Motherhood starts the moment you see those two pink lines (or maybe the word pregnant). Your brain goes into overdrive thinking about everything you need to/can do to have a healthy pregnancy. Tons of questions flood your brain and it can feel overwhelming. Then, when you go to your first doctor’s appointment the last month or two of questions totally leave your brain and you go home with all those questions unanswered. So, I figured compiling a list of questions to ask might be helpful! Here are the top 25 questions you should ask when you go to your first prenatal appointment.
- What foods are or are not considered safe during pregnancy and why?
- What medications can I take during pregnancy?
- Do you have a prenatal vitamin you would recommend or one you can prescribe?
- Am I on any medication that needs the dosage to change?
- How might my or my family’s medical history impact my pregnancy?
- What screenings would you recommend for me?
- How can I combat nausea/vomiting safely?
- What is my recommended weight gain?
- How can I make sure that my weight gain is healthy and doesn’t become excessive?
- How many ounces of water should I set as a daily drinking goal?
- Are there any specific foods I should focus on taking in?
- How much caffeine can I safely consume?
- Are there any teas I should avoid?
- What exercises would you recommend to stay active?
- What should I expect for each prenatal appointment?
- What should I seek immediate medical attention for?
- How much bleeding is normal during pregnancy?
- What should I do if my water breaks early?
- If labor comes early, when do I head to labor and delivery vs. the ER?
- What are some things that are often confused as concerning but are actually totally normal?
- What are my options for pain relief during labor?
- Will I be allowed to eat during labor?
- What classes do you recommend/require?
- If I end up in an emergency C-section, will I be able to have a doula as well as my partner? (This of course only applies to women who have a doula, which I STRONGLY recommend, here’s a whole post about it)
- How can I contact you for immediate questions?
While there are many more that can be asked, these questions will give you a good basis for supporting a healthy pregnancy and baby. If a question pops into your head in between appointments, do yourself a favor and write them down! Pregnancy brain is REAL and it’s very easy to forget what you wanted to ask your doctor/midwife. I personally had many instances where I would know exactly what I wanted to ask about while in the waiting room, and then on the way home realize I hadn’t asked most of what I went in thinking about.
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