Your Pregnancy: Week 6

Advice from Dr. Shari E. Brasner

One of the biggest mistakes women make during pregnancy is to view their condition as an illness. They think, If I need to see a doctor, I must be sick. Let me emphasize right here, at the start, that this is definitely not the way obstetricians see it. Pregnancy is not a disease; it’s a normal part of life. I always make sure my patients realize this, and when I was pregnant myself I felt better than ever for much of the time. It’s a great boost for the baby to have a mother who’s been paying attention to the details. While you don’t need to be an M.D. yourself to go through a successful pregnancy, I think it’s helpful to start these months armed with a good attitude and plenty of sound advice.”

Babble recommends Dr. Brasner’s pregnancy book, Advice from a Pregnant Obstetrician.

Mom-To-Mom Advice: You Just Got Pregnant

Do you really know what your philosophy of birth is? Maybe the answer is yes, but often it’s, “Huh?” Do you need to have a philosophy of birth in order to give birth? Absolutely not. Might you form one over the course of your pregnancy? Sure. So how do you choose a caregiver now while you’re still learning about all this stuff?

The primary categories of care providers are doctors and midwives. You’ve probably heard the stereotypes: The doctor will order you an epidural from the golf course, show up for the final push and cash his check. The midwife will roll in on a birthing ball and hand you a recipe for the placenta. While these extremes are occasionally true – and may even work for some people – the truth is always more complicated. Births are unique events and doctors and midwives are individuals. So within each category you’ve got a spectrum of approaches.

Here are some things to consider as you look for good care.

• Ask for recommendations from people you like and trust.
• Don’t be afraid to shop around. You don’t have to see every caregiver in town, but meeting with a few will give you a better sense of your options.
• Go with someone who makes you feel safe, which will be important throughout your pregnancy and labor.
• Find someone who listens to your questions and doesn’t brush them off or dismiss them. (There should be no such thing as a dumb question!)
• Read up on the two different models of care: medical and midwifery.
• Ask for statistics such as: rate of episiotomy, C-section, tears, and assisted deliveries. If you are hoping for a non-medicated birth and feel strongly about avoiding a C-section, choose a caregiver who has low rates of medical interventions.
• If you are insured, look for caregivers who accept your plan. If want to go out-of-network, check with your insurance company to see what you’re eligible for.
• Get to know all the caregivers in the practice, as in most cases, you may end up with any one of them depending on the timing of your baby’s birth. If there’s someone you absolutely detest or distrust, you may want to switch practices.
• Take any medical concerns into account. Obstetricians are generally considered a good choice for high-risk pregnancies, but a midwife may also be an option.
• Find out where the caregiver delivers. Think about which birthing location sounds right (and/or logistically possible) for you. (You should be able to tour facilities at any time in your pregnancy).
• Consider a convenient location for what can amount to over a dozen prenatal check-ups. Depending on your schedule, proximity can be more or less important.

Babble recommends From the Hips, by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morris.