It’s time to head to your FIRST doctor’s appointment for your pregnancy. This is usually filled with excitement and a little bit of uncertainty. Having a list of the most important questions to ask your doctor during your first prenatal visit, will ensure that you leave feeling prepared for this pregnancy!
Being a first-time mom, I had NO idea what to expect during pregnancy. I had a lot of questions and my midwife was more than happy to answer all of them.
I want you to know that it is normal to be curious about what to expect. If your provider isn’t willing to listen, you may want to think about switching to another doctor. This first appointment is a good time to get to know who will be caring for you and if you are both on the same page.
Having a provider who is on your side and supports you in the birth you are wanting, will help you to have a positive experience… even if not everything goes to plan!
32 of the Most Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor at Your First Prenatal Visit
Like I said earlier, I had a LOT of questions. I found that bring a notebook helped me to leave feeling good about my appointment. Next time, I’ll start a journal as soon as I get a positive pregnancy test because it feels like FOREVER before your 8 week appointment.
I’m going to share the MOST Important Questions to ask your Doctor at your First Prenatal Visit from my experience as a first time mom. I hope this helps you!
Basic Questions To Ask
I know how overwhelming it is to walk into your first prenatal appointment, especially if this is your first child. You have no idea what to expect and need some clarity on certain things. This appointment is really to see how your baby is doing and to talk about you and your spouse’s family history.
Your doctor will be asking you a lot of questions and will probably answer a lot of your without even asking. That’s why I wrote my top 10 questions for my midwife, to ensure that I didn’t forget the most important things. Here are the 10 basic questions you should ask your provider at your appointment.
1. What Foods SHOULD/SHOULDN’T I be eating?
Most doctors will give you a list! But be sure that you ask about anything specific to your diet.
Check out my FAVORITE foods for the First Trimester
2. How much weight should I gain?
I want to encourage you to not worry about your weight. My midwife never once questioned my weight and even encouraged me not to worry about it. But, knowing how much they would like you to gain just gives you an idea of who you are doing.
3. What should exercise look like for me?
My doctor recommended a light workout a couple of days a week, but she encouraged me just to walk! I actually had to purchase a belly support band, which helped me to continue walking up until birth.
Here are some awesome workout for the First Trimester
4. How often do I come in for appointments?
For a low-risk birth, you will probably be every 4 weeks until the third trimester. I was unclear what the last trimester looked like and wished that I had gone a little more frequently. I went into labor at 36 weeks and feel like maybe they could have caught something if I was going every 2 weeks.
5. How many ultrasounds do I have? And at what weeks?
My doctor did 3 ultrasounds. (9 weeks, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks) It gave me peace of mind knowing what to expect and when.
6. When can I find out the gender?
This is everyone’s favorite question if they are finding out the gender! Most doctors and midwives do this at 20 weeks, but some do offer it sooner!
If you are really impatient to find out, SneakPeek offers Early DNA Testing – which I did at 9 Weeks!
It’s never too early to start planning your Gender Reveal, here are some unique ideas!
7. What are some normal pregnancy symptoms and what should I call you about?
I didn’t even have to ask for this, but my midwife went through random and weird pregnancy symptoms that were normal. She also gave me a few that were important for me to call her about.
8. What number should I call for basic questions?
My midwife’s office had a nurse’s line I could call for basic questions. She also offered to answer anything on the online portal. I typically did this because I wanted to hear her thoughts, not the on-call nurse.
9. Where do I go + who do I call in an Emergency?
Obviously, we don’t want to think about the unexpected, but having the resources in case of an emergency will put your mind at ease. Your doctor should give you a list of numbers you can call along with facilities if need be.
10. Who will deliver my baby?
I didn’t realize HOW IMPORTANT this question was until after I gave birth. My midwife was there from my first appointment through delivering my daughter. If this is important to you, be sure to ask!
Like I said earlier, these are the questions I felt were the most important to ask my doctor at the first prenatal visit. But, there are obviously a lot more that come up. I’m going to give you a complete list of questions with everything from prenatal vitamins to symptoms.
You don’t necessarily need to write all these down. Most of them will be answered at your appointment, but if you feel like one really jumps out and feels important to you…. Definitely add it to your list!
Questions about Food + Vitamins
Staying healthy throughout your pregnancy is really important for you and your baby! Make sure you ask lots of questions about what you can and can not have. This will not only help you to maintain a healthy weight but will also support your birth. (I truly believe this is one of the reasons I was able to have a natural birth)
- What vitamins should I be taking?
- Are there any supplements I should add to my diet?
- Can I have ….. (food you are curious about)?
- How much water should I be drinking?
- What can I drink instead of water?
- How much caffeine can I have?
Questions About Medications
Be sure to bring all the medications that you take regularly to this appointment. Your OB/Midwife may want to take a look at them to ensure they are safe for pregnancy.
- Should I continue to take the medications I’m currently on?
- Are there any medications I need to stop immediately?
- What over-the-counter medications are okay to take?
Questions about Symptoms + Emergencies
There is nothing worse than going to an appointment not asking about a symptom that is concerning you. I was too scared to ask about a few symptoms that felt silly at the time, but after I left I felt unsettled so I called my midwife. Do yourself a favor and ask if your symptoms are normal!
- Is this (symptom) normal?
- Do I have any increased risks for complications or conditions?
- Do you have any recommendations for (nausea, constipation, etc.)?
- What should I do if I have spotting?
- What if I feel cramping?
Questions About Lifestyle
If I’m being completely honest, I was scared to have sex during the first trimester. I was completely embarrassed to ask my OB if it was okay and totally wished I did. Here are some important questions about your lifestyle that you can ask your doctor, so you can enjoy your pregnancy!
- Is it okay to continue having sex?
- What do I need to know about traveling while pregnant?
- When should I STOP traveling?
- Can I color my hair? Get my nails done? Get a message?
- What position should I be sleeping in?
- How long can I continue working during pregnancy?
Evaluate Your Provider
- How do you feel about (Natural Birth, Medicated Birth, C-section)?
- What are your thoughts on (Breastfeeding/Formula)
This first prenatal appointment is the perfect time to get to know your provider and see if they are the right fit for you. It’s SO much easier to switch doctors after this first appointment rather than later in pregnancy.
If you have any make or break questions be sure to ask them now so that you don’t waste you or your provider’s time. Welcoming a baby into this world is a big deal and you want someone who will support you the entire way!
(Check out my blog post on How to Choose a Provider for Your Pregnancy)
In Conclusion….
From the moment you find out you are pregnant, you will start thinking of a million questions. It’s important to really focus on the ones that matter for right now and not get overwhelmed with all the possible questions you could ask.
This first prenatal appointment is your provider to get to know you, your history, and to check in on baby! Don’t get carried away with concerns that won’t matter until later in your pregnancy. Use this appointment to get to know your provider, if you feel at all uncomfortable, it is easier to change now than later in your pregnancy! Best of luck… and congratulations mama!
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