Whether you’ve been trying to conceive for some time, or you’re ‘unexpectedly’ expecting, it’s completely normal to experience some uneasiness as you embark on this new chapter of your life.
Once the baby making stage is over, you’re probably feeling a myriad of emotions and even fears as you approach the next 38 or so weeks of your pregnancy.
The Grace team is here to support you throughout your pregnancy, the birth and your time as a new mum.
Our highly skilled and experienced obstetricians provide the highest level of personalised care and you’ll have access to a team of doctors, midwives, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and dietitians, all at Grace Private on the Gold Coast.
At Grace, our obstetricians will do everything they can to ensure your pregnancy is as calm and relaxing as possible.
To ease some of your worries and help you plan for the next few months, here are some valuable tips and a week-to-week guide to your pregnancy journey.
So your pregnancy test was positive, but how do you work out when your baby is due?
Your obstetrician will need to know your baby’s due date so you can schedule your appointments and scans.
Your due date isn’t calculated from the date of conception, it’s taken from the first day of your last menstrual period. Take the first day of your last period and add 280 days to work out your approximate due date.
Join the Grace family.
To join the Grace family and commence your pregnancy journey with Grace Private, we recommend you book your first appointment as soon as possible. You’ll need a referral from your GP, so ‘Ask for Grace’ when you visit your doctor.
Now that it’s you ‘plus one’ (or two or three), there’s never been a more important time to look after health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally.
You should try to eat a balanced diet, eating a variety of foods including:
Remember to take time for yourself and practice good self-care. Pregnancy massages, spa treatments, meditation or yoga are all great ways to take time out to relax and ease the stress of a busy life.
If you need extra support around your mental health or what to eat while you’re pregnant, book an appointment with one of our qualified psychologists or our dietitian.
Exciting! This will be your first appointment at Grace Private and we can’t wait to welcome you and your bub to the family!
At this initial appointment your obstetrician and our Grace team will:
At this appointment you may even get to see your baby’s heart beating!
Depending on the advice given by your obstetrician, at between 10 – 12 weeks you’ll either have an ultrasound scan at Grace and/or a Non-invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT), with an outside provider to screen for any genetic abnormalities. The NIPT is a screening blood test that can predict the chance of your baby having Downs Syndrome (trisomy 21), Edwards Syndrome (trisomy 18) or Patau syndrome (trisomy 13). It can also tell you the sex chromosomes of your baby. This test may be recommended by your specialist in addition to, or instead of, a Nuchal Translucency Scan.
If there are no complications, you’ll have regular appointments every 4 weeks, some with our midwives and others with your obstetrician, to monitor your health and the health of your baby.
Now it’s time to get familiar with the Gold Coast Private Maternity Ward. The first step is to fill out the online booking form and then the hospital will be in contact to book you in for a tour. They’ll also let you know how to book for the hospital’s antenatal classes.
Hopefully by now your morning sickness has subsided and you have more energy. These appointments will be a mix between meeting with your obstetrician and one of our Grace midwives to keep a careful watch on you and your growing baby.
This will also be the time that you can go for a glucose tolerance test, to check for gestational diabetes. It’s a simple test that requires you to drink a sweet fluid.
Now we’re getting closer to your due date, we’d like to see you every two weeks.
On an exciting note, you can also embark on that baby shopping spree you’ve been looking forward to (if you haven’t already), and pack your hospital bag ready for the big day.
Meet with one of our qualified Grace midwives for a health check and education session.
We’ll discuss your birthing options/plan, preferences and answer any lingering questions you have about the birth. You’ll also get some tips on how to express and store colostrum before your baby is born to ensure you have a backup supply.
With your baby’s arrival due soon, you’ll be meeting with your obstetrician and midwife almost every week.
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to install a car seat so you’re ready to bring your baby home after birth.
The day you’ve been waiting for! Most babies are born between 38-40 weeks. If you go into labor, call us and we’ll see you soon at the hospital’s maternity ward.
Remember, everyone’s pregnancy journey is different, so you may need additional scans or appointments depending on your personal circumstances.
If you’d like to join the Grace family and embark on your pregnancy journey with the support of Grace Private, book an appointment with one of our qualified obstetricians. Just remember to ‘Ask for Grace’ when you see your GP for a referral.
