6-5.
BASIC PATIENT TEACHING CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE EXPECTANT
MOTHER ON THE FIRST PRENATAL VISIT WITH REINFORCEMENT ON
EACH SUBSEQUENT VISIT
a. Instruct the patient on the importance of regularly scheduled follow-up visits
(following the normal pregnancy).
(1)
Once a month until the seventh month.
(2)
Every two weeks during the seventh and eight month.
(3)
Weekly during the ninth month until delivery.
(4)
Patient teaching must continue on each visit.
b. Instruct the patient on the importance of proper nutrition.
(1) A well-nourished mother and baby are thought to be far less the victims
of obstetric and prenatal complications, such as:
(a) Preeclampsia.
(b) Prematurity.
(c)
Growth retardation.
(d) Significant residual neurologic damage (that is, cerebral palsy,
mental deficiency, or behavior disorders in the child).
(2) Guide to good eating-from the six basic food groups daily
(see figure 6-4).
(a) Milk, yogurt, and cheese group-2 to 3 servings per day.
(b)
Meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts group-2 to 3 servings per
day.
(c) Vegetable and fruits-3 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4
servings of fruits per day.
(d)
Breads, cereals, rice and pasta- 6 to 11 servings per day.
(3) Proper weight gain for pregnancy. After an initial loss, the patient will
gain 2 to 4 pounds during the first trimester. Expect a gain of a pound per week during
the second and third trimesters.
MD0921
6-12