Obstetrics

We look forward to working with you to plan for your healthy pregnancy and baby.

The first step in planning to have a baby should be a visit to your obstetrician. We will assess your overall health and work with you to plan for a healthy pregnancy and baby. We also offer on-site ultrasounds for your convenience and comfort. Our physicians deliver at Brunswick Novant Medical Center.

We look forward to sharing this very special life event with you. If at any time you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 910-721-4050.

Below is some general information our OB patients find helpful:

We hope this information may answer some of your immediate questions about your pregnancy. We've included information on staying healthy, normal changes related to pregnancy and an OB Medication List that lists all approved over-the-counter medication and directions that you may use as needed.

Some key points to help get you on the road to a healthy pregnancy:

• Eat a nutritious, well balanced diet.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Get plenty of fluids.
• Avoid alcohol, tobacco and all recreational drugs.
• Try to limit caffeine to 1 serving per day.
• You may continue your usual exercise routine, however, now is not the time to begin any new regimes.
• Avoid aspirin and non-steroidal pain relievers such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve and Ibuprofen. However, Tylenol may be used as needed, as directed.
• Nausea and vomiting can be common in pregnancy, especially in the 1 st trimester. Typically, this begins to subside around the 12 th week.
• If nausea and vomiting occur, try: smaller, more frequent meals; dry foods, such as crackers or toast; avoiding greasy, fatty and fried foods; limiting dairy intake; avoiding strong odors; and avoiding lying down immediately after eating.
• Fish consumption advisory: Fish is an excellent source of protein and other nutrients that are good for the developing heart and brain of an unborn child. However, several varieties of salt water and North Carolina freshwater fish may contain high levels of mercury, which can pose a risk to the health of humans. Women of childbearing age, pregnant and nursing women, and children under 15 years of age should avoid: shark, large-mouth bass, tilefish, swordfish, blackfish (bowfin), king mackeral, and jackfish (chain pickerel). These are often high in mercury. However, feel free to eat up to two meals per week of other fish. (See complete article in "Links" section of this web site.)
• We recommend that you not eat raw (uncooked) fish or meat.
• Also, do not drink any milk products or juices that are not pasteurized during your pregnancy.

Good reference materials:

• "Planning for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond", by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynedcologists
• "While Waiting", by George E. Verrilli, MD, FACOG and Anne Marie Mueser, EdD
• "What to Expect When You're Expecting", by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E Murkoff, and Sandee E. Hathaway, BSN
• "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" by Glade B. Curtis, MD, OBGYN and Judith Schuler, MS

Normal changes related to pregnancy:

I. First Three Months
Nausea and vomiting
Bladder (frequent need to urinate)

II. Throughout Pregnancy
Bladder (frequent need to urinate)
Breasts (size and appearance)
Headache
Nosebleeds
Vaginal discharge

III. Early and Late Pregnancy
Bladder - frequent need to urinate
Bladder control
Contractions (during pregnancy) - possibly as early as the fourth month although most women do not notice them until the seventh or eighth month
Faintness
Tiredness

III. Mid to late Pregnancy
Heartburn or indigestion
Backache
Breasts (leakage) anytime from the fifth month forward
Hemorrhoids
Constipation
Gums (bleeding and swelling)
Heart pounding (palpitations)
Leg cramps
Pelvic pain or discomfort
Salivation (excessive)
Shortness of breath
Skin (blotches and discoloring)
Stretch marks
Swelling (feet, legs and hands)
Varicose veins

OB medication list:

Read labels on all over-the-counter medications. Call if any questions.

Do not exceed the recommended Dosage