If you’ve decided to have a baby, the most important thing is that you care a  lot, so that both you and the baby are healthy in the future. Girls who receive  proper care and take the right decisions are highly likely to have healthy  babies.

Prenatal Care
If you discover you are pregnant, see a doctor as soon as  possible to begin receiving prenatal care (care during pregnancy). The sooner  you begin receiving medical care, the better the chances that both you and your  baby are healthy in the future.

If you can not afford to visit a doctor or pay for the consultation in a  clinic for prenatal care, social service organizations exist that can help. Ask  your parents, school counselor or another trusted adult to help you find  resources in your community.

During the first consultation, the doctor will make a lot of questions, such  as date of your last period. In this way, you can calculate how long have you  been pregnant and what date you expect your baby.

Doctors estimate the duration of pregnancy in weeks. The due date is  estimated, but the majority of babies born between 38 and 42 weeks after the  first day of last menstrual period of women, or between 36 and 38 weeks after  conception (when the sperm fertilizes the egg). Only a small percentage of women  giving birth at the estimated delivery date.

The pregnancy is divided into three phases, or quarters. The first quarter  runs from conception to end of week 13. The second is from week 14 to 26. The  third, from week 27 until the end of pregnancy.

The doctor will examine you and perform a pelvic exam. The doctor will also  order blood tests, urine tests and tests to check for sexually transmitted  diseases (STD by its acronym in English), including an HIV test, an increasingly  common condition in adolescents. (Because some STDs can cause serious health  problems in newborns, it is important to get appropriate treatment to protect  the baby.)

The doctor will explain what are the physical and emotional changes that are  likely to experience during pregnancy. We also learn to recognize the symptoms  of possible problems (complications) during pregnancy. This is essential,  because teenagers are at greater risk of crossing certain complications such as  anemia or hypertension, and give birth before the expected date (premature  labor).

Your doctor will want to start taking prenatal vitamins containing folic  acid, calcium and iron away. Your doctor may prescribe vitamins or can recommend  a brand you can buy without a prescription. These minerals and vitamins help to  ensure the good health of baby and mother, and avoid certain birth defects.

Ideally, you should visit your doctor once a month during the first 28 weeks  of pregnancy. Then you should visit every 2 weeks until week 36 and weekly  thereafter until delivery. If you have a disease like diabetes, which requires  careful monitoring during pregnancy, it is likely that your doctor wants to see  you more often.

During consultations, your doctor will monitor your weight, blood pressure  and urine, in addition to measuring your belly to go record the baby’s growth.  When the baby’s heartbeat can be heard with a special device, the doctor will  listen to every time you visit. It is likely that your doctor will also indicate  other tests during pregnancy, such as an ultrasound to make sure the baby is in  perfect condition.

Also part of prenatal care to attend classes where women who are expecting a  baby learning how to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, as well as what are  the basic care for the newborn. It is likely that these classes are conducted in  hospitals, medical centers, schools and universities in your area.

If adults can be difficult to talk to your doctor about your own body, this  is even more difficult for adolescents. The role of your doctor is to help you  enjoy a healthy pregnancy and have a healthy baby… and it is likely that there  is nothing that a pregnant woman has not told. So do not be afraid to ask about  everything you need to know.

Always be honest when your doctor will ask questions, even if they are  embarrassing. Many of the issues that your doctor wants you to cover could  affect the health of your baby. Think of your doctor as someone who is not only  a resource but also a friend you can trust to talk about what is happening to  you.

What changes can you expect in your body
Pregnancy creates many physical  changes. Here are some of the most common:

Growth of breasts
The increase in breast size is one of the first signs of  pregnancy and the breasts may continue to grow throughout pregnancy. It is  possible to increase several sizes of support during the course of  pregnancy.

Skin changes
Do not be surprised if people’s comments that your skin looks  “glowing” when you’re pregnant: pregnancy produces an increased blood volume,  which can make your cheeks are a little more pink than usual. In addition,  hormonal changes increase the secretion of the sebaceous glands, so that your  skin may look brighter. For the same reason, acne is also common during  pregnancy.

Among other changes that pregnancy hormones generated in the skin are  yellowish or brownish spots that appear on the face, which are called melasma,  and a dark stripe running from the navel to the pubis, which known as linea  nigra.

Also, moles or freckles that you had before pregnancy may increase in size or  become darker. Even the areola, the area around the nipple becomes darker.  Stretch marks may also occur (thin lines of pink or purple) in the abdomen,  breasts or thighs.

Except for the darkening of the areola, which is usually permanent, these  skin changes will disappear after delivery.

Mood swings
It is very common to experience mood swings during pregnancy.  Some girls may suffer from depression during pregnancy or after childbirth. If  you have symptoms of depression such as sadness, changes in sleep patterns,  desires to hurt yourself or negative feelings about yourself or your life, ask  your doctor for advice about starting your treatment.

Pregnancy Discomforts
Pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects.  Among such disorders, include the following:

• nausea and vomiting, especially during the first months of pregnancy;
• leg swelling;
• varicose veins in the legs and the area around the vaginal opening;
• hemorrhoids;
• heartburn and constipation;
• back pain;
• fatigue and
• sleeping problems.

If you suffer from one or more of these side effects, remember that you are  not alone. Ask your doctor for advice on how to handle these common  problems.

If you are pregnant and have bleeding or pain, contact your doctor right  away, even if you decided to terminate your pregnancy.

What you should avoid
If you smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs during  pregnancy, both you and your baby are at risk for serious problems.

Alcohol
At present, doctors believe it is not advisable to drink a drop of  alcohol during pregnancy. If you drink alcoholic beverages can damage the  developing fetus and the baby is at risk for birth defects and mental  problems.

Smoke
Smoking during pregnancy carries some of the following risks: the  birth of a dead fetus (when a baby dies inside the womb), low birth weight  (which increases the possibility that the baby has health problems), infants  infants (babies born before 37 weeks) syndrome and sudden infant death (SIDS for  its acronym in English). SIDS is the sudden death for no apparent reason, a baby  under one year.

Drugs
Illegal drugs such as cocaine or marijuana during pregnancy may  cause abortions, premature births and other health problems. In addition, babies  can be born with an addiction to certain drugs.

If you have trouble quitting smoking, drinking alcohol or using drugs, ask  your doctor to help you. Consult your doctor before taking any medication during  pregnancy. This includes medicines sold over the counter, prepared herbal  supplements and vitamins.

Unsafe Sex
Talk to your doctor about sex during pregnancy. If your doctor  allows you to have sex during pregnancy, you should use a condom to avoid  contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD in English). Because some STDs  can cause blindness, pneumonia or meningitis in the newborn, it is important for  you to protect yourself and protect the baby.

How to take care during pregnancy
Feeding
Many young people are  concerned by the appearance of your body and fear of weight gain during  pregnancy. But this is not the time to cut calories or go on a diet because you  are feeding two people. Both you and your baby need certain nutrients for the  baby to grow properly. If you eat a variety of healthy foods, drink enough water  and you reduce the junk food, high fat, help to both you and the baby are  healthy and growing.

Doctors generally recommend adding about 300 calories a day to the diet, so  as to provide the baby with adequate nutrition growth. According to the weight  you had before becoming pregnant, you should gain between 11 and 15 kilos (25 to  35 pounds) during pregnancy, mostly during the last 6 months. Your doctor will  advise you about this depending on your particular situation.

Eat more fiber from -25 to 30 grams daily, and drinking enough water can help  prevent common problems such as constipation. Fruits and vegetables and whole  grain breads, cereals or whole wheat muffins are good sources of fiber.

It is necessary that you avoid some foods and beverages during pregnancy,  such as:

• some types of fish such as swordfish, canned tuna and other fish that may  have a high content of mercury (your doctor can help you decide which fish to  eat);
• foods containing raw eggs, such as mousse or salad type “Caesar”;
• raw meat, fish or just cooked;
• processed meats such as sausages or cold cuts;
• Unpasteurized soft cheeses such as feta, brie, blue or goat, and
• milk, unpasteurized juice or cider.

It is also desirable to limit the consumption of artificial sweeteners and  caffeine and artificial sweeteners.

Exercise
Exercising during pregnancy is good for your health when you have  no complications with the pregnancy and choose appropriate activities. Doctors  generally recommend low-impact activities such as walking, swimming and yoga. In  general, you should avoid contact sports and high impact aerobic activities that  pose a higher risk of injury. It is also not recommended to do a job that  involves heavy lifting for women during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you  have questions about what kind of exercises are safe for you and your baby.

Sleep
It is important to get plenty of rest during pregnancy. During the  first months of pregnancy, trying to acquire the habit of sleeping on your side.  As pregnancy progresses, lying on your side, knees bent, will be the most  comfortable position. It will facilitate the functioning of the heart, since the  baby’s weight will not exert any pressure on the vein that carries blood from  the feet and legs back to the heart.

Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant girls should sleep on his  left side. Because some of the major blood vessels are in the right side of the  abdomen, lying on the left side helps keep the uterus puts pressure on them. Ask  your doctor what your recommendation. In most cases, the trick is to lie on  either side, to reduce pressure on the back.

Throughout the pregnancy, but particularly in the later stages, it is likely  that you wake up frequently at night to go to the bathroom. While it is  important to drink plenty of water during pregnancy, try to drink more during  the day instead of night. Go to the bathroom before bed. As the pregnancy  progresses, you might be hard to find a comfortable position in bed. You can try  placing pillows around and under the stomach, back or legs to feel more  comfortable.

Stress can also affect sleep. Perhaps you’re concerned about the health of  the baby, birth, or how it will play this new role of mother. All these feelings  are normal, but can produce insomnia. Talk to your doctor if you have trouble  sleeping during pregnancy.

Emotional Health
It is common for pregnant adolescents experience a  variety of emotions such as fear, anger, guilt, confusion and sadness. Maybe you  take some time to adjust to the fact that you are having a baby. It means a huge  change and it is natural for pregnant teens wonder if they are ready for the  responsibilities involved in becoming mothers.

The feelings of a young often depend on how much support received by the  baby’s father, his family (and family of the baby’s father) and his friends. The  situation of each youth is different. Depending on your situation, you may need  to seek more support for people who are not part of your family. It is important  to talk with people who can support you, guide you and help you share and sort  out your feelings. Your school counselor or nurse can guide you to find the  resources offered to help your community.

In some cases, teenage pregnancies and spontaneous abortions have lost the  baby. This can be very sad and difficult to overcome for some, but to others it  causes a feeling of relief. It is important to talk about these feelings and  receive support from friends and family, if this is not possible, go to  counselors or teachers.

The school and the future
Some girls plan to raise her baby by themselves.  Sometimes grandparents or other family members help them. Some young people  choose to deliver her baby for adoption. These difficult decisions involve a  great deal of courage and concern for the baby.

Young women who have completed high school will have greater chances of  getting a good job and enjoy a more successful life. As far as possible, you  should finish high school now instead of trying to go back to school later. Ask  your school counselor or a trusted adult that you provide information about what  programs and classes offered in the community for pregnant teens.

Some communities have support groups especially devoted to teen parents. In  some schools, no childcare. Perhaps a member of your family or a friend can take  the baby while you’re at school.

You can learn more about what happens when you mother if you read books,  attend classes or consultations reliable websites on parenting. Your  pediatrician, your parents, your family members and other adults can guide you  when you’re pregnant and when you become a mother.

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