So you’re having a baby! .....What’s next? Between creating gift registries, attending
baby showers, readying a nursery, exercising, maintaining relationships with
our partner, baby moons, doctor appointments, dealing with our blossoming
bodies and midnight cravings, COULD YOU SQUEEZE MORE INTO NINE MONTHS? I say yes!
What could you be missing, RESEARCH!
When women find out they are pregnant, one of the first
steps they take is to make an appointment with an OBGYN (obstetrician/
gynecologist) generally recommended via word of mouth by a friend or family
member. But why do ‘we’ do this? Did you know there are other options besides
this one? This article isn’t about
hospital vs. homebirth or epidural vs. natural, it’s about stressing the importance
of taking a proactive role in your own care.
This doesn’t mean that you know better than a care provider who has gone
through medical school/training, BUT that you know you can ask questions, can
make INFORMED decisions, and can participate in conversations about your
OPTIONS.
After all we are consumers.
We are choosing a provider albeit a hospital/birth center/midwife and
they are performing a service for us. Hospitals give tours and OBs and Midwives do
free of charge interviews for first time clients. They want our business. And we want the best!
Ask yourself this, how long did you research the phone you
bought? How about your house? How many houses did your realtor show you
before you decided on one? How many cars
did you test drive? How many different
tiles did you look at for your bathroom?
The point is, we spend a lot of time researching THINGS but do not
necessarily put as much effort into researching health choices. The obvious reason for this is, we
trust. We trust that the doctor knows
best.
With any profession there are less and more
experienced. There are people who are
called to a profession that have a talent for it, and those that do a job. The great thing about being a consumer is
that YOU GET TO CHOOSE. Take advantage
of that!
Childbirth is one aspect of a woman’s life that she will
remember forever. There have been
several studies done where women are assessed immediately after birth, and many
years later, recalling her experiences exactly; down to the smell and
temperature of her room. I inspire you
to make the time to learn about your options.
You want to have a fantastic memory if it’s going to be with you
forever!
Here is a list I have compiled for suggested reading. They are purposely chosen to show a variety
of options and information. The great
thing about books is that there is not only one author. For every one subject there are a dozen
points of views, opinions and “experts”.
Our job is to read through it all and discern what is important to
us. Take the time, you deserve it!
Congratulations on the impending birth of your new little
one!
-Author
Ashley Morrow
Ashley Morrow
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