new- a few ???

BackwoodsRose

Hi everyone I'm new to the forums. I've looked around quite a bit before and I have read a few posts and discussions. Me and my husband are planning on starting our family soon. We aren't necessarily "trying" (yet) we just aren't preventing. I have been taking prenatal vitamins for about 6 months now. I make sure Im eating healthy and I don't smoke or drink so no problems there. I just recently started tracking my basal body temp so I can get to know my body better. How important is it that you track your temp at the same time? I get up with my husband (most mornings around 4:30) to kiss him out the door, but other mornings I sleep in later..I didn't know if it would throw off my chart much. Also, I've been reading that its good to find a doctor before you get pregnant. I don't know where to start. I have been seeing the same OB since I was youg but they are a specialty practice and don't do labor and deliveries. I've asked them for recommendations but they gave me doctors that are about 2 hrs from my house. I live in the country and everything is a drive but that is a little to far. The hospital I like is about 45 minutes away, and our second favorite hospital is just over an hour away. I'm not even sure what questions to ask when I'm trying to decide if this doctor will be the best for us. I've asked friends and family for recommendations but with no luck. I've thought about calling the hospitals that I like for recommendations but again I'm not even sure what to ask. Thanks for your help and I appreciate your time and any advice!

Jags8

I guess I would just make sure that whatever doctor you choose will be on board with your plans/your ideology. Some people feel "Whatever the doctor wants to do is fine, because s/he is the expert." Some go into pregnancy knowing they will want an epidural asap. And that's fine for them. For me, for example, I am on the conservative side when it comes to interventions and pain meds. I don't want to be induced unless it's an emergency (as opposed to 2 days "overdue" like my sister, who then ended up with a c-section). I don't want to be asked 20 times "Are you suuuuure you don't want the epidural?" while I'm trying my best to go natural. I don't want to be forced to lay in bed hooked up to a ton of monitors when I could be walking around speeding up labor. I don't want to be forced to delivery on my back.

So I made sure that my doctor was on the same page. She told me that in general, their practice is on the conservative side. I would ask about their c-section rates, etc. If you know you want an epidural, ask how soon they let women have one. If you want to labor in the shower or tub, ask if they allow it. Just make sure that whatever it is you want for your pregnancy and labor, that your doctor will be on the same page.

BackwoodsRose

Thank you for the comments! I am contacting my insurance provider today. As far as the temp timing I will try to do it close to the same time every day, but if it seems to be okay for others to be a few hours off occasionally I hope it'll be okay for me as well.

My sister is working on her third child and she loved her doctor,r and I liked him as well, but he recently moved his practice. Now she is changing her doctor and I'm not to fond of the new one. One of my closest friends had a child but that was 5 years ago and her doctor has moved locations as well. My neighbor gave me a suggestion on a few doctors that were about 15 min from our house but they use a little "Podunk" hospital that I wouldn't consider going to!

I had not thought of what type of doctor I would want so thank you for that. I didn't think about the fact that some practices would be more conservative than others. I don't really want a birthing plan because of all things I just want the baby and myself to be healthy in the end. I would love to deliver natural but my uterus tries to kill me when I have my menstrual cycle so I know pain is not my thing. I was diagnosed with a condition called dysmenorrhea at a young age. b\Basically its a big word for severe menstrual cramps. They can be bad to the point I almost pass out or get sick. I love the idea of naturally walking around the halls to help the process speed up. I guess I am more of the kind who will in the end let the doctor decide what's best as long as it don't put the baby or myself in harms way.

I feel like there is so much I need to do before I get pregnant. I already started converting our "spare room" to a future nursery. But if there is any suggestions on what I should do before hand; like any big purchases I should make now, things a first time mommy wouldn't think to do, or people I need to see? I have been told I need to see the dentist before I get pregnant?!?! I wasn't expecting that. What does a dentist have to do with me and a baby? Other than an x-ray beam... Like most people I don't " hate" the dentist but I don't really go unless I need to. Which true I haven't been in a about 2 years so is this something to be concerned with?

Again thank you for any "tips" you have!

SmileyJay

Just take it when you wake up after at least 3-4 hours of good sleep. After a few months you can see a pattern and it's not a big deal if one day is a little off. On the days you wake up with your husband just take it then. If you sleep in, take it when you wake up. I take mine anywhere between 6 and 8 am each day just depends when I wake up.

Just a little note - you do not have a OB, you have a gynecologist. An OB is an obstetrician and all they do is fertility/prenatal/delivery stuff. If yours doesn't do any of that then they are definitely not an OB. 

Look into who is covered by your insurance and then look them up online. It's okay to go visit a few before deciding who you want to stick with. the best thing to do is get recommendations. You will schedule your first prenatal visit shortly after having a positive pregnancy test and most first visits are at 6-9 weeks pregnant. That is only 1-4 weeks after you find out. Good luck!

SmileyJay

Everything everyone else said - check to see who delivers at your desired hospital and then check to see which of those your insurance will cover. 

How you want to birth is very very important. I have a wonderful hospital 10 minutes away but will be driving 25 minutes to go to the hospital that the only midwife in my area delivers at. They have a much more natural approach to childbirth and more support for things like breastfeeding, labor pools, etc. I am also planning to hire a doula. But I respect that a lot of women want the opposite of this and that is fine too. Just make sure you and your doctor agree on these things. 

mrssl3813

First of all, I am in Canada so I have some choice in OB but not in the hospital really. I will end up delivering at the hospital I work at, since its the only place in my county that has a mat child unit.

As for picking an MD I would do as others have said and make sure your of the same frame of mind. I am not sure how it works in the USA but I would also make sure the other in their practice are also on the same page, because here in Canada you have just as good of a chance of not having your OB as having them for the delivery, its who ever is on call. In my area the only way you could find/have an OB before your pregnant is if you are already seeing one for something, because you need a referral from another doctor to go to the OB. But if I could find one before, I probably would.

Ducktale

BackwoodsRose said:

Thank you for the comments! I am contacting my insurance provider today. As far as the temp timing I will try to do it close to the same time every day, but if it seems to be okay for others to be a few hours off occasionally I hope it'll be okay for me as well.

My sister is working on her third child and she loved her doctor,r and I liked him as well, but he recently moved his practice. Now she is changing her doctor and I'm not to fond of the new one. One of my closest friends had a child but that was 5 years ago and her doctor has moved locations as well. My neighbor gave me a suggestion on a few doctors that were about 15 min from our house but they use a little "Podunk" hospital that I wouldn't consider going to!

I had not thought of what type of doctor I would want so thank you for that. I didn't think about the fact that some practices would be more conservative than others. I don't really want a birthing plan because of all things I just want the baby and myself to be healthy in the end. I would love to deliver natural but my uterus tries to kill me when I have my menstrual cycle so I know pain is not my thing. I was diagnosed with a condition called dysmenorrhea at a young age. b\Basically its a big word for severe menstrual cramps. They can be bad to the point I almost pass out or get sick. I love the idea of naturally walking around the halls to help the process speed up. I guess I am more of the kind who will in the end let the doctor decide what's best as long as it don't put the baby or myself in harms way.

I feel like there is so much I need to do before I get pregnant. I already started converting our "spare room" to a future nursery. But if there is any suggestions on what I should do before hand; like any big purchases I should make now, things a first time mommy wouldn't think to do, or people I need to see? I have been told I need to see the dentist before I get pregnant?!?! I wasn't expecting that. What does a dentist have to do with me and a baby? Other than an x-ray beam... Like most people I don't " hate" the dentist but I don't really go unless I need to. Which true I haven't been in a about 2 years so is this something to be concerned with?

Again thank you for any "tips" you have!

I think you're stressing about nothing. There really is not much to do before TTC other than take prenatal vitamins. If you haven't had an annual exam in awhile, get that done. You should be going to a dentist regularly, regardless if TTC so yes get that done. Most here (wisely) do not recommend setting up a nursery or buying anything baby related before you're pregnant. It may not happen quickly, and those items can be haunting, not to mention May not be what you actually end up needing/wanting so it would be a waste.

BackwoodsRose

Well noted! Thanks a bunch. I guess I am just overly excited about starting a family and want to do the best I can.

Disneygeek77

The BUMP has local boards.  Maybe you could ask people about their OBs there ?

Ducktale

BackwoodsRose said:

Well noted! Thanks a bunch. I guess I am just overly excited about starting a family and want to do the best I can.

Oh I get that, by all means do what you feel you need to to get yourself ready. You came across as stressed out about it all, and just wanted to let you know that while there's things you CAN do if you feel like you need to to something, there's very little you NEED to do, other than the obvious.

Another thing that's not a bad idea is work out a budget for when you have a baby.