• I'm pregnant: now what?

  • First things first: what type of prenatal care is right for you?
  • Prenatal care in the first trimester
  • Prenatal care in the second trimester
  • Prenatal care in the third trimester
  • Postpartum care

  • First things first: what type of prenatal care is right for you?

    Maybe you’ve taken a pregnancy test (or three) at home, maybe you’ve missed a period and feel like something is just…different. Whatever the method of determination, now is a great time to start thinking about the type of pregnancy care (also known as prenatal care) you want.

    Midwifery Prenatal Care

    Pregnancy care provided by a nurse-midwife is a wonderful option for healthy people with a low risk of complications. Nurse-midwives view pregnancy and childbirth as normal, healthy events that don’t necessarily require a lot of medical intervention. WHA’s midwives are certified nurse-midwives, which means they have bachelor’s degrees in nursing, master’s degrees in nurse-midwifery and have taken national board exams to become certified. They can prescribe many types of medication and care for you in the hospital—even if you’re thinking about having an epidural for pain management during labor. Nurse-midwives emphasize education, shared decision making and making sure your pregnancy—and YOU—are as healthy as can be. They also collaborate closely with our physicians to provide you with the best possible pregnancy care. Meet our nurse-midwives >

    OB/GYN Physician Prenatal Care

    Physician pregnancy care is provided by specialists (sometimes called pregnancy doctors) who have completed four years of additional training in obstetrics and gynecology after finishing medical school. They are trained to care for normal, healthy pregnancies, but are also able to help you navigate complications that may arise along the way, such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. OB/GYN physicians are also trained surgeons, which means they can (among other things) perform C-section deliveries, if needed. Most of our physicians work together in a team with midwives to offer the best care to our patients in pregnancy and birth. Find an OB/GYN physician >

  • Prenatal care in the first trimester

    A pregnancy is divided into three trimesters, each one lasting 13 weeks or about three months. The fetus spends around 38 weeks in the uterus (womb), but the average length of gestation is calculated as 40 weeks from the date of your last period.

    When should you begin prenatal care?

    The ideal time for your first visit with your OB/GYN or nurse-midwife is usually between eight to 12 weeks because this timing allows us to confirm your due date more accurately. You may have an earlier visit with a nurse or medical assistant to provide the information you need to consider before your first visit with your provider. Topics for this first visit usually include common do’s and don’ts of pregnancy, early pregnancy self-care, options for genetic screening and any questions you have. Here’s what you can usually look forward to in the first trimester:

    • Blood and urine tests. (Note these days we don’t need to confirm your pregnancy with a blood test – your home pregnancy test is accurate!)
    • A limited ultrasound.
    • One or two office visits; usually one with a nurse or medical assistant and one with a doctor or nurse practitioner/nurse midwife.

    If you have a history of depression, anxiety or eating disorders—or if you’re concerned about normal weight gain, smoking or substance abuse during your pregnancy, we want to help. Talk to your provider about seeing one of our behavioral or mental health specialists. Learn more >

     

  • Prenatal care in the second trimester

    The middle part of your pregnancy (the 13th week through the 27th week) is called the second trimester. During this time, you’ll likely have one-on-one and/or group visits approximately once a month unless there’s a reason to see you more often. There is usually a detailed ultrasound at around 20 weeks to look at the baby’s anatomy. Sometimes we can’t see everything we need to evaluate during this ultrasound due to the baby’s position or other scanning challenges—so we may need to schedule a follow up ultrasound. Unless there’s a medical reason for ultrasounds later in pregnancy, this will probably be the last one. Learn more about ultrasound at WHA >

    Our care includes screening for gestational diabetes, usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes rarely has symptoms but can cause complications for birthing parent and baby during and after birth. Learn more about gestational diabetes >

  • Prenatal care in the third trimester

    The home stretch (literally)! The period beginning with your 28th week of pregnancy is known as the third trimester. During this time, visits generally increase in frequency to twice a month. At 36 weeks, you’ll typically come in weekly until you have your baby.

    The third trimester is a busy time with many things to do and consider, including:

    • Taking a birth preparation class or classes
    • Considering your birth plan and putting it in writing
    • Choosing a pediatric provider
    • Getting a Tdap shot for you and other adults who will be living with the baby
    • Visiting and pre-registering at the hospital
    • Thinking about what kind of contraception you’ll use after giving birth; be sure to ask your provider if you want to discuss your options
    • Researching lactation resources at the hospital or in the community in case you need help with breastfeeding
    • Packing for you and the baby
    • Considering any decisions you’ll need to make around the care of your newborn, such as circumcision >

    When you arrive at the hospital in labor, you’ll meet the WHA nurse-midwife or OB/GYN physician on duty. Under normal circumstances when you go into labor spontaneously, there will be no way of knowing which provider will have the privilege of welcoming your baby into the world—but you can be confident that there will be a skilled and compassionate WHA clinician there to care for you.

  • Postpartum care

    A.K.A., the Fourth Trimester

    Yup—you read that right. But don’t worry. The ‘fourth trimester’ refers to the first three months of your baby’s life outside the womb and the beginning your parenthood journey. While your pediatric provider will be caring for the new baby, we’ll be making sure you’re healing and adjusting to this new life physically, mentally and emotionally. If things are going well, this time usually includes two appointments: one about three weeks after birth (the postpartum visit) and one at about eight weeks—which is a complete wellness visit. Of course, if you have any concerns before or between visits, we are here to help!

Is this normal?

Answers you want, questions you may not want to ask
See all Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum related articles

Other Services for Your Pregnancy

See the complete list of our services

Additional Resources for You

Prenatal Patient Information

Here's all the information we covered with you at the beginning of your pregnancy and other helpful resources, including information from the CDC and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on pregnancy and COVID-19.

Our Moment of Truth

Learn more about midwifery care and women's health during pregnancy and beyond on this site from the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

La Leche League

Information and support related to breastfeeding--including local support groups.

Women’s Healthcare Associates, LLC – Gateway

10566 SE Washington Street
Portland, 97216
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Liz Labby, CNM, MN - Certified Nurse-Midwife, Midwifery, Portland, OR Liz Labby, CNM, MN
Certified Nurse-Midwife
Midwifery
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If you’re pregnant and want to begin care at WHA–or need to schedule an appointment during your pregnancy, call us! Find a provider and location here.

Please have your insurance information handy before you begin scheduling.

This will allow our teams to check whether your plan may require a referral for the care you need or to prepare benefits information to share with you at your visit. If you do not enter insurance information when scheduling, you may be asked to pay a $200-$500 deposit before receiving service.