Did you just find out your pregnant? Did you get a positive urine test or hCG test and not sure what to do next?
Our team at Nourishing Balance is here to help you navigate this exciting and overwhelming time. If you’re in Ontario, Canada, there are a few key steps you should take to ensure that you’re making informed decisions and accessing the right support and resources throughout your pregnancy journey. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to take when you discover you’re pregnant in Ontario.
First things first..
If you haven’t your pregnancy via a blood test, contact your family doctor or healthcare provider to confirm your pregnancy via a blood test. This would be by testing your hCG (Human chorionic gonodotropin) which is a hormone that is made by your placenta. This level will continue to increase as you progress in your pregnancy and can be a good first indicator of how far along you are.
Once you have confirmed your pregnancy, your family doctor or health care provider will likely get in touch to discuss your results. But at this point you have some decisions to make.
In Ontario, prenatal care is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), so you won’t have to pay for most medical expenses related to your pregnancy and birth.
During this first appointment, your provider will discuss your medical history, perform tests, and give you an idea of the next steps for prenatal care. They’ll monitor your health and the development of your pregnancy, including routine blood tests, ultrasounds, and other screenings.
If you’re unsure whether to see a doctor or midwife, there are some important distinctions:
- Doctors/Obstetricians (OB): More common in hospitals and may handle high-risk pregnancies.
- Midwives: Provide personalized care, often for low-risk pregnancies, and they can attend home births or hospital births.
Regardless of which option you chose, you want to ensure that you base your decision on working with a provider you feel comfortable with. If you do have a hospital in mind that you want to give birth at, you would want to consider if your OB belongs to that hospital or if your midwife has rights to that hospital.
If you don’t have a family doctor..you will need a referral if you would like to work with an OB. For a midwife, you can contact them directly. However, if you do want to go the OB route and don’t have family doctor, you can start to work with a Nurse Practitioner such as Julia on our team who can order your initial testing and refer you to the correct practitioner.
Now that you’ve gone those things covered, you may want to consider making some changes for your health and the baby. Prenatal care is crucial to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby. Your healthcare provider will guide you on the necessary steps, but here are a few basic tips to keep in mind:
- Start taking prenatal vitamins: These often include folic acid, which helps prevent birth defects.
- Eat a balanced diet: Focus on nutrient-rich foods to nourish both yourself and your baby.
- Stay active: As long as your doctor approves, moderate exercise can be beneficial for your physical and mental health.
- Avoid harmful substances: Avoid smoking, alcohol, and recreational drugs, and talk to your doctor about any medications you may be taking.
Reaching Out for Professional Help
If all of these things seem overwhelming, thats where our healthcare team is here to help you. We know first hand that it can be overwhelming to know what you can/can’t eat, which prenatal vitamin you need to take and what exercise you can/can’t do. Our team of registered dietitians, naturopathic doctors and nurse practitioners are here to help. Working with a regulated team that specializes in pregnancy can help guide you throughout your pregnancy and give you peace of mind. Our team can support you with nutrition during pregnancy, help support you in creating a birth plan, order in-depth pregnancy testing to ensure you are taking the correct vitamins and so much more.
Remember, you are not alone. Our team at Nourishing Balance is here to support you with internal and external resources. If you want to learn more about how we can support you, you can book a free discovery call to get started.
