What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Appointment

Pregnancy

Welcome to the MamasteFit Blog! In our latest YouTube episode, we dive into the often-overwhelming experience of attending your first prenatal appointment. Whether you’re a first-time mom or adding another little one to your family, this episode, hosted by perinatal fitness trainer and birth doula Gina, along with labor and delivery nurse and student midwife Roxanne, is packed with invaluable insights and personal experiences.

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The First Prenatal Visit: What to Anticipate

1. Getting Acquainted

Your first prenatal appointment typically occurs between 6 to 10 weeks into your pregnancy. This is a pivotal moment where your OB or midwife will gather your medical history. They’ll ask about your previous pregnancies, any complications, and what you can expect during this new journey. This initial interaction is crucial, as it sets the tone for your relationship with your provider.

2. Initial Assessments and Screenings

During this appointment, you can expect a variety of tests and screenings, including:

Urine and Blood Tests: These tests will determine your blood type, perform a complete blood count, and screen for conditions such as Hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis. These screenings are vital not only for your health but also for your baby’s well-being.
Pap Smear and STI Testing: If you’re due for a Pap smear or require STI testing for conditions like chlamydia and gonorrhea, this is the time to address those as well.

3. Dating Ultrasound

One of the most exciting aspects of your first visit may be the option for a dating ultrasound. This ultrasound helps determine the gestational age of your baby, which can often differ from what you might expect based on your last menstrual period. As Gina shares from her own experience, getting an accurate due date can significantly impact your birth plan, especially if you find out you ovulated later than expected.

Understanding Your Provider's Approach

The first appointment is also an excellent opportunity to gauge whether your healthcare provider is the right fit for you. Roxanne emphasizes that the experience may differ significantly depending on whether you’re delivering in a hospital or opting for an out-of-hospital birth at a birth center or home.

Gina recounts her own experiences, highlighting how her home birth appointments focused more on personal support and less on lab tests, as her midwife didn’t have in-house capabilities. This led to a dual-care approach where she received lab work from an OB clinic, creating a unique prenatal experience.

Alternative Options: "Centering"

An option to consider during your prenatal care is centering, a model where you attend group appointments with other expecting mothers around the same due date. This format offers a support system and educational opportunities, allowing you to connect with other moms while gaining essential knowledge about pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care.

Gina used the centering approach during her second pregnancy and gives us a bit of insight into her experience. In general, her appointments lasted about two hours, where the first hour was dedicated to checking vitals and meeting with the midwife, while the second hour was dedicated to educational opportunities. Gina liked seeing the same midwife every appointment and learning from outside educators on topics such as nutrition and pelvic floor PT. An added bonus was getting to connect with other folks that were due around the same date.

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A post shared by Gina, MS, & Roxanne, RN, BSN (@mamastefit)

Train With Us!

If you want more daily workouts to support a strong pregnancy as you prepare for birth, join our online prenatal fitness programs!

MamasteFit is unique in that we are one of the ONLY prenatal/postnatal training facilities in the United States. We develop our workout programs from our experience of working with in-person pre/postnatal fitness clients and work closely with physical therapists to refine our programming. In addition, we are birth workers, so we combine our experience as perinatal fitness trainers and birth professionals to ensure that our programs actually support your birth preparation and recovery!

Our prenatal fitness programs are offered in several formats:

40-Week Prenatal Strength Program in the Teambuildr App:
- This program is a self-paced workout with shorter demo videos. This is ideal if you like to workout in a gym setting and prefer a traditional workout delivery format.
- This program syncs to your current week of pregnancy, so you can start anytime, with one-time payment or month-to-month payment options.
- This program has a full and mini version, depending on how much time you have to dedicate to workouts!
Prenatal On-Demand Fitness Program:
- If you prefer to follow a video as you workout at the same time, this workout program will be the best option!
- This program syncs to your current trimester, so you can grab the trimesters you need!
Birth Prep Workout Program:
- If you already have a workout routine or you only want birth prep-focused workouts, check out this program!
- This program includes full-length workout videos to follow as you workout at the same time.
Prenatal Yoga Classes:
- If you want prenatal yoga, join our prenatal yoga program! This also syncs to your current trimester.

Conclusion

As you prepare for your first prenatal appointment, remember that this experience is not just about gathering medical information—it’s about building a relationship with your healthcare provider and laying the groundwork for your pregnancy journey.

Gina Conley, MS