on):
Name ______________________
Phone number ________
Address ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What to take to the hospital when you have your baby
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Your partner/labor coach
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A bathrobe and nightgown
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Toiletries
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Sturdy underwear that you don’t mind soiling with blood
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A change of clothes to wear home, including comfortable, roomy shoes
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Baby clothes
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Infant car seat (your partner can bring this item on the day of discharge)
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Sanitary napkins (if you don’t want to use the archaic ones that most hospitals provide)
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A camera
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Telephone numbers of family and friends you may want to call
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Insurance information
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Lollipops or sucking candies
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Any device with the ability to play music
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Change for parking, or vending machines
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Cell phone
A typical schedule for prenatal visits and tests
To ensure the health of you and your baby, you’ll need to schedule regular visits to your doctor during your pregnancy. Use this guideline for making your appointments and understanding common procedures for each visit:
| Weeks | Possible Tests |
|---|---|
| 6–8 | Blood type, rubella titer, blood counts, hepatitis screen, ultrasound. |
| 10–12 | Doppler detection of fetal heart, CVS, if planned. |
| 11–14 | First trimester screen/Nuchal translucency (11–12 weeks is best) cell-free fetal DNA test is appropriate. |
| 15–18 | Second trimester serum screen (sometimes called quad screen); amniocentesis (if planned). |
| 18–22 | Ultrasound to evaluate fetal anatomy. |
| 24–28 | Glucose screen to check for gestational diabetes. |
| 28–36 | Every-other-week visits to check blood pressure, weight, urine protein, and fetal growth. |
| 36–40 | Weekly visits to check all the above and to assess fetal position. Some practitioners do internal exams to check the cervix; some do a vaginal/rectal culture for group B streptococcus. |
| 40–?? | Twice-weekly visits to assure fetal well-being. |
Commonly used medical abbreviations that relate to pregnancy
So you know what’s going on throughout your pregnancy while at doctor’s visits, touring the hospital, and during labor and delivery, learn these medical abbreviations and what they mean.
| Abbreviation | What It Stands For |
|---|---|
| AFP | Alpha-fetoprotein |
| AMA/APA | Advanced maternal/paternal age |
| CNM | Certified nurse midwife |
| CRL | Crown-rump length |
| CVS | Chorionic villus sampling |
| EDC or EDD | Estimated date of confinement or estimated due date |
| EFW | Estimated fetal weight |
| EGA | Estimated gestational age |
| IUGR | Intrauterine growth restriction |
| LGA | Large-for-gestational age |
| LMP | Last menstrual period |
| MFM | Maternal-fetal medicine |
| SGA | Small-for-Gestational Age |
Your baby’s growth
At the eighth week of pregnancy (date of last menstrual period) the embryo is now referred to as a fetus. All organs are formed and the remaining 32 weeks of pregnancy is a time for the fetus to grow and mature. Take a look at this chart to see how your baby’s body weight and length changes during your pregnancy:
| Weeks Pregnant (measured from LMP) | Average Weight | Average Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0.035 oz (1 g) | 1.5 in (3.81 cm) |
| 10 | 0.175 oz (5 g) | 2.4 in (6.10 cm) |
| 12 | 0.7 oz (20 g) | 3.5 in (8.89 cm) |
| 14 | 2.1 oz (60 g) | 4.1 in (10.41 cm) |
| 16 | 4.2 oz (0.12 kg) | 6.25 in (15.88 cm) |
| 18 | 8.0 oz (0.23 kg) | 7.8 in (19.81 cm) |
| 20 | 12.0 oz (0.34 kg) | 9.75 in (24.77 cm) |
| 22 | 1 lb (0.45 kg) | 11.0 in (27.94 cm) |
| 24 | 1 lb 8 oz (0.68 kg) | 11.7 in (29.72 cm) |
| 26 | 2 lb (0.91 kg) | 12.5 in (31.75 cm) |
| 28 | 2 lb 12 oz (1.25 kg) | 13.7 in (34.80 cm) |
| 30 | 3 lb 10 oz (1.65 kg) | 14.8 in (37.60 cm) |
| 32 | 4 lb 6 oz (2.00 kg) | 15.6 in (39.62 cm) |
| 34 | 5 lb 3 oz (2.35 kg) | 16.4 in (41.66 cm) |
| 36 | 6 lb (2.72 kg) | 17.5 in (44.45 cm) |
| 38 | 6 lb 12 oz (3.10 kg) | 18.7 in (47.50 cm) |
| 40 | 7 lb 8 oz (3.40 kg) | 19.5 in (49.53 cm) |
lb = pounds cm = centimeters
oz = ounces g = grams
in = inches kg = kilograms