During your pregnancy and after delivery, good nutrition can help you stay healthy and give your baby a great start in life. Eat a healthful diet that includes a wide range of nutritious foods from different food groups, such as whole grains and fresh vegetables.

Avoid potentially harmful substances, fast foods with high amounts of fats, and foods with chemical additives. Stop using alcohol and tobacco products. Alcohol can cause birth defects, and cigarettes have been shown to increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight and other problems.

As an expectant mom, you can naturally anticipate gaining an average of about half a pound per week during the first half of your pregnancy and one pound per week during the second half. In your second and third trimesters, you'll need to increase your daily calorie intake by about 300 calories per day. That's equivalent to just one cup of low-fat yogurt or one cup of whole-grain cereal and one cup of low-fat milk. Ask your doctor for more information about nutrition during your pregnancy.

As a mom-to-be, you're focused on having a healthy baby. To help ensure a positive outcome, your doctor may add outpatient testing to your care, especially if you have certain factors that might put you or your baby at risk. Outpatient evaluations at Pella Regional include:

• Nonstress test
• Contraction stress test
• Biophysical profile

With your doctor's order, an experienced obstetrics nurse or a medical imaging staff member conducts your tests at Pella Regional.

As expectant parents, you’ll learn to understand and recognize the signs and stages of labor, as well as relaxation and breathing techniques to prepare you for labor and delivery. You’ll also discover the options for potential medical interventions, medications and more.

Help your baby’s siblings-to-be welcome the newest member of the family with what they’ll learn in this helpful class. Children at least two-and-a-half years old are eligible to attend with their parents. Participants visit the Family Birthing Center, watch a video on sibling rivalry and practice holding a baby. Brothers-to-be and sisters-to-be will get their pictures taken for placement in the baby’s bassinet after birth.

Our certified lactation consultant facilitates this class to provide you, as a new mom, with information about successfully breastfeeding your infant. You’ll learn basic breastfeeding positions, latch-on techniques, signs your baby is getting enough milk, ways dads-to-be can support new breastfeeding moms and more.

New parents have increased financial responsibility in addition to caring for their newborn. Learn the basics of creating financial security for your expanding family through budgeting, college funding options, life and disability insurance, group benefits and retirement planning tools.