When you have a baby on the way it is quite natural that you want the best care possible for your growing family. There are several choices available and everyone will have different preferences to others. One option is to receive care from an obstetrician from when you first become pregnant right up until the baby is born. If you have special requirements, such as wanting IVF gender selection options, you will need a doctor who is highly skilled in this area.
What is an obstetrician?
An obstetrician is someone who specialises in giving medical care before, during and even after birth. Many women feel more comfortable knowing that they will have the same obstetrician all the way through their pregnancy. If complications shall arise there will be someone that knows them that they can trust to handle the situation correctly.
How to choose an obstetrician
Know exactly what you want
It is important to know exactly what you want when it comes to an obstetrician. Finding the right one is similar to finding yourself a service provider. You want to know if they can give you the right care that you need and if certain things that you want are possible. There are some factors that you need to consider, like will the obstetrician be there for all the antenatal appointments if you wish them to be? Will they attend the birth? If they are in a group, then you will want to know how often they do a handover and who they will handover to.
Get advice and shop around
It is important that you research a few obstetricians so you can make sure you find the right fit for you and your needs. You can ask people who have had babies before who they recommend and why. Your family and friends may be happy to give you their personal details as to why they preferred one over another and if they ended up happy with the one they chose. If you have health concerns, then your doctor may recommend someone who specialises in different ongoing medical concerns. You may want to look at costs, such as any gender selection IVF cost, if this is something you are seeking.
Are you comfortable with them?
Pregnancy can be filled with joy, but it can also cause worry and concern. It is important that you feel confident with the people who are on your team. The team needs to understand the needs and concerns of your family and take it all into consideration. Once you have made your decision you will have your first appointment with them which is where you can gain more insight into whether they are what you are looking for. Make sure that you feel comfortable bringing up concerns about your body and state of mind. Are you comfortable talking with this person about your personal questions and your preferences?
Speak your mind
If you feel that you are having disagreements or feel that the obstetrician you have chosen is not listening to you, before choosing another talk with them calmly and explain how you feel. After having a talk with them, if you feel you still need to change then ensure you do this as early as possible, so you can be sure the new obstetrician can become familiar with your individual case. If you wait too long you can risk certain obstetricians becoming booked up.
Ask questions
If you need to ask questions, go ahead. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell your obstetrician exactly what you want. You are entering into a partnership with this person and you are having baby, so you ask what you need to. Ask if your obstetrician is available 24/7 and how you can contact them. If they are not on duty 24/7, ask who you should then contact if needed.
