Preconception, Nutritional, & Prenatal Counseling
in Miami, Florida
Preconception Counseling
- Preparing for a healthy pregnancy starts early. Begin taking prenatal vitamins or a multivitamin with a minimum of 400 mcg of folic acid approximately 3 months prior to trying to become pregnant.
- See your primary care provider or specialist first to manage any preexisting medical conditions.
- Make sure all your vaccines are up to date.
- Male partners should avoid hot tubs.
- Quit smoking and avoid alcohol or other drug use.
- It is best to have an exercise routine in place prior to getting pregnant. Unless instructed otherwise, it is recommended to exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
- Begin to keep track of your periods. You can also note the fertile window of each month by using ovulation predictor kits or monitoring your body temperature each morning.
- You and your partner should avoid traveling to areas with known risk of Zika for at least 6 months prior to pregnancy.
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Diet and Nutrition
- Focus on a healthy balanced diet. Weight gain goals will vary based on your starting weight, so speak with your obstetrician at My ObGyn Specialists for specific and individualized recommendations.
- Have a combination of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
- Eating foods fortified with extra nutrients and continuing to take a prenatal vitamin throughout the pregnancy will help your baby get the nutrition he or she needs. This includes vitamins A & D, calcium, potassium, iron, and vitamin B12.
- Increase whole grains and lean proteins, and minimize sodium and starch intake.
- Eat 2-3 servings (8-12 ounces total) per week of a variety of low-mercury fish. This may include salmon, flounder, tilapia, canned light tuna, and shrimp.
- Consume no more than 200mg of caffeine daily.
- Avoid all alcohol, tobacco products and other drug use.
- Foods to avoid:
- Unpasteurized cheese, milk or juice
- Raw fish
- Fish which are high in mercury. Examples include swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, albacore tuna, or shark.
- Undercooked meat
- Refrigerated deli meats or hot dogs. Heat these until steaming hot if you would like to eat them.
Exercise in Pregnancy :
Exercise is important to help maintain healthy weight gain in pregnancy, can reduce back pain, and decrease the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. It can also help you return to your starting weight after the baby is born.
Pregnancy is not the time to start a new exercise program. However moderate intensity aerobic activity at least 30 minutes, most days per week will be beneficial. Prenatal yoga or pilates will help stretch and strengthen muscles in pregnancy.
Avoid high risk vigorous exercises, contact sports, and exercising in heated rooms, such as hot yoga.
Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water before, during, and after working out. Avoid becoming overheated.
Prenatal Care and Testing
Your first visit should begin when you have a positive pregnancy test. Based on your dating, we will then set you up with an ultrasound to confirm your due date.
The frequency of prenatal visits depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy as well as any medical conditions of pregnancy complications.
We recommend meeting each of the physicians in the practice during your pregnancy because we want you to feel comfortable with each of us for your delivery.
Different lab tests are due at various times of the pregnancy and all blood draws can be done right in our office.
Ultrasounds are conveniently performed in our office, providing you with immediate discussion of results.
Patient Feedback
“Incredible bedside manners! Dr. Saldana was extremely helpful and understanding with all of my concerns. Not only did she concern herself with what I was at her office for, but also recommended other very helpful guides for my other issues. Rest assured I’m in good professional hands with a wonderful human being. The office personnel was also very delightful.”
“This review is for Dr. Alejandra Angel. She is an amazing doctor. She took good care of me during my pregnancy, was very patient, I never felt rushed during my appointments, she always listened and explained very well any questions that I had. She made my first delivery experience a nice one. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who would like to have a nice and smooth experience. If you are looking for a doctor who genuinely cares about you and your baby, you should look no further. She is the one to go. I really like her and her attitude. She is a great doctor.”
“First time visiting this office and it was very good. Everyone was very kind and helpful. The place was very clean and nice. Doctor Alejandra Ángel took the time to listen to everything I had to say. She answered all my questions and was very professional. The overall experience was excellent. I definitely made the right choice by coming to this new office/doctor.”
“I had a really great first experience with Dr. Saldana! She is very personal and helps you feel comfortable in what can be an awkward situation. The atmosphere is so inviting and almost feels like you are at the spa. Would highly recommend for those reasons alone”
“Dr. Saldana has an excellent personable demeanor which made me feel very comfortable and at ease. I have been searching for a female gynecologist of her caliber and thank goodness I finally met her today.”
“I truly enjoyed my experience with Dr. Angel. She’s a good listener and took the time to ask me questions about how I was feeling. The office staff is attentive and the place is immaculate. I highly recommend Dr. Angel!”
