January, Is That You? Time For A New Year Of Classes & Events With GMC

All of these classes and more will be offered by Gwinnett Medical Center. If a registration number is not listed, please call 678-312-5000 to register, or register online at gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/classes.

Scroll to the bottom of the list to see some of our support groups. A full list of support groups is available here.

Classes

Monthly Pre-Diabetes Classes

If you’ve been told you have pre-diabetes, or are at high risk of developing diabetes, take charge of your health! Learn effective lifestyle strategies that can dramatically improve your overall health and reduce your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes. Topics include healthy eating, reading food labels, importance of exercise, and weight management. Presented by a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, this class is for ages 18 years and older. All classes will be held 5 – 7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.

For more information or to register, please call 678-312-6048.

Lawrenceville classes: 
Diabetes Education classroom, Suite 212
100 Medical Center Boulevard
Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Duluth classes: 
Glancy Education Classroom
Kiwi Room
Glancy Campus
3215 McClure Bridge Road
Duluth, GA 30096 

OB Tours- English

Please join us as we tour the Labor & Delivery and Maternal Infant Units. Our tour will familiarize you with the facility and what to expect when you arrive on delivery day. In addition to touring the facility, we will provide you with information on admissions paperwork, family waiting areas and services provided. Tours are given during the Healthy Childbirth - 3rd Trimester classes, so if you are signed up for one, you don't need to sign up for a separate tour.

·         January 5 (Sat.), 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

·         January 8 (Tue.), 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

·         January 15 (Tue.), 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

·         January 22 (Tue.), 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

·         January 29 (Tue.), 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

Fee: Free

OB Tours – Spanish

Please join us as we tour the Labor & Delivery and Maternal Infant Units. Our tour will familiarize you with the facility and what to expect when you arrive on delivery day. In addition to touring the facility, we will provide you with information on admissions paperwork, visitation policies, family waiting areas and services provided. Tours are given during the Healthy Childbirth - 3rd Trimester classes, so if you are signed up for one, you don't need to sign up for a separate tour.

·         January 15 (Tue.), 7:30 p.m.

·         January 29 (Tue.), 7:30 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

Fee: Free

Newborn Care

This single session class helps expectant parents prepare to care for a newborn. Topics include: newborn physical characteristics, calming a crying baby, bathing, umbilical cord care, circumcision care, illness, when to call a doctor and diapering.

·         January 8 (Tue.), 7 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

Fee: $40

Healthy Childbirth Series: 3^rd Trimester

Please join us for our 4 week childbirth preparation series, one class per week. You will learn signs of labor, breathing & relaxation techniques, medical interventions, and more. A tour of Gwinnett Women's Pavilion is included.

·         January 10 (Thur.), 7 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

Fee: $95

Healthy Childbirth Weekend

Please join us for our condensed weekend class series that is taken during your third trimester. You will learn signs of labor, breathing & relaxation techniques, medical interventions, and more. A tour of Gwinnett Women's Pavilion is included.

·         January 11 (Fri.), 6 – 9 p.m. to January 12 (Sat.), 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

Fee: $95 per couple

The Concussion Discussion

The Concussion Discussion is an educational symposium & awareness day. Educational topics include concussion best practices, challenges in concussion care, new programs in Georgia, concussion management in athletes, concussions and domestic violence, concussion management in the workplace, and more.

·         January 12 (Sat.), 8:30 a.m.

Gwinnett Technical College - The Busbee Center

5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 700

Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Fee: $25

Big Brothers/Big Sisters to Be

Children ages 3 to 10 will tour the Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion, discuss what to expect, practice holding and swaddling, and make a birthday card. Parents also receive materials on sibling preparation.

·         January 29 (Tue.), 6:30 p.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

550 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, GA  30046

Fee: $20 per child, $10 for each additional child

Support Groups

Smoking Cessation – Freshstart Program

Quitting smoking is hard and we want to help. Our smoking cessation programs are designed to provide counseling and support for those interested in quitting smoking. The Freshstart Program is a smoking cessation program created by the American Cancer Society. The program consists of four classes taught by trained facilitators with the goal of helping participants to stop smoking by educating them in a supportive group environment.

For more information, call the Gwinnett Medical Center Smokers Quit Line at 678-312-2053. We are happy to offer our smoking cessation program free of charge.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group

The third Tuesday of each month, 7– 8:30 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month, 10 –11a.m.

Duluth First United Methodist Church, Room F-145-146

For more information, contact Randi Williams, Faith Community Nurse, 

at rwilliams@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776 ext. 115.

Amputees Moving Forward Support Group

Second Tuesday each month, 6 p.m.

Gwinnett SportsRehab

500 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 130

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

For more information, call 678-312-4412

FREE. No registration required

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Ostomy

Second Tuesday every other month during the school year, 7 p.m.

GMC Resource Center

665 Duluth Highway

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

For more information, call 678-312-2607

FREE. No registration required

Jack Jacobs Aphasia Conversation Group

Second and Fourth Thursdays each month, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Mango Room

Glancy Rehabilitation Center

3215 McClure Bridge Road

Duluth, Ga. 30096

For more information, call 678-312-6167

FREE. No registration required

Memory People^TM Alzheimer's/Dementia & Memory Impairment Community Support Group
Fourth Friday of each month, 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Glancy Campus, Diabetes & Nutrition Education Center - Mango Room
For more information, contact Teri Evans at 770-851-0101.

New Beginnings Brain Injury Support Group
First Friday of each month
Annandale Village - Patricia Brown Center for Programs, 3500 Annandale Lane, Suwanee, GA 30024
For more information, contact Paige Havens at havensp@bellsouth.net or 678-938-4279 or Vickie Thomas at vickie.thomas@annandale.org or 770-945-8381.

The Lactation Club (TLC)

Join other breastfeeding moms to discuss the joys and challenges of breastfeeding and beyond. Babies are welcome!

Every Monday, 11 a.m. – noon

Azalea Room

Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion

1000 Medical Center Blvd.

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

For more information call 678-312-4743

FREE. No registration required

Bereavement Support Group
Meetings are held the 2nd Monday of the month from 7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Duluth First United Methodist Church, Room B113, Counseling Room
Everyone who has had a loss is welcome to attend.

For more information, please contact Randi Williams, Faith Community Nurse, at rwilliams@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776 ext. 115.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group

This support group offers an open environment in which bereaved parents can share their thoughts and feelings as well as recognize they are not alone.

Third Tuesday of every month, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Maple Room

GMC Resource Center

665 Duluth Highway

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

For more information call 678-312-4786

FREE. No registration required

Rainbow Support for Children
This is a support group for children who have lost a parent by death or divorce. It is a 12-week course.

For more information, please contact Randi Williams, Faith Community Nurse, at rwilliams@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776, ext. 115.

Women’s Cancer Support Group

Second Tuesday each month, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Cancer Support Center

631 Professional Dr., Suite 220

Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046

For more information call 678-312-4010

FREE. No registration required

The Margaret Andrews Parkinson’s Support Group

For patients and caregivers.

Second Friday of each month, 1:30 p.m.

Glancy Campus – Kiwi Room

3215 McClure Bridge Road

Duluth, Ga. 30096

For more information call 678-312-6167

FREE. No registration required

Stroke Support Group

For survivors and caregivers.

Third Wednesday of each month, 1:30 p.m.

Kiwi Room.

Glancy Rehabilitation Center

3215 McClure Bridge Road

Duluth, Ga. 30096

For more information call 678-312-6167

FREE. No registration required

Caregiver Support Group

Designed to make it possible for families and loved ones to understand their feelings about the impact cancer has had on their daily lives.

Second Thursday of each month, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Amy Stanitzke by calling 770-289-0887

FREE. No registration required

C.A.R.E. (Cancer Affects Really Everyone)
These meetings are designed for those with cancer, cancer survivors and family and friends.
The first Tuesday each month, 7 p.m.
Mount Zion Baptist Church-Genesis Building, 1525 Scenic Hwy, Snellville, GA 30078 770-972-5020 mountzionsnellville.com

5 Common Myths About Getting Pregnant

When you were younger, you wondered where babies came from. Was it some sort of magic? Were they delivered by storks? By now, though, you’ve left those childish fantasies in the past and you have a much better understanding of what it means to have a baby. Well—sort of.

The truth is most women still have a ton of questions when it comes to the whole baby-making process. And if you feel this way, you aren’t alone. In fact, several recent studies show that a majority of women still have misconceptions about fertility and pregnancy.

So, let’s get real about pregnancy. Here’s the inside scoop on some of the most common myths and the helpful information you actually need to know (and have always wondered about).

Myth #1: Your period is irrelevant.

While a regular menstrual cycle is typically 28 days, most cycles may not fit into this schedule—and that’s okay. It’s completely normal to start a few days early or last a few days longer. However, if you’re cycle varies and is somewhat unpredictable, this may make getting pregnant more difficult.

It’s not only about timing, though. The intensity of your period can shed some light into what’s going on. For instance, if you are experiencing a heavy menstrual flow, you may have high amounts of progesterone, and if it’s really light, you may not have enough estrogen. Both of which can impact pregnancy.

Myth #2: Your body clock isn’t ticking.

Now, this isn’t to say that you should rush to get pregnant before you reach a certain age, but it’s important to recognize that it does get harder as you get older. This applies to all women because you are born with all of the eggs you will ever have in your lifetime—1 to 2 million total—and every month you lose approximately 1,000 eggs. The older you get, the fewer viable eggs you have.

To give you an estimate of what this means—it is estimated that only 7% of women in their 20s have difficulty getting pregnant, where as 20% of women 35 and older have difficulty. That does not mean that getting pregnant in your late 30s and 40s is impossible, it means it can be a little more difficult. 

Myth #3: More sex makes conception more likely.

The old adage, “it only takes one,” is true in this case. While it may seem like simple math—more sex means a higher chance of conception—this isn’t the case. For example, men release millions of sperm in one sex session; however, more sessions per day decreases the amount of sperm released each time. So, more sessions doesn’t necessarily equal a higher chance of getting pregnant.

Instead of focusing on quantity each day, which can increase stress, focus on quality and timing in respect to ovulation. The ideal would be to have sex every few days starting 18 days before your next menstrual flow. Also, it is important to note that trying certain positions, crossing your legs or elevating your lower body to keep sperm in place longer, have no bearing on your chances of getting pregnant.

Myth #4: That past STI doesn’t matter.

When it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), most women know that prevention is key, as well as regular screenings. Fact remains, even after being treated, STIs can still impact the reproductive system. Some of the most common infections, chlamydia, gonorrhea and pelvic inflammatory disease, can cause lasting damage to your fallopian tubes, impacting your fertility.

By getting routine pap tests, your doctor is able to visualize changes of the cervix and vagina and detect any inflammation, infection or abnormalities, all of which are key indicators of STIs.

Myth #5: Your doctor is focused on fertility.

While your OB/GYNcan help you understand your reproductive health, including fertility, they do not necessarily prioritize that above cervical cancer screening or identifying any abnormalities.

If you’re interested in learning more about your fertility, or addressing any concerns, talk with your OB/GYN. Even if you aren’t planning to have a baby for several years, it can still be beneficial to talk through your plans.

Conceiving expert care.

Whether having a baby is just a distant thought or in the near future, finding the right OB/GYNcan make all the difference.  With the personable, experienced providers at Gwinnett Physician’s Group OB/GYN, you will receive the customized care you deserve. Start your journey to better reproductive health with GPG OB/GYN.