Normal Obstetrics

Here at Alliance Ob/Gyn we thoroughly enjoy delivering babies. It is not an afterthought which is regulated to nurse midwives. We pride ourselves on the personal care we give all our patients. We are not a large group who delivers 100 babies per month. Our physicians get to know their patients and families.

Exercise in Pregnancy: Dr. Elbridge F. Bills

In a normal pregnancy physical activity is good! Women who exercise have a shorter labor and less chance of cesarean section. In the first trimester you can do essentially anything you want short of sitting in a hot tub. You may take a warm shower or warm bath, but if the heat of the water is making you perspire, it is too hot.

In the second and third trimester you should not do anything that “jars” your body. Jogging or low impact aerobics are fine, jumping jacks are not. In general do not over exert yourself. In the late second and throughout the third trimester you should keep your heart rate below 140 beats per minute.

There is no specific weight limit on things you can lift. It doesn’t necessarily harm the pregnancy, but it can certainly harm a mother’s back. The 25-35 pound ideal weight gain (see Diet in Pregnancy) is essentially like walking around with three to four bowling balls strapped to you abdomen. This is very physically demanding and cause pain and numerous body aches.

Many aspects of medicine concentrate on the absolute minimum which should be done and is considered safe. We look beyond that. Ultrasound is a good example. In many practices a single ultrasound is performed to evaluate fetal development. In truth, it is better to visualize certain aspects of fetal development at specific times in pregnancy. To that end, several brief ultrasounds are done during the course of the pregnancy at specific times. You will not be charged anything extra for these additional sonograms. They are part of the “global” pregnancy fee. If complications arise later in pregnancy, and additional ultrasounds are required, you or your insurance carrier will be billed appropriately. Conversely, we cannot perform additional ultrasounds upon request.

Video “Common Changes During Pregnancy” (English)

Video “Common Changes During Pregnancy” (Spanish)