• Caffeine:
  • Avoid or limit caffeine to <200 to 300 mg/day (usually equivalent to ≤3 cups/day)
• Fruits and Vegetables
  • Wash fruits and vegetables before eating raw or cooking.
  • Avoid raw sprouts.
• Cheeses/ Milk
  • Avoid unpasteurized juice, cider, and milk (including soft cheese [eg, some Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, feta, queso blanco or queso fresco] and other products made with raw milk).
• Seafood/ Meats
  • Avoid commercially premade meat or seafood salad (eg, deli chicken, ham, or tuna salad).
  • Avoid undercooked meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Cook to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-recommended minimum safe internal temperature.
  • Avoid or limit consumption of fish with elevated levels of mercury. (See "Fish consumption and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in pregnancy", section on 'Methylmercury in fish'.)
  • Avoid refrigerated (ie, not canned or bottled) smoked seafood (which could be contaminated with listeria) unless it is in a cooked dish, such as a casserole.
  • Reheat hot dogs and luncheon meats/cold cuts/fermented or dry sausage, even though precooked.
  • Avoid refrigerated (ie, not canned or bottled) pâtés or meat spreads from a deli or meat counter.
  • Avoid raw dough.
  • Avoid possibly contaminated water. (In the United States, public water drinking systems ensure safety using a combination of disinfection, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration.)
• Other helpful Food preparation information
  • Wash cutting boards, dishes, counters, and utensils with hot, soapy water after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, or unwashed fruits or vegetables.
  • Wash hands with soap and water before and after food preparation.
  • Freezing meat for several days at subzero (0°F) temperatures before cooking greatly reduces the chance of infection.

• While pregnant avoid accidental contact with cat feces through touching hands to mouth after gardening, handling cats, cleaning a cat's litter box, or touching anything that has come into contact with cat feces.

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while pregnant is important for your physical and mental health. Physical activities and exercises that were practiced prior to pregnancy are generally safe to continue during pregnancy, while taking extra care to avoid falls and any potential trauma to the abdomen. Introduction of light to moderate strength training and aerobic exercises while pregnant can also be beneficial. Please discuss appropriate physical activities based on any obstetric or medical complications with your healthcare provider.
• https://www.uptodate.com/contents/exercise-during-pregnancy-and-the-postpartum-period?search=pregnancy%20travel&topicRef=112420&source=see_link

• Okay to travel up to 36wks
• Most airlines allow travel up to 37 weeks with a singleton pregnancy and 32 weeks with a twins pregnancy- always check with airline policies as well as provider recommendations
• Precautions while traveling/ flying
  • Hydrate
  • Frequently move lower extremities to help reduce the risk of a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis or DVT)
  • Wear compression stockings
  • Avoid any restrictive clothing
• If you are traveling during your pregnancy whether it be by car or plane it is helpful to bring your health records with you in the event of labor or needing medical evaluation while away.
• ACOG Travel Recommendations

• These types of appointments/ providers are Safe in pregnancy, let therapist/provider know you are pregnant as they may need information regarding your pregnancy to do treatments and may need to alter certain positions/ treatment plans during pregnancy.

• Treatment of oral conditions is generally safe during pregnancy, and it is important for pregnant people to remain current with their preventive dental care. Dental x-rays are considered safe during pregnancy with proper protection. Please contact our office if your dentist requires a letter from your healthcare provider prior to an exam or procedure.
• https://www.mchoralhealth.org/materials/consensus_statement.php

• Exposure to hair dyes and styling products has very little systemic absorption unless you have injury to your scalp or open skin. Data is very limited in the effects that salon products have on fetuses.

• Please go to the ACOG website for up to date information regarding what is safe to use on your skin in pregnancy- https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/skin-conditions-during-pregnancy
• When treating acnes it is okay to use: topical benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, topical salicylic acid, and glycolic acid
• What Should I avoid using on acne/ my skin in pregnancy?
  • Hormone therapy
  • Isotretinoin
  • Oral teracyclines
  • Topical Retinoids

• There are several ways you can go about ordering a breast pump.
  • Contact your insurance to identify if they have specific medical supplies they cover. Once you have this information you can contact the supplier to see if they have the pump you desire, you can request a breast pump rx at your next appointment.
  • there are several medical supplier websites that offer breast pumps. Most of these sites you can input your insurance information and have the supplier fax an order for the specific breast pump you are requesting to your provider directly. Once we have this request we will process it and have your provider sign/ approve the order and fax it back to the supplier. They will then mail you the specific pump that you requested. Below are different options for online medical suppliers to order breast pumps through:
    • Acceleron
    • Aeroflow
    • Edgepark
    • Black Bear Medical

Not sure what brand of breast pump is best for you? Check out Lucies List to narrow down your search and choose the best pump for you!

• Medela
• Spectra
• Baby buddah
• If you need a breast pump prescription, please fax a request to 207-523-8598

• NST stands for “Non-Stress Test”, this is a method we can use to monitor the wellbeing of your baby. This can be completed in the office with one of our nurses. Upon arrival we will have you get comfortable in one of the exam rooms, two straps will be placed on your lower back, these straps will hold two monitors onto your abdomen throughout the NST. A Machine has small screen on it that allows us to see your baby’s heartbeat trends and contraction pattern. One monitor that monitors your babies heart rate will be placed on your lower abdomen; a second monitor that monitors contractions will be placed above your belly button on the “fundus” to allow your provider to monitor any contractions you may have. The NST lasts about 20 minutes, However, depending on your baby’s activity and sleep cycle additional time may be recommended.

• Your provider may have recommended that you have a NST completed if you are reporting decreased fetal movements or changes in fetal movements, and if you have concerns regarding fetal wellbeing. It also may be recommended to have NSTs in pregnancy if you have a high-risk pregnancy (certain health conditions may require more frequent monitoring of your baby), speak with your provider regarding what they recommend for monitoring.

• Our providers recommend receiving the flu, covid and TDAP vaccines in pregnancy. Please visit the CDC website and review their vaccine recommendations for common vaccines in pregnancy.
  • Vaccines in Pregnancy