LowcountryWomen.com

My Pregnancy

Education & Resources

Info contained is for general reference only and is not a substitute for routine prenatal care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Medicines That Are Safe In Pregnancy

You can take these over the counter medications as directed: 

Headaches, pain fever:  Acetaminophen (Tylenol or Store Brand)
Nausea and vomiting:  Emetrol, Dramamine or Unisom
 Indigestion, heartburn, gas:  Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, Rolaids, Gaviscon, Gas X, Simethicone, Tagament HB, Zantac, Pepcid AC, Prevacid
 Diarrhea:  Kaopectate, Imodium AD
Fiber/stool softener/constipation: Metamucil, Benefiber, Colace, Surface, Dulcolax
Hemorrhoids: Anusol, Preparation H, Tucks
Cold, cough, sore throat: Robitussin, Robitussin DM, Delsym, Chloraseptic spray, Cough Drops or Gargle with warm salt water
Runny/stuffy nose, allergies: Actifed, Claritin, Claritin D, Zyrtec, Tylenol Cold or Sinus, Mucinex, Sudafed, Benadryl (unless you are on Terbutaline), Saline nose spray, Vicks Vapor Rub
Rash or itch: Aveeno Bath, Benadryl Cream or Tablets, Calamine lotion, Caladryl cream, Hydrocortisone cream
Travel/Motion sickness: Dramamine
Muscle aches: Ben Gay, Icy Hot, BioFreeze
Yeast Infection: Monistat, Gyne Lotrimin, Myclex (7 day); If the infection doesn’t clear up after one week’s treatment, let your provider know.
Shots, Vaccines, Tests: It is safe to receive the Flu Shot or Tetanus Shot, TB testing and Hepatitis B vaccine at any time during your pregnancy.
DO NOT: Take any medication not prescribed by our office or another physician who knows you’re pregnant. Do not use aspirin or douche.
DO: Call the office with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, symptoms that do not improve after taking the medications listed or a problem that is not listed.
Morning Sickness 101

Nausea and vomiting is common in pregnancy and not just in the 1st trimester. Following a few of these steps below may help to alleviate your symptoms.

Diet Recommendations:

  • Staying hydrated is more important than food. Water, ginger ale, Gatorade will help.
  • Along with ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger snaps or ginger tablets work great.
  • Avoid taking prenatal vitamins until nausea has subsided or try taking at bedtime.
  • Try eating crackers or toast upon rising.
  • Eat small but frequent meals.
  • Avoid fried, spicy or fatty foods.
  • Stick to bland or B.R.A.T. diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).
  • Hard candies such as lemon drops may also help.

Over the counter help:

  • Ginger: 1000 mg per day.
  • Vitamin B6: 50 mg twice daily along with Unisome (Doxylamine) – ½ tab in am ½ tab in pm 1 tab at bedtime
  • Zyrtec: helps with excessive salivation & spitting.

Please contact the office if you are unable to tolerate foods or liquids for 24 hours or longer.

I'm having pain in my abdomen

Those Aches Aren’t Your Imagination!

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is common. You might feel them as crampy, sharp or stabbing. You may notice them more when you stand, turn in bed, or walk. Most women describe round ligament discomfort as pain shooting down their groin or stabbing up their vagina.

LIgamentThese ligaments (illustrated in picture) are short when you are not pregnant and the growing & stretching makes them irritated and sensitive. In 1st pregnancies they may begin around 20 weeks but if this isn’t your 1st baby, you may feel them sooner. Even though the pain is real, it is not harmful to your baby.

 

Things you can do to be more comfortable:

  • Take a warm soothing bath.
  • Use a pillow to prop your tummy when lying on your side.
  • Use a heating pad on low or medium.
  • Purchase a maternity support belt. They go around your back and under your belly for support. Ask your doctor or midwife.
  • Try Tylenol or generic acetaminophen as directed.
  • Try sitting “Indian style”. This position will help to gently stretch your ligaments.
  • Try resting.Ligament pain is a common, normal discomfort that you may have often, HOWEVER, if you have burning when you urinate, fever, bleeding, or more than six (6) tightenings an hour (that feel like the baby balling up), give us a call. The tightenings are contractions, but that is okay unless there are more than six an hour. Also call if your pain is severe and doesn’t seem to occur in an on-and-off way.
Can I eat fish?

Fish are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals but some fish – particularly large, predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish – may contain high levels of mercury. Follow these guidelines and talk to your doctor if you have any questions:

Safe to Eat
Fully-cooked seafood, low in mercury, like:
❑ Canned light tuna (limit albacore tuna, chunk white tuna and tuna steak to less than 6 oz/week)
❑ Catfish
❑ Cod
❑ Crab
❑ Salmon
❑ Shrimp
❑ Tilapia
❑ Limit fish with low-levels of mercury to less than 6, 6 oz servings per month.

Avoid
❑ Large, predatory fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, orange roughy, marlin, tilefish and tuna (bigeye, ahi).
❑ Raw fish and shellfish: fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F; shell fish meat like shrimp, lobsert and crab should be milky white and clams, oysters and mussels shoudl be cooked until their shells open.
❑ Smoked seafood like lox

Local Seafood Advisories
Food caught in local waters may have contimation that is harmful to your baby’s development. The SC DHEC and the Department of Natural Resources provides extensive advisories telling you the right amounts and types of fish to eat in South Carolina waters and what to avoid.

Exercise During Pregnancy

Click here to download answers to your questions from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists including:

❑ The benefits of exercise during pregnancy.
❑ Changes that occur in the body during pregnancy that can affect your exercise routine.
❑ Exercises that are safe during pregnancy and which ones should be avoided.
❑ What to be aware of while exercising during pregnancy and warning signs that you should stop.
❑ Getting back into your exercise routine after the baby is born.

Resources & Support

Online & Mobile Resources

Text4Baby

Receive free text messages throughout your pregnancy and your baby’s first year. Simply text “BABY” (or “BEBE” for Spanish) to 511411 to receive three free text messages a week, timed to your due date or baby’s birth date, through pregnancy and up until the baby’s first birthday. The messages address topics such as labor signs and symptoms, prenatal care, urgent alerts, developmental milestones, immunizations, nutrition, birth defect prevention, safe sleep, safety, and more. Text ‘STOP’ to discontinue messages or ‘HELP’ for help at any time.

 

Count the Kicks

The free Count the Kicks app makes it simple to track your baby’s normal movement pattern with the touch of your finger. Its daily text feature will even remind you when it’s time to start counting. If you notice a change in your baby’s regular movement pattern or the strength of baby’s movements, call your healthcare provider right away.

LowCountry Women’s specialists have been supportive and helpful in my healthcare and prenatal care. I feel comfortable knowing that if I need assistance they are quick to help.

More For My Pregnancy

Click here for more information about Labor & Delivery: Pre-registration, classes available, hospital tours & more.

Click here for helpful information for New Mothers.

Our Locations

Carnes Crossroads
1801 2nd Avenue, Summerville, SC 29486
(behind Dunkin’ & East Bay Deli)

Summerville
83 Springview Lane Summerville, SC 29485

Contact Us

843.797.3664
843.820.1007 (fax)

info@lcwsonline.com