5 Questions I wish I would have asked my OBGYN with my first Pregnancy

This post is sponsored by Cord Blood Registry, CBR®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It feels like forever since my first pregnancy! But I tell you what, I don’t think I will EVER forget those 9 months of ups and downs and the fear and excitement.

I headed into my first pregnancy with what I thought was a pretty decent knowledge on the subject of being pregnant and birth and babies… But I didn’t know as much as I assumed. And I realized after giving birth that there were several key questions I should have asked my OBGYN. 

If this is your first pregnancy or maybe you are thinking about getting pregnant, I would like to share with you 5 questions I wish I would have asked my OBGYN with my first pregnancy.

5 Questions to ask your OBGYN with your first pregnancy.

Is it okay that I am having cramps/bleeding? 

Please, don’t just google “cramps & bleeding during pregnancy”!!! I promise you will lose your mind with all the things on the internet about cramps & bleeding during pregnancy!

My first pregnancy I experienced a LOT of cramps. You may be like me and feel like you should be tough and not “imagine” things. Don’t worry about asking this question. Your OB will be able to tell you what’s normal for you and what you should call a nurse for. 

Can we go over my birth plan and discuss possible situations I may have during birth? 

I had a birth plan… in my head. I assumed that it would just magically happen when it came time to pop my first born son out. But I didn’t ask my doctor if we could talk through the birth plan in my head. 

There were several factors that I didn’t take into consideration with my original birth plan. One being prior health conditions and how they would affect me during labor. 

Keep an open mind when discussing your birth plan with your doctor. The ultimate goal is to bring a healthy baby, safely into the world.

What are the benefits of cord blood banking and how does the process work? 

The awesomeness of newborn stem cells was completely unknown to me.  

Maybe you haven’t heard about Cord Blood Registry (CBR), umbilical cord blood stem cells and cord tissue, the scientific research or how it works.

Here is what I have learned:

• Your baby’s umbilical cord is made of tissue and contains blood, both of which are rich in sources of powerful stem cells. 
• Preserving those newborn’s stem cells may give your child or an immediate family member, depending on the condition and other factors, the opportunity to use this resource for current cord blood therapies. In the future, there may be other potential applications like regenerative medicine.
• CBR is helping advance stem cell research by partnering with reputable research institutions on FDA-regulated clinical trials. They’re helping to fund clinical trials to investigate the potential for newborn stem cells to treat conditions that currently have no cure.

Here is how to get set up with CBR:

• Enroll with CBR online at cordblood.com/enroll or call 1-888-240-1996
• CBR ships you a collection kit
• Bring your kit to the hospital on your big day
• Call the medical courier after your baby is born and the cord blood has been collected by your healthcare professional
• Relax. CBR handles the rest and will notify you when the kit has been received.

If you are interested in learning more, be sure to fill out your info and receive a promo code for $200 off of the  initial fees! You can also visit CBR’s about page or watch this video.

Does the hospital I am delivering at have a NICU? 

You don’t ever want to think about the possibility of delivering a baby that might be sick or in distress and need special medical attention, but you should.

I did not know that not every hospital is equipped with a NICU. This means that if you deliver in a hospital without a NICU and your baby needs intense medical attention, you may be separated from your baby while he is transferred to another hospital with a NICU.

Having had the experience of an infant in NICU for several weeks, I will ALWAYS encourage other moms to choose to deliver at a hospital with a NICU if possible.

What is RH negative?

This question is not a question for everyone. But if you have a negative blood type, you MUST ask this question!

I am RH negative and needed to get the Rhogham shot. I had no idea what it meant or what it would mean if I had a miscarriage and did not get the shot. 

Because I didn’t ask enough questions, I experienced a LOT of complications with subsequent pregnancies.

Remember, you DO NOT need to feel awkward or bad when it comes to asking questions about your pregnancy! Whether it’s your first or sixth pregnancy, asking questions is OKAY! And the more questions you ask, the more prepared you will be able to be for that new perfect, little bundle of joy!

Happy Pregnancy,
Keikilani