All the Things I Wish the OB Had Time to Discuss

Hi friends, Dr. Daniella here! I’m trying something a little different this week: a more personal blog where I talk about my own pregnancy journey and all the things I wish the OB’s office had time to discuss. Because let’s be honest… as wonderful as our providers are, those appointments are short and there’s just no way to cover everything.

This is my first pregnancy, and I’m currently 31 weeks along. Hitting the 30s feels like such a milestone — the end is in sight! It’s both exciting and a little terrifying at the same time (cue the pregnancy insomnia and late-night shopping because I definitely don’t have everything ready yet). Like most moms-to-be, I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs, but I’ll keep things positive here and share a few lessons and surprises along the way.

Now, I feel very lucky to work with pregnant women every single day — it’s definitely given me a leg up in knowing what to expect. But still, there have been so many moments where I’ve thought, “Wait, no one told me about this!” Even with all my background, experiencing it firsthand has given me a whole new perspective.

So, let’s walk through a quick overview of what a “typical” pregnancy looks like from the medical side — and I’ll sprinkle in a few personal notes along the way.

First Trimester: The “Is This Real?” Phase

The first trimester is such a whirlwind. Between trying to wrap your head around the fact that you’re pregnant and feeling like you could nap for 20 hours straight, those early appointments can feel like a blur.

Pregnancy confirmation appointment:That first ultrasound where you (hopefully) see the tiniest flicker of a heartbeat — surreal. I remember leaving that appointment thinking, “Okay, it’s actually happening!” We were also given a different estimated due date (EDD) than what I had calculated on my own, which made me realize how much of a guessing game it really is. Due dates depend on your cycle and ovulation timing, and only about 5% of babies are actually born on their due date! Try not to get too attached to the date — baby can realistically arrive within a week before or after.

NIPT screening:This blood test checks for chromosomal conditions and can also reveal the baby’s sex. It’s an incredibly reliable test — false positives occur in only about 0.1–0.2% of cases. (Spoiler alert: I was in that small percentage!) I wish someone had spent more time explaining what conditions are screened for and what the next steps would be if a result came back positive. Those few days waiting for follow-up information were some of the longest of my pregnancy.

12-week ultrasound:By this point, baby actually looks like a baby — not just a little blob! Seeing movement on the screen for the first time was such a wild moment. They also check for nuchal translucency at this visit, which helps assess the risk for Down syndrome and other chromosomal conditions.

Second Trimester: The Sweet Spot

They call this the honeymoon phase of pregnancy for a reason — energy usually comes back, nausea eases (hopefully!), and you can finally start to enjoy it a bit.

Spina Bifida AFP screening:A simple blood test, but honestly one I didn’t even realize was coming until it was ordered. It’s one of those tests that tends to get glossed over during the quick OB visits.

Glucose test:Ah yes, the infamous glucose drink! I actually failed my first test and had to go back for the 3-hour version — not exactly the most exciting morning. But it’s so important for screening for gestational diabetes (GD), which is much more common than most people realize.

During the two-week wait between tests, I basically lived as if I had GD, just to be safe. Still, I wish the OB’s office provided more education on why failing the first test is so common (it really is!) and what a GD-friendly diet looks like. Thankfully, I have both patients who’ve been through it and access to a nutritionist who helped guide me. I ended up passing the 3-hour test, but it was such a good learning experience.

Rhogam shot (if needed): If you’re Rh negative, you’ll get this shot around 28 weeks. I didn’t end up needing it — one thing off the list!

Third Trimester: The Home Stretch

Now we’re here — and it’s starting to feel real. Every week feels like another big step closer to meeting your baby.

Growth ultrasound:Usually done around 32–34 weeks to check baby’s size and position. I loved this one — finally seeing her little features again after not having a scan since 20 weeks! We found out she’s head down (yay!) and her head is measuring very big (yikes).

GBS test:This one catches everyone off guard — it’s a quick swab done around 36 weeks to check for Group B Strep. Totally routine, but something most people don’t hear much about beforehand. I’ve had so many patients come back after that appointment completely surprised. It can feel a little invasive if you’re not expecting it — typically it’s a quick Q-tip swab of both the vaginal and anal openings. It’s painless and over in seconds, but a heads-up definitely helps!

Weekly blood pressure checkups (and sometimes urine testing):These are mostly for monitoring signs of preeclampsia. They’re quick but so important. Other red flags for preeclampsia include sudden swelling, changes in vision, or headaches — if you experience any of these, alert your doctor right away. Preeclampsia can be serious, and a simple urine test for protein can help rule it out.

Cervical checks:These usually start in the last few weeks to see how your body’s preparing for labor. As a pelvic floor PT, I can’t help but geek out over the anatomy here — it’s incredible what the body does to get ready. That said, there are pros and cons. 

Pro: It can give you a hint that labor might be approaching (for example, if you’re already a couple centimeters dilated). 

Con: You could stay that way for weeks, and the exam itself can be uncomfortable. It’s totally okay to ask your provider if it’s necessary that day.

And that’s the general timeline! Of course, everyone’s experience looks a little different, but these are the key milestones most people will go through.

Next time, I’ll share a few of the topics I wish got more airtime during those brief OB visits — like managing pelvic pain, mental health check-ins, and realistic prep for birth and postpartum recovery (because those are the conversations that make such a difference).