Pregnant
Pregnancy is usually a happy time, as you prepare for the arrival of your baby. Yet there are also often many questions. How do you know if the baby is doing well? What can you eat and what can't you eat? What about your work now and later? Will you have enough money to buy all kinds of things for the baby? And how will you prepare for childbirth?
During pregnancy, you may experience symptoms and discomfort. For example, you may feel tired or nauseous more quickly, or have a reduced appetite. If you have questions or complaints, contact your midwife, your gynecologist or your family doctor.
What would you like to know more about?
Being pregnant
Make an appointment with your doctor or right away with an obstetrician. The midwife will talk to you about your pregnancy and explain everything to you. An ultrasound will also be taken to see how long you are pregnant. The midwife will accompany you throughout your pregnancy and during delivery. Do you need to go to the hospital during your pregnancy? Then you will be treated by a gynecologist. You can ask your family doctor, midwife or obstetrician if you have any questions. They can also inform you about pregnancy courses you can take alone or with your partner.
Nutrition
During your pregnancy, try to take more time for yourself, relax and exercise. It is also important that you eat a healthy diet. Some products can be harmful to you or your baby. The Nutrition Center 's website tells you what you can and should not eat.
Lifestyle
Many things the mother does affect the child. Even at the beginning of pregnancy. This is when the most important organs are formed. Therefore, it is important to be healthy and not smoke or drink. Drugs are also harmful to the baby. For information, see Getting pregnant later.
Do you smoke, drink or use drugs? See Addiction for help to stop.
Give birth
The obstetrician or gynecologist will tell you how labor will take place and what may happen. It is important that you know which Health you can use. And what you need to arrange for after delivery.
After pregnancy, you and your child remain under the control of the obstetrician or gynecologist for a while. After that, the child health center monitors your child's growth and development. Furthermore, the clinic also provides vaccinations. From elementary school onwards, the Municipal Health Service takes over.
Childcare
Do you want to return to work (again) after giving birth? If so, think about Health and childcare during your pregnancy. For example, you may want to reduce your working hours, or opt for a guest parent or a daycare center. Enroll your child in time, if possible during your pregnancy. For more information, see Child Care.
Unintentionally pregnant
You are pregnant. It just wasn't meant to be (yet). Maybe you are very young, you don't have a steady partner or you got pregnant through rape. Or you are not sure if you can handle taking care of a child. Talk about it with people you trust.
With an unintended pregnancy, it is important to take time to decide what you want. Keep the baby, stop the pregnancy, or have the child raised by family, foster or adoptive parents, for example. There are organizations that can help you make this decision. Check out the websites Fiom or Teen Mothers. You can also seek advice from your family doctor or a midwife.
Young and pregnant
As an (expectant) teenage or young mother, your daughter's life can change a lot. Perhaps there are many questions or doubts, for example about how things will be when there is a child. On the website Tienermoeders young people can chat with social workers. They listen and know where to get the right help. This website also contains many stories of other teenage mothers. On the website of Siriz teenage mothers can also go if they are still in doubt whether they want to keep the child.
If you have an unintended pregnancy, it is a good idea to talk about it with people your child trusts, such as the family doctor, a partner, family or friends. For more information, visit Raising. Here are websites for finding the right help.