[prismaurora]

My husband and I are planning on becoming pregnant. I'm not off the pill yet (yes I understand it can take some time after I go off) and I wanted to know if there was anything you all wish you had done to prep before becoming pregnant. I'm on prenatals now, we work out as often as we can. I'm cooking healthy, and making sure Joe does too.

I'm a bit at a loss about doctor stuff. We have a primary doctor but since we don't get sick and just started thinking about TTC a few months ago, we haven't asked her about prenatal care.

What questions should I ask my doctor and should I call up hospitals directly and ask them about their maternity program?

Should I shop around for places that do ultrasounds?

I'm in Florida and as you know this state is geared more towards geriatrics than new life. I've already written off a very near by hospital because they favor the knife rather than letting nature take it's course. I'm very wary of having a baby in a hospital at all and will avoid it if I can but my husband's genes might make that impossible. He was born with a club foot there's a small chance our child will be born with the deformity. Thankfully it's correctable, although it would affect our child's life even after surgery. My husband can't run or drive a stick shift because of his botched surgery, when the doctors cast his leg & foot they covered his toes, his foot is now one size smaller than the other and his ankle is fused.

Please tell me about your coulda,woulda,shoulda thoughts. I'd like to prevent as much headache about this process as possible and focus on growing a baby and a family.

[prismaurora]

My husband and I are planning on becoming pregnant. I'm not off the pill yet (yes I understand it can take some time after I go off) and I wanted to know if there was anything you all wish you had done to prep before becoming pregnant. I'm on prenatals now, we work out as often as we can. I'm cooking healthy, and making sure Joe does too.

I'm a bit at a loss about doctor stuff. We have a primary doctor but since we don't get sick and just started thinking about TTC a few months ago, we haven't asked her about prenatal care.

What questions should I ask my doctor and should I call up hospitals directly and ask them about their maternity program?

Should I shop around for places that do ultrasounds?

I'm in Florida and as you know this state is geared more towards geriatrics than new life. I've already written off a very near by hospital because they favor the knife rather than letting nature take it's course. I'm very wary of having a baby in a hospital at all and will avoid it if I can but my husband's genes might make that impossible. He was born with a club foot there's a small chance our child will be born with the deformity. Thankfully it's correctable, although it would affect our child's life even after surgery. My husband can't run or drive a stick shift because of his botched surgery, when the doctors cast his leg & foot they covered his toes, his foot is now one size smaller than the other and his ankle is fused.

Please tell me about your coulda,woulda,shoulda thoughts. I'd like to prevent as much headache about this process as possible and focus on growing a baby and a family.

[BankersWife]

Start asking around about a doctor and a hospital now. Do you have an OB you see for your yearly checkup? Many docs only go to one hospital. Since you don't like the closest hospital, maybe you should check which doctors usually go to the hospital of your choice.  If you don't want a hospital birth, will you still see a doctor during pregnancy? It can be hard to find a midwife who will do an affordable home birth. When you get pregnant, you'll have a million things to think about, it's easier if you already know which doctor you'll use.

You don't need to shop around for ultrasounds. Your doctor will tell you where/when to go. There are companies that offer u/s for a fee (they're called "elective ultrasounds") but they require you to be under the care of a doctor and usually require you to have already had an u/s somewhere else first.

Beyond that, just relax and enjoy making the baby!

[prismaurora]

My OB is Planned Parenthood since they don't keep banker's hours (this is not a joke made on the expense of your screen name). I will never consider having an unassisted pregnancy, not with the genetic background my husband has.

The reason I want to shop around for u/s is to keep the cost low, I'm not interested in helping a doctor/hospital get kickbacks from recommending one place when I can get it done at another for half the cost. Please remember I'm in Florida and cost inflated medical care is a problem down here.

I suspected that a midwife/doula would be expensive, I also know that doctors can recommend them. However, is there an online community that could put me in touch with a larger group of midwives/doulas to make a more informed decision?

Are there specific questions I should ask my doctor about becoming and being pregnant?

[BankersWife]

Ask as many questions as you need to. I doubt the doctors will tell you much you don't already know, but you'll still feel better asking. You could ask things about their policy on pain management during labor, medical intervention during labor (induction drugs, forceps, etc.), c-section rate, etc.

I don't know how to find a midwife.  I met mine by accident. My daughter was being born and the doctor on call was out of the building, a midwife was passing through the building and pitched it to help me.

Good luck. Sounds like health care is a nightmare down there.  It's good you're looking into it early so you've got lots of time to figure it out. 

[prismaurora]

Ha yes, I was calling obgyns in the area today and they all chuckled and said 'Why no we don't encourage C-sections when they're not needed.' Not one had any statistics, all of them needed to 'check with the office manager' to find out what an uninsured 1st time visit would cost and only one offered a free consultation.
I'm glad that luck and happenstance was on your side in finding a midwife.