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HERE
are some important ways to keep
yourself and your baby in good health.
See your doctor.
Prenatal care is the
care you receive during your pregnancy.
During these visits, your doctor will:
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Talk with you about how to give your
baby a healthy start in life.
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Answer any questions you may have.
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Check to make sure you and your baby
are healthy.
Checkups also give your doctor a chance
to find and treat any problems early.
Eat right.
To eat well during pregnancy,
choose good foods. Try to eat low-fat
foods and plenty of:
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Fruits and vegetables.
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Whole grains.
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Protein.
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Foods with calcium. Smart choices
include low-fat milk and yogurt.
Cook meat, eggs and fish all the way
through, and avoid soft cheeses. This can
help keep you from getting sick.
Be active.
Exercising when you’re
pregnant is good for you. It can:
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Help labor and delivery go more
smoothly.
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Make it easier to get back in shape after
having your baby.
Light exercises, such as walking or
swimming, are usually best. Check with
your doctor about other kinds of exer-
cise. It’s best not to do activities that in-
volve jumping or quick stops and starts.
If you aren’t already active, make sure to
start slowly. Try not to do too much at
once.
Here are a few more tips to help you
have a healthy pregnancy:
Find out how much weight to gain.
For many women, 25 to 30 pounds is
about right. You may need to gain more
or less depending on what you weighed
before pregnancy. Your doctor can tell
you how much is OK for you. Just don’t
try to lose weight during pregnancy.
Get enough folic acid.
To help prevent
certain birth defects, you should get
400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid a day.
Ask your doctor about taking a multi-
vitamin or prenatal vitamin.
Also be sure to:
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Stay away from tobacco, alcohol and
drugs. Ask your doctor how to quit if you
need to.
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Talk to your provider about any medi-
cines or supplements you take.
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Limit coffee and other drinks with caf-
feine to one or two cups a day.
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Have someone else change the litter box
if you have a cat. This can help prevent
toxoplasmosis, a disease that can seri-
ously harm unborn babies.
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Talk to your doctor about getting shots
you may need, including a flu shot.
Source: Office onWomen’s Health
Kern Legacy
members
You can choose any network physician for
OB-GYN services without obtaining a referral
from your primary care provider. Your physician
can perform labs and ultrasounds in his or her
office. If your physician is unable to provide
these services, go to
www.kernlegacyhp.comand click on “Provider Directory.” You can select
any network location listed there.
Inpatient and outpatient
OB-GYN procedures
Procedures including hysterectomy or
endometrial ablation, inductions, cesarean
section, and nonscheduled deliveries, must be
performed at a network hospital facility or a
network outpatient surgery center. Kern
Medical Center (KMC) is the only network
hospital in the Bakersfield area. If your physi-
cian does not utilize one of the network
hospital facilities or surgery centers, Kern
Legacy will direct your care to be performed
at KMC by a KMC specialist.
Please call Member Services at
661-
868-3280
for additional details.
A healthier you can
mean a healthier baby
When you’re pregnant, the best
way to take care of your baby is
to take care of yourself
A Legacy of Good Health