There are several types of providers that can provide prenatal care: obstetrician-gynecologists, women's health physician assistants, women's health nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives.

Your due date is calculated from the first day of your last period, which means that during weeks 1-4 of pregnancy, you may not even know you’re pregnant.

During the 1st month, your baby will grow to the size of a poppy seed.

At this point, your baby is known as a "blastocyst," which is a tiny ball of cells, settling comfortably into your uterus.

Your prenatal vitamin should contain at least 400 mcg of Folic Acid, 27 mg of Iron, 1000-1300 mg of Calcium, and 600 IU of Vitamin D.

You can also take a combination of vitamins containing these ingredients if a prenatal vitamin is too large for you to swallow.

Prenatal vitamins can sometimes cause constipation, so make sure you are drinking plenty of water (8-12 cups daily) and getting more fiber in your diet.

Here are some guidelines about food safety while you're pregnant.

Limit your caffeine to less than 200mg per day.

Tobacco smoke, alcohol, and illicit drugs can affect your baby's development and have other harmful effects.

If you need help to stop drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs, call 1-800-662-HELP.

For help quitting smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for your state's quitline.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federal assistance program for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children under the age of five.

Fatigue during the early part of pregnancy is normal and a signal from your body that you need to rest.

Get more rest by turning in early.

Certain medications, including over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements, may not be advisable to continue while you're pregnant.

Some providers have a separate phone line for after-hour calls, whereas others may just have one phone line with a menu of options.

Check with your OB provider so you know what number to call.

Here's a list of symptoms or problems many OB providers recommend you call them about:
• Fever - temperature greater than 100.4 Fahrenheit
• Vaginal bleeding or spotting - can sometimes be normal
• Any severe pain or cramping
• Pressure in the pelvis or vagina
• Car accident or abdominal trauma
• Severe or persistent vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Symptoms of depression or anxiety
• Problems urinating such as pain, burning, frequency, urgency
• Persistent or severe headaches that do not resolve with rest or Tylenol
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath that seems to be getting worse
• Sudden fainting spells or dizziness
• COVID-19 exposure or symptoms
• Exposure to or symptoms of other viruses or communicable diseases such as the flu, Zika, chicken pox, etc.

Although most major insurance plans provide maternity coverage, details vary from plan to plan.

Find out what copays, deductibles, and approvals that you and your baby will require.

You should be entitled to a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours following a vaginal delivery and 96 hours following a cesarean delivery.

Some insurances will only cover screening tests, such as Non-Invasive Prenatal Tests (NIPT), also known as Cell-Free Fetal DNA Tests, if you're over 35 years old.

Be sure to ask if your insurance will cover carrier testing for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

Find out if your insurance will offer coverage for either genetic diagnostic test, Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) or Amniocentesis, especially if you are over 35 years old.

Certain situations (such as premature delivery or twins) may require a newborn to be in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Out of pocket expenses for NICU care can get expensive, and insurance companies may not cover all aspects of your baby’s stay. So, it's helpful to know your coverage before your baby is born.