It is best to get prenatal care as soon as you know you are pregnant and continue to get care throughout your pregnancy. You should use the same doctor or clinic for all your prenatal care. Take good care of yourself while you are pregnant. Take prenatal vitamins with folic acid. Exercise regularly. Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs.
It is also very important to continue to see your Primary Care Physician (PCP) at your medical home or your OB/GYN after the baby is born. You can talk to your PCP or OB/GYN about family planning and birth control.
WIC/Breastfeeding
Eating healthy foods is important when you are pregnant! WIC is a food assistance program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC helps pregnant women, new moms, babies and young children eat well and stay healthy.
Make sure you sign up for WIC while you are pregnant!
WIC can help you learn how to eat well for your growing baby. It is also important that babies and young children eat right. This helps them grow up healthy and strong. With WIC, you can get healthy foods. Foods available are whole grains, milk, eggs, cheese, fruits and vegetables, juice, cereal, dried beans or peas, baby foods, peanut butter and iron-fortified infant formula for babies who are not breastfed.
WIC helps women understand how to breastfeed. You can get answers to questions about breastfeeding, support and counseling. If you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby, make plans now to breastfeed your baby for the first year of life. Breastfeeding is the normal and natural way to feed your baby. Breast milk is all your baby needs for the first six months. You can keep your baby healthier by breastfeeding. Breast milk protects babies from ear infections, colds, allergies, diarrhea and constipation. Your baby will be sick less and have fewer doctor visits.
Breastfed children are less likely to have diabetes or become overweight in childhood. Breastfeeding saves money, because there are no formula or bottle costs. You may also have fewer doctor bills and medication costs.
Breastfeeding helps you bond with your baby. Holding your baby while you nurse makes your baby feel loved and close to you. Breastfeeding has health benefits for moms, too. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer and osteoporosis.
To see if you qualify for WIC, visit a WIC Clinic. To locate a WIC office near you, call 1-800-323-4769 (TTY: 1-866-295-6817) or go online at http://www.dhs.state.il.us and click on “Food”.
Family Case Management
Family Case Management (FCM) is an Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) program that helps pregnant women, infants and children get needed services. Help with healthcare and transportation is available. FCM can provide education on issues such as pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, family planning and birth control. For more information, visit your local DHS office. Or call 1-800-843-6154 (TTY: 1-800-447-6404) or go online at http://www.dhs.state.il.us.
text4baby
To help you during your pregnancy with information about caring for your health and giving your baby the best possible start in life, check out text4baby. Text4baby is free. It provides important health information and resources in simple text messages.
Registration is easy and can be done from your cell phone. Just text “Baby” (or “Bebe” for Spanish) to 511411. You’ll be asked to enter your baby’s due date or your baby’s birthday, and your zip code. Once registered, you will receive three text messages a week, until your baby is a year old, with tips for your pregnancy or caring for your baby.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. During pregnancy, moms who quit smoking are proud of themselves for breaking the addiction. By quitting, former smokers get many health benefits. They cut down on their risk of having lung disease, a heart attack or getting cancer.
The people who you live with, especially your children, will also be healthier. You will have extra money to spend on other important things for your family. Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do.
However, it is not easy. For help and support, contact a medical professional at the Illinois Tobacco Quitline. The Quitline is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The number is 1-866-Quit-Yes (TTY: 1-800-501-1068). This call is free.
Post Partum Depression
Pay attention to your feelings during and after pregnancy. Do you feel sad nearly all the time? Have you stopped feeling pleasure or worry too much? Have you lost interest in food? Talk to your PCP right away.
If you need help finding a PCP, Illinois Health Connect can locate a medical home for you while you are pregnant and after you have the baby. Call IHC between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The number is 1-877-912-1999 (TTY: 1-866-565-8577). The call is free.
Sources: Illinois Department of Human Services, text4baby.org, Illinois Department of Public Health
