Making the most of your prenatal doctor visits can bring peace of mind to your pregnancy and wellness to your baby.
The pregnancy test is positive and you are jumping for joy. Your long-awaited moment has finally come. A baby is on the way. But when will your due date be ? How do you know if you are eating right ? When will you have tests to see if your baby is alright ? These are all questions you will be wanting answers to as soon as possible.
Once you have made that first prenatal appointment you can start making your list of questions to ask your midwife or doctor. The better prepared you are the more likely you will be to get questions answered promptly and respectfully. The brief 15- minute or less appointments you will be going to each month will be essential to your peace of mind throughout pregnancy.
Initial prenatal visits will cover the basics of when your baby is due, your pregnancy and health history and scheduling lab tests to check your blood type and see if you are getting enough iron in your diet. Once those bases are covered you can move on to the wealth of questions you have.
Between each monthly appointment you should write down every question that comes to mind that is a concern for you and your baby. No matter how small it may seem to you, if you don't have the answer it's likely your health care provider will be happy to answer it for you. Don't worry about what they might think of you. It really is true that no question is stupid. And when the health of you and your baby is counting on it, that saying has never held truer.
Bring your list with you to each visit so you are organized and can make efficient use of your scheduled time. It is true that health care providers can seem very busy and you may feel like you are intruding on their time. But you are paying them money to care for you during your pregnancy so be assertive in your desire to have your questions answered.
If your health care provider advises you of any tests you need to have during your pregnancy be sure and ask details about it so you are sure you need to comply. Ultrasounds and AFP tests are not necessarily needed unless there is a medical condition your practitioner feels warrants it.
If your practitioner seems abrupt with you and acts as if your questions are silly or irrelevant, tell them that you need to have your questions answered to feel comfortable with the care they are providing. With that in mind, your potential loss of business will get some attention and your questions answered.
If each visit brings too many questions and you go home with unanswered inquiries, ask if you may call the office to speak with them should any of your unanswered questions need a more urgent response. Remember, you and your baby are counting on good prenatal care so cast aside any notions that your practitioner is too busy for you or your question is too silly. A brand new life waiting to be born is far too important to let such worries get in the way.
