Prenatal care is ultra important for expecting moms and even more so for your developing baby. But not every mother-to-be knows how to receive top notch care while expecting.
Here are three ways in which you can guarantee you and your growing family receive excellent maternity and prenatal care.
1. Know Your Rights
Oh, yes - you have rights as a pregnant woman. It’s your job to know those rights inside and
out. If you work, study your employer’s procedures and regulations for pregnancy, labor, and
maternity time. Go over your rights as well as what your limitations are so that you’re prepared for any pitfalls or problems that may arise while you’re expecting.
Your state as well as what hospital you plan on delivering in has rules and guidelines as well.
Request copies of these well in advance so that if there’s anything you don’t fully understand, you’ll have ample time to have those areas cleared up and explained to you.
If you know your rights as a pregnant woman, you’ll have zero problems and surprises
advocating for you and your growing family.
2. Choose Your Caregiver Wisely
Don’t close your eyes and pick a doctor randomly out of a phonebook. You have the right to
thoroughly research, interview, and compare each and every medical professional you choose to associate yourself with before, during, and after your pregnancy.
The ball is always in your court when it comes to your choices so be sure to bounce it
accordingly. It’s always a good idea to ask your friends and family about their doctor to get
some ideas. In addition, doing online and offline research into the doctor’s medical background is recommended as well.
You can even go as far as verifying their educational credentials if you’d like. You are in total
control over which health care professional you are going to decide on - and don’t ever let
anyone tell you different.
3. Take Responsibility For Yourself And Your Baby
No one is in control of you besides you. This means that in order to have the healthiest
pregnancy available to you - you have to be in control of your health always.
This means eating well, exercising safely, and choosing the most positive and supportive people to surround yourself with throughout your pregnancy.
If you want a home-birth, then it’s up to you to surround yourself with others who wish to walk you safely and securely down that path. It’s up to you to read, listen, and educate yourself on topics such as vaccinations, labor procedures, baby items, medication given during labor, and everything that else that goes along with pregnancy and infants.
There will never be a stronger advocate for you and your baby than you, always remember that. By deciding to bring a child into the world, you have taken on the responsibility of making safe and healthy choices for that child for the rest of your life - and the earlier you start, the better off your family will be.