Growing Strong

This means 1 in 10 babies is born too soon. The U.S.preterm birth rate is among the worst of high-resource nations. The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign aims to reduce premature birth in the United States and to give every baby a fair chance for a healthy full-term birth.

• NOT smoking, drinking or using illegal drugs-  be aware of prescription medications that are not safe to use while pregnant

• Early Prenatal Care- Visiting a doctor soon after learning about pregnancy

• Talking to you provider about weight- Mothers at a healthy weight before and during pregnancy increase positive birth outcomes.

• Talk to you provider about chronic health conditions-  High blood pressure, diabetes and thyroid conditions

• Stress reduction-Exercise and good nutrition has been proven to reduce stress

• Planning Pregnancies-Waiting at least 18 months in between giving birth and getting pregnant again is recommentd for the health of both mother and baby.