COVID-19 Resources

Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. It can help protect your baby from infections and diseases. It also improves brain growth for your baby! Breastfeeding also helps with postpartum weight loss and reduces your risk of breast cancer.

While you are pregnant, learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Share the information you are learning about breastfeeding with the people who will be helping you when your baby is born. If you are planning to breastfeed, feeding your baby only breast milk for the first 4-6 weeks will help you establish a good milk supply. Experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding for baby’s first 6 months and continued breastfeeding until at least 12 months.

Establish a breastfeeding plan prior to your delivery and share your plan to breastfeed with your doctor. Most women can start breastfeeding soon after their baby is born. Breastfeeding may be challenging for some mothers. With practice, patience, and help from nursing staff, you should feel comfortable and confident with breastfeeding before you leave the hospital.

Talk to your provider about obtaining an electric breast pump before delivery to support your breastfeeding goals. That way you can have breast milk available for your baby even when it’s not convenient to breastfeed.

Healthy & Safe Eating

If you are pregnant, you can protect yourself and your baby from food-related illnesses by handling, cooking, eating, and storing your food properly. Fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating.

Avoid meats or fish that are uncooked or undercooked. Also avoid fish with lots of mercury, like shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel.

Early & Regular Prenatal Care

Regular checkups with your doctor while you’re pregnant is called prenatal care. Prenatal care should begin as soon as you know you are pregnant. Prenatal care keeps you and your developing baby healthy during your pregnancy. During your check-ups you may be seen by your doctor, nurse practitioner (NP), midwife, or a physician’s assistant (PA).

Early prenatal care will help your doctor to identify and manage potential health risks or issues early to reduce complications. Your doctor should schedule more prenatal check-ups throughout your pregnancy and provide resources to guide you through this exciting time.

Discuss your delivery hospital options with your doctor. Certain hospitals are designated to provide services for high-risk pregnancies, complicated deliveries, and intensive newborn care.

If you think you are pregnant, see a doctor as soon as possible. If you need help finding a doctor for your pregnancy, call 2-1-1 OC or the Orange County Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448.

Check-Up for Baby

Your baby needs an appointment for a first health checkup at the age of two weeks. In addition, earlier visits may be needed to check your baby’s weight gain or if there are other concerns. Your baby’s doctor will check your baby’s growth, development, and perform a physical examination to make sure that there are no problems.

The doctor can also inform you of the results of routine newborn screening tests that were performed in the hospital. Your baby’s healthcare provider may be a doctor, nurse practitioner (NP), or a physician’s assistant (PA).

If you do not have health insurance for your baby, you can apply for Medi-Cal. If you need help finding a doctor for your baby, call the Health Care Agency, Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448 or call 2-1-1.

Healthy Mind and Relationship

A healthy mind and healthy relationships are important parts of a healthy life. To reduce stress and other negative feelings after pregnancy, you should:

• Stop smoking, drinking and taking illegal drugs
• Build strong relationships with your partner, family, and friends
• Practice mental wellness and give yourself chances to de-stress

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