My Doctor Online The Permanente Medical Group
Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Preparing For Your New Baby
The third trimester is the time during pregnancy when we all look forward to the next exciting development…the amazing birth of your baby! There is so much to do to prepare for this arrival, and we want this to be a healthy, safe, and beautiful experience for you and your family. We recommend that you take advantage of the following information and programs for the best chance of a healthy and successful birth experience.
Choosing a pediatrician or pediatric nurse practitioner
After the birth, you will be assigned a medical record number for the baby and can choose your pediatric provider. If you do not have a particular provider in mind, someone in the pediatric department can help you pick one.
In the meantime, during your third trimester, it is a good idea to think about which pediatricians or pediatric nurse practitioners would be a good fit for your family.
- If you have older children who have a particular pediatrician, your new baby should be able to see the same one.
- Browse through the homepages of our different pediatric providers. You can view the home pages of pediatricians who practice near you, and read about their background, training and practice.
- Ask us, or ask your friends for recommendations.
Well-baby check-up
As you get ready to take your baby home from the hospital, we'll give you home care instructions. We'll also schedule a well-baby checkup appointment for you and your baby. During this visit, we will assess, weigh, measure, and immunize your baby as needed. You may want to bring a list of questions to ask at the visit.
Circumcision
If you are having a boy you will need to decide whether to schedule a circumcision for your baby. This procedure removes the foreskin that covers the tip of the penis.
Originally, this procedure was done for religious and cultural purposes. Later, it was believed that the procedure allowed for better hygiene, helped prevent cancer, and improved sexual performance. None of these reasons have been scientifically proven. Now the choice to have an infant circumcised is purely a personal decision, not a medical one.
Currently, about 65 percent of baby boys born each year in the United States are circumcised. If you choose to have your son circumcised, the procedure is usually performed prior to discharge from the hospital.
Preparing older children
Siblings may not be prepared to welcome a new baby into the home. Many children have difficulty sharing your affection and attention. This sibling rivalry (a collection of negative feelings and behaviors that older children sometimes show toward a new baby) is very common. You can help by including your child or children in preparing for and helping with the new baby. Making your other children feel that they are a part of the excitement and not excluded from the daily routine can ease the adjustment. Before the baby comes, let the older child:
- Feel the baby kick inside.
- Help mom pack her suitcase for the hospital.
- Help make birth announcements by drawing pictures.
- Help select the baby's name.
- Help pick out the baby’s homecoming outfit.
When the new baby arrives, the child can:
- Help fold or bring diapers.
- Help hold, dress, and burp the baby (with supervision).
- Push a stroller (with supervision).
- Smile, talk, and sing when the baby is fussy. You can point out to your older child when the baby is responding.
- Give a gift to the baby or share a few toys that the older child chooses (and are appropriate for an infant).
You and your partner can:
- Plan to spend special time alone with your older child every day.
- Use words like "gently" or "softly," and avoid using "don't touch" as much as possible.
- Teach and praise independent behaviors, encouraging the child to become more capable and independent now that the baby is here.
- Allow your child to talk about negative feelings, and avoid scolding or shaming the child. The big brother or sister may at times feel jealous, lonely, angry, or sad and these feelings are as normal as feeling loving, joyful, and generous towards the new baby.
- Give a realistic baby doll to a younger child, which they can pretend to feed, diaper and play with.
Regressive behavior (such as a toilet-trained child wetting his or her pants) is common at this time, so you'll want to be particularly sensitive to an older child's adjustment to having a new brother or sister. As difficult as it might be, try to be patient, loving, and supportive. Your older child will ultimately realize that he or she can enjoy the baby as part of the family. Remember to praise positive behaviors and give lots of love and hugs.
Birth control after your baby
Now is a good time to decide what type of birth control you'll use after the baby is born. When choosing a birth control method, it's important to consider:
- How long you would like to prevent pregnancy
- Whether you need protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Whether or not you are comfortable taking hormones
- How often you want to think about your birth control method
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.