Our next stop on this journey is a visit with a provider who will fill you in about what you can expect from your health care team over the coming months. It's so important to go to your provider regularly and to take good care of yourself when you're pregnant.

In fact, it's been proven that women who receive good prenatal care have healthier babies. Let's visit with some providers to find out more about what you can expect during your prenatal visits.

Over the years I've had the pleasure of working with many expectant Moms throughout their pregnancies. Today I'd like to talk to you about what you should expect when you visit your provider.

How often you see your provider will depend on how old you are and if your provider feels that you have some specific risks. If you're healthy and younger than 35 years old, you’ll probably go to your provider about 10 times before you have your baby. The first visit usually takes place when you're 8 to 12 weeks along. Your second visit will usually be between 12 and 16 weeks.

In general, your health care provider will want to see you once a month until the last couple of months of your pregnancy. Then the visits become more frequent as the "big day" gets closer! Each of these visits is very important, and you'll want to be sure not to miss them.

Expect your first pregnancy visit to last between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. It will include laboratory screening, a questionnaire on you and your family's history, a complete physical exam, and some time to visit with your health care provider afterwards. You should leave with an understanding of how often you should schedule your visits, what labs will be drawn and when, and what childbirth classes are available to you. You should also receive personal instructions on what your provider suggests for exercise, work, safety, and nutrition during your pregnancy.