Your Birth, Your Baby, Your Choice
Becoming a parent is an intensely intimate and private event. At the same time, today it is possible to quickly become inundated with opinions, pressures, advice, and options that can be confusing and overwhelming. Retreating to the privacy of your own inner world can be a good starting point for sorting out what is best for you, your baby, and your family.
Because there are so many choices involved, ranging from where and how to give birth, whether to circumcise a baby boy, whether to breastfeed, immunizations, cloth diapers vs. disposable, and on and on, the more preparation time you have, the better you will fare. Talk to as many parents as you can, and ask the questions you’re really interested in – even though they may not be the ‘mainstream’ topics.
If you’re concerned about the effects being new parents will have on your relationship with your partner, ask couples you know who have been through this phase how they coped with it. It’s really worth it to do the research!
My own good fortune in having a midwife deliver all three of my children was almost ‘an accident’. I didn’t really know anything about midwives, and went for a routine check-up with my ob-gyn. His office had just hired a midwife, and I was told some of my pre-natal appointments would be with her. As soon as I met Janet, I knew I had a partner to support the kind of birth I wanted, and she went on to deliver all 3 of my babies! It was a joyful and family centered event each time, and I cherish the memories.
Don’t hesitate to dig around and do some research. There are many choices, from hospital birth to homebirth, birthing centers – no one choice is right for everyone. It’s well worth the investment of your time to talk with care providers, parents, and any resource that gives you insight into making your birth experience uniquely yours and comfortable.
Support is available to make the optimum choices for you and your family.
www.BabyParentingCoach.com
Join me for a free tele-class “Parenting Your Baby: What We know For Sure” Sept 15 at 8 pm EST
