The delivery of a healthy baby is a primary outcome of the Guilford Child Development Nurse-Family Partnership and Early Head Start programs.

Prenatal education is a crucial aspect of a healthy delivery. Pregnant adolescents and women who enroll in these programs receive comprehensive and relevant information about what to expect during pregnancy.

Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) uses the Pregnancy and Early Childhood protocols used in our nurse home visitation program, developed by David L. Olds and associates at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

NFP nurses emphasize the following:

• Prenatal health
• Access to care
• Maternal support
• Child development education
• Individualized development
• Family self-sufficiency

Early Head Start uses the Partners for a Healthy Baby curriculum for expectant mothers, which provides both prenatal and postpartum education in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

Expectant mothers learn key information such as:

• Common discomforts of pregnancy
• Questions to ask the obstetrician
• How the baby is developing and growing during pregnancy
• The importance of taking prenatal vitamins
• Avoidance of poisonous substances
• Other important information needed to have a healthy pregnancy and birth

 
There are several beneficial parallels between Nurse Family Partnership and Early Head Start that benefit expectant women and children.

To learn more, visit the National Nurse-Family Partnership site.

Prenatal education is a crucial aspect of a healthy delivery. First-time moms enrolled in our Nurse-Family Partnership program receive comprehensive and relevant information about what to expect during pregnancy.

Here are a few tips to help ensure you have a healthy delivery:

Get the flu shot. It's safe to get an influenza (flu) shot during pregnancy. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seasonal flu shots for anyone who will be pregnant during flu season (typically November through March) unless you have a severe allergy to eggs or you've had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccination.

Don't delay an OB visit. Early blood tests can catch anemia and infections that can affect the fetus if not dealt with quickly. Screenings can detect problems such as heart abnormalities other problems that can possibly be corrected.

Write down all meds. Your doctor should review your drugs, vitamins, and supplements. Some of them, such as certain antidepression and seizure medications, can harm your baby's heart and increase your risk of miscarriage.

Don't drink alcohol. Binge drinking is particularly dangerous to the fetus; known risks include miscarriage, stillbirth, and mental retardation. It may cause facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Don't smoke. That includes inhaling secondhand smoke. Besides stillbirth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome has been linked to cigarette smoke.

Watch your weight. Gestational diabetes and premature birth are among the dangers of putting on more than about 25 to 35 pounds, or more than about 15 to 25 pounds for an overweight woman.

Get moving. Exercise can keep your weight under control, ease stress, and may increase the flow of oxygen to the fetus. Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. But don’t over do it.  It’s just as important to get plenty of rest. Talk to your health care provider before you start any exercise program.

Eat smart. Research shows a mother's diet during pregnancy has lifelong implications for her baby.

• Avoid a diet high in protein or fat. This has been tied to chronic conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), whole grains, and lean proteins
• Eating fish twice a week (salmon, sardines, and canned light tuna are mercury safe) will provide omega-3 fatty acids for fetal brain development.
• Eat breakfast every day.
• Eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.
• Avoid undercooked or raw meats
• Don't use plastic containers or plastic wrap when microwaving.

Don't take too many vitamins. More isn't better. Stick to the doses recommended by your obstetrician. Excessive vitamin A, for example, can cause head, heart, brain, and spinal cord defects.

Check around the house. Certain chemicals, such as those in plastics, canned-food linings, and cosmetics, mimic the hormone estrogen. Some scientists worry that adults exposed to them in utero may have fertility problems. Avoid smelling chemicals & changing cat litter

After you deliver your baby, continue eating well. Return to a healthy weight gradually. Slowly get back to your routine of regular, moderate physical activity.

These are just a few suggestions for delivering a healthy baby. Feel free to contact us for more information.

For Baby

Since your child’s brain develops dramatically after birth, it’s very important that you provide your child with positive and healthy experiences from the very beginning.

Here are a few ways you can help your child grow and develop:

• Provide comfort when your baby is upset or crying.
• Play with your baby.
• Show your baby how special he or she is by reading, interpreting, and responding to their cues (nonverbal signals). Cues are how a baby lets you know what he or she needs.
• Talk to your baby. Babies develop vocabulary when they are talked to.
• Smile at your baby.
• Set daily routines for your baby.
• Provide the age appropriate foods.
• Tell your baby you love him or her.

For Mom

• Schedule postpartum visit with physician.
• Limit the number of visitors during the early weeks of your baby’s life.
• Accept any and all offers of help.
• Find ways to stay connected to your partner.
• Rest when baby rests.
• Eat throughout the day.
• Ease discomfort of breast engorgement by wearing a well-fitting support bra and applying ice packs to your breasts.
• If you are not breastfeeding baby, avoid hot showers and expressing any milk.
• Continue prenatal vitamins while breast feeding and/or 6 weeks postpartum.
• Most women experience "baby blues" after the birth of their child. These feelings of moodiness and mild depression go away within several days or weeks.
• Longer lasting or more severe depression could be postpartum depression (PPD) and is characterized by intense feelings of anxiety or despair. Be sure to discuss any PPD symptoms with your doctor.
• Exercise is one of the best ways to lose post-pregnancy weight, increase energy, relieve stress, and get your bowels moving again.
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
• Eat and drink natural laxatives, nectar (prune, pear, apricot), fresh fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.
• Avoid caffeine-containing foods and beverages, such as chocolate, coffee, and colas.
• Delay sexual intercourse for 6 weeks after delivery.
• Be aware of any unusual changes in your body in the days and weeks after delivery.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Vaginal bleeding heavier than your normal period
• Increasing or persistent pain in the vaginal or perineal area
• Fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
• Sore breasts that are hot to the touch
• Pain, swelling or tenderness in your legs
• Cough or chest pain
• Pain or burning when urinating, or a persistent and sudden urge to urinate
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• You feel depressed, have a lack of interest in your baby, or have suicidal or violent thoughts or hallucinations