Obstetrical Services
Cache Valley Women’s Center at the Lodge provides a unique and personal approach of prenatal care for each expectant mother.
Obstetrical Services
Cache Valley Women’s Center at the Lodge provides a unique and personal approach of prenatal care for each expectant mother.
Cache Valley Women’s Center at the Lodge (435) 753-9999
What is Obstetrical Care?
Fertility. Prenatal Care. Health risks. Vaginal and Cesarean Delivery. Emotional health. If it has to do with you and your pregnancy, we’re here to talk about it.
Obstetrical care is the medical practice of caring for women and their baby’s health through pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care.
An obstetrician also has the skills to manage complex or high-risk pregnancies and births, and can perform interventions and cesareans.
Obstetrical Services
Obstetrical Services
Let’s Talk About It
Do you offer pregnancy tests?
Yes! We offer free (urine) pregnancy testing at our clinic.
When should I schedule my first appointment?
It is recommended to see an obstetrician for routine prenatal care. As soon as you know you are pregnant, call and make an appointment! Your first visit typically occurs when you’re around 9-11 weeks pregnant.
After that, you will typically see your doctor every 4 weeks until the last month of your pregnancy, at which time you will see them every week. You may be seen more frequently depending on any pregnancy complications you may have.
What will my first prenatal appointment be like?
We will take both a urine and blood sample. Be sure to come well-hydrated! You will meet with your doctor, have an ultrasound, and discuss any questions you may have regarding your pregnancy. Our goal during your first visit is to answer any questions you may have and help educate you to help you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
When is my first ultrasound?
The first ultrasound will be at your first in-person appointment.
How often will I need to see you?
Every 1-4 weeks, depending on your pregnancy circumstances. Usually, appointments are every 4 weeks through most of your pregnancy.
When can you tell me my baby's sex?
At your ultrasound around 20 weeks. We also offer non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) through the company, Natera. This test will tell you if the baby has the three most common chromosomal abnormalities. It can also identify the sex of your baby. We can do this test around 12 weeks. You can learn more about this testing on Natera’s website.
Pregnancy & Prenatal Care
What prenatal vitamins should I take?
Prenatal vitamins are available over-the-counter in nearly any pharmacy. Generally, look for a prenatal vitamin that contains:
- Folic acid
- Calcium
- Iron
- Vitamin D
It also might be beneficial to look for a prenatal vitamin that contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, iodine and copper.
What medications can I safely take while pregnant?
Unfortunately, being pregnant doesn’t mean you get to avoid ever getting sick. Sometimes you can become sick more often during pregnancy because your body is focused on the creation of your baby. Cache Valley Women’s Center has created a list of medications that can be used safely during pregnancy.
What are some remedies for morning sickness?
We suggest eating small, regular meals and drinking fluids (especially water) about 30 minutes before or after a meal instead of while eating. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a combination of Vitamin B-6 and Unisom for treating morning sickness in the first trimester.
Is there any food I should avoid?
Avoid raw fish and meats, high-mercury fish, too much caffeine, and unpasteurized dairy. It’s important to maintain a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
Can I color my hair while pregnant?
Pregnant women often have concerns about hair dye. However, the chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. Most research, although limited, shows it’s safe to color your hair while pregnant.
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
The type of exercise you can do during pregnancy depends on your health and how active you were before you became pregnant. It is not the time to start an intense, new workout routine.
A good “rule of thumb” is to limit exertion to about 2/3 of what you could do before pregnancy.
Regular exercise throughout pregnancy will help you maintain a healthy weight gain, reduce pregnancy-related discomfort, prepare your body for labor, and help you reach your pre-pregnancy weight following your baby’s birth.
Is a pregnancy with multiples considered high risk?
There’s never been a safer time to conceive, carry, and give birth to multiples. Every pregnancy has its share of discomforts and worries, and when you’re pregnant with twins (or more), those worries can multiply. For today’s parents of multiples, it is easier than ever. Chances are excellent that you’ll have a healthy pregnancy, an uncomplicated delivery, and two (or more) healthy babies.
Can I travel while pregnant?
For most women, traveling during pregnancy is safe. As long as you and your baby are healthy, you can travel safely until you are 36 weeks pregnant.
Labor & Delivery
What is false labor?
If you are experiencing preterm contractions, drink a liter of water and lay down for a couple of hours. If contractions do not slow to 5 or fewer contractions each hour, or if they become more painful instead of less painful (no matter the frequency of contractions), call our office or the provider on call.
Your uterus may contract off and on before “true” labor begins. These irregular contractions are called false labor or Braxton Hicks contractions. They are normal but can be painful.
How can I tell the difference between false labor and true labor?
Usually, false labor contractions are less regular and not as strong as true labor. Sometimes the only way to tell the difference is by having a vaginal exam to look for changes in your cervix that signal the onset of labor.
One good way to tell the difference is to time the contractions. Note how long it is from the start of one contraction to the start of the next one. False labor contractions are irregular and do not get closer together.
Differences Between False Labor and True Labor | ||
Type of Change | False Labor | True Labor |
Timing of contractions | Often are irregular and do not get closer together (called Braxton Hicks contractions) | Come at regular intervals and, as time goes on, get closer together. Each lasts about 30–70 seconds. |
Change with movement | Contractions may stop when you walk or rest, or may even stop with a change of position | Contractions continue, despite movement |
Strength of contractions | Usually weak and do not get much stronger (may be strong and then weak) | Increase in strength steadily |
Pain of contractions | Usually felt only in the front | Usually starts in the back and moves to the front |
What can I expect during a vaginal delivery?
Every delivery is unique and individual. Some women may even have completely different experiences with each new labor and delivery.
Labor itself is divided into three phases – early labor, active labor, and transitional labor. All women who deliver vaginally will experience all three phases of labor. When your cervix reaches the 10cm mark, you are fully dilated and can begin pushing your baby the rest of the way through the birth canal. After your baby, you will deliver the placenta.
Will I need a c-section?
One-third of babies in the United States are born via Cesarean delivery. Your baby may need to be delivered by C-Section for certain medical conditions, including:
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Kidney disease
Any disease that makes vaginal delivery dangerously stressful to your body.
Infections such as HIV or active genital herpes
Your baby’s health
A large baby
Your weight
Your age
Breech position
Multiples
Placental problems
What should I expect while recovering from a c-section?
A hospital stay after a cesarean birth is usually 2–4 days. The length of your stay depends on the reason for your C-Section and how long it takes for your body to recover. When you go home, you may need to take special care of yourself and limit your activities.
While you recover, the following things may happen:
- Mild cramping, especially if you are breastfeeding
- Bleeding or discharge for 4–6 weeks
- Bleeding with clots and cramps
- Pain in the incision
What is a VBAC?
If you have had a previous cesarean delivery, you have two choices about how to give birth again:
- You can give birth vaginally. This is called a VBAC.
- You can have a scheduled cesarean delivery
For women planning to have more children, a VBAC may help them avoid certain health problems linked to multiple cesarean deliveries.
How common is vaginal tearing?
Unfortunately, the odds of getting a vaginal tear are fairly high. First-time moms have a 95% chance of experiencing some form of tearing during delivery. After your first vaginal birth, tearing becomes less likely.
Do you have a birth center?
Each of our physicians, Dr. Noorda, Dr. Fowers, Dr. Kirkman, and Dr. Blackett are incredibly experienced and safely deliver next door at Logan Regional Hospital.
Postpartum Care
Why do I feel sad after having my baby?
Any woman can become depressed after having a baby. New mothers may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about feeling depressed when they are supposed to be happy. They may also worry they will be seen as bad mothers. It doesn’t mean you are a bad mom. You and your baby don’t have to suffer. There is help. Please reach out to us.
What is postpartum depression?
Most women get the “baby blues,” or feel sad or empty, within a few days of giving birth. However, for many women, the baby blues go away after a few days. If you feel sad, hopeless, or empty for longer than 2 weeks, you may have postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression is common and occurs in 1 of 9 women after giving birth. You might feel unconnected to your baby and these feelings can be mild to severe. Please talk with your physician if you begin to feel sad and hopeless. We are well equipped to help you.
Is PPD the same as the baby blues?
No. PPD lasts longer and is more serious than baby blues. Baby blues are feelings of sadness you may have after having a baby. Baby blues can happen 2 to 35 days after you give birth and can last up to 2 weeks. You may have trouble sleeping, be moody or cranky, and cry a lot. If you have sad feelings that last longer than 2 weeks, tell your provider.
How do I know if I have postpartum depression?
Some normal changes after pregnancy can cause symptoms similar to those of depression. Many mothers feel overwhelmed when a new baby comes home. But if you have any of the following symptoms of depression for more than 2 weeks, call your doctor, nurse, or midwife:
- Feeling restless or moody
- Feeling sad, hopeless, or overwhelmed
- Crying a lot
- Having thoughts of hurting the baby
- Having thoughts of hurting yourself
- Not having any interest in the baby, not feeling connected to the baby, or feeling as if your baby is someone else’s
- No energy or motivation
- Eating too little or too much
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Trouble focusing or making decisions
- Memory problems
- Feeling worthless, guilty, or like a bad mother
- Losing interest or pleasure in activities you usually enjoy
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Headaches, aches and pains, or stomach problems that don’t go away
Fertility Testing
When should I consider fertility testing?
When a couple has been unsuccessful at achieving pregnancy after one year of trying. We ask that both partners undergo a comprehensive physical and medical assessment.
What does fertility testing include?
For women, tests are very comprehensive and can include exams for:
- A hormone imbalance
- A tumor or cyst
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol or drug use
- Thyroid gland problems
- Excess weight
- Stress
- Brief menstrual cycle
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Polyps in the uterus
- Endometriosis or fibroids
- Scar tissue or adhesions
- Chronic medical illness
- A previous ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
- A birth defect
- DES syndrome (the medication DEC, given to women to prevent miscarriage or premature birth can result in fertility problems for their children)
- Abnormal cervical mucas
For men, we test a semen sample.
How common is infertility?
Women and men are each responsible for 50% of all infertility cases. According to the Center of Disease Control, around 10% of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. Learn more about Cache Valley Women’s Center infertility testing and treatment.
Didn’t find the answer to your question? Check out our pregnancy reminders form or call us at (435) 753-9999