Being a parent is a life-altering transition, leaving many new parents uncertain of what lies ahead.
Preconception care is vital for expecting couples. This includes eating healthily and attending regular doctor visits during gestation. Furthermore, preconception care also means minimizing potential stressors that could harm your unborn baby’s wellbeing. Here are five easy strategies for prepping yourself for parenthood:.
1. Know Your Rights
As a woman and mother-to-be, you are entitled to make decisions regarding your body, health, and life — nobody can take that away from you. That means deciding the type of care needed during your pregnancy – home birth or hospital delivery? And knowing your rights when it comes to insurance coverage for it. Furthermore, knowing who to contact if there is an incident wherein your rights were violated in care may also help make decisions easier for you.
If you are married, now is an excellent opportunity to talk with your partner extensively about how both of you plan to raise your child. If not, seek out other parents your age in order to share your hopes, fears and concerns. Communication and deep bonds between people are critical during such major life transitions as pregnancy.
Becoming a parent can bring up all sorts of emotions and thoughts from your past that could influence how you raise your children. If these challenges prove too much for you to bear alone, working with a therapist may help ensure you enter parenting more mindfully and from an open mindset.
No matter your circumstance, pregnant and parenting people can still benefit from understanding the laws protecting them. For instance, New Mexico law offers protections against gender and sex discrimination in the workplace as well as rights for breastfeeding and lactation both publically and at work and the ability to request reasonable pregnancy-related accommodations at work.
Furthermore, you have the right to access healthcare without interference from your employer and if your HIPAA privacy rights have been breached you have the option of filing a formal complaint with the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services.
Pregnancy can be an exciting and life-altering journey. To ensure a safe and satisfying pregnancy experience, it’s crucial that you understand your rights during this stage of the journey – otherwise you risk feeling violated during your gestation process and without knowledge or support during parenthood – which are invaluable assets.
2. Know Your Options
Becoming a parent can be an enormous life change, an emotional rollercoaster of joy, worry, love, and frustration. While you can never fully prepare for all that comes with parenting, you can prepare both your heart and mind so you can approach this experience with optimism and confidence.
If you don’t intend on having children, effective birth control can help protect against pregnancy. If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, however, consulting your physician first is advised. A preconception checkup can help determine whether your body is prepared for conception; treat any health conditions which might interfere with it; and ensure you’re up-to-date on preventive services like vaccines.
Just prior to beginning to try for pregnancy, visiting a genetic counselor for an evaluation can provide invaluable information that may assist you in making your decision: raising or adopting, or having an abortion.
Raising a child can be costly, and financial stability should always be top of mind for women facing unintended pregnancies. You will need enough savings in place to cover expenses related to childcare, housing, food, clothing and equipment costs associated with child rearing.
Start planning early to have an efficient savings plan and learn to budget properly for when baby arrives. Also consider cutting back on any unhealthy behaviors like smoking, heavy drinking or poor dietary practices which could harm baby.
If you’re unsure what steps to take, there are plenty of resources available to provide support. Your doctor can refer you to local and national support groups, counseling services, financial aid or pregnancy clinic hotlines with confidential, accurate information. Beware of so-called crisis pregnancy centers as they often give biased information that pressures women into making certain decisions or give false hope of abortion assistance; your doctor can recommend an accurate, nonjudgmental center.
3. Know Your Doctor
Pregnancy is a significant life milestone that brings both excitement and challenges. While you cannot possibly anticipate every eventuality that might arise during gestation, there are steps you can take to increase your odds of having a healthy pregnancy and an easy transition to parenthood.
One of the most crucial steps for any pregnant mother is establishing a strong relationship with an OB-GYN early in their pregnancy. Your OB-GYN should be able to spot any health issues you might not be aware of, and can assist in treating them before they become serious issues. Furthermore, discussing family medical history before trying for a baby will give insight into genetic disorders, birth defects or other potential problems that could impede its development.
Take steps to change any unhealthy behaviors you have and adopt a healthier lifestyle, particularly before becoming pregnant. Doing this will make the journey much smoother and more comfortable – this includes giving up drugs, alcohol and excessive exercise if applicable – or getting chronic conditions under control such as diabetes or high blood pressure under control before trying to conceive.
As your final step, it is essential that you and your partner communicate openly and honestly regarding expectations of parenthood. Parenting can be a stressful journey; by being open with each other it will make life easier when dealing with unexpected challenges and unexpected outcomes. Furthermore, connecting with other expecting parents may offer invaluable advice and support.
Parenting can be the most rewarding experience of your life, yet it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Parenthood marks a major transition in life that brings many new relationships and responsibilities into play – expect ups and downs on this journey and find ways to support the mental, emotional and relational wellbeing of the whole family unit.
4. Know Yourself
Parenthood can be one of the greatest joys and greatest challenges of your life, yet exhausting and demanding at the same time. However, taking time out for yourself and finding ways to recharge is essential so you’re at your best when your baby arrives. Therefore it is wise to start saving early, consolidate finances, quit unhealthy habits and secure family’s future before becoming parents.
Once you have found the pregnancy care class provider best suited to your specific needs, the next steps will include choosing where and when you will give birth, as well as which childcare type and approach will best meet your preferences and how you wish to raise your baby. These decisions are deeply personal decisions which take into account a wide range of considerations such as religious and cultural values, personal experiences and expectations as well as compromises. Embark upon this journey mindful of all options available while remaining open-minded towards different perspectives.
Environment dangers like lead in drinking water or mercury in certain fish may also have a profound impact on your unborn baby, prompting changes to lifestyle or employment that will leave a legacy for future generations. Now is an opportune time to reflect upon what kind of world you hope your children inherit.
As soon as possible, discuss with your partner the changes associated with becoming parents, as it could alter your relationship in unexpected ways. Becoming a mother or father can bring about emotional shifts that affect not only you but other close relationships as well. Although some ambivalence about this change may arise, keeping emotions under control makes parenthood all the sweeter!
