Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity to connect with others in your community.
There is a whole birth community that is ready to welcome expectant parents who seek connection, support, and a greater understanding of all things maternity-related.
The amount of information available about pregnancy and birth can be overwhelming for women and men who are on their way to becoming parents.
While some people deal with those feelings by handing control of their maternity care over to their doctor or midwife, others embrace the challenge and seek answers to their questions from a broader range of sources.
There are many childbirth educators, doulas, advocacy organizations, and experienced parents who carry a wealth of knowledge about maternity and childbirth, and they are enthusiastic about sharing what they know to help the newly indoctrinated on their path to parenthood.
In addition to providing information about the physical aspects of the experience, these community-based resources can offer information about a wider range of options that exist beyond the mainstream.
They also provide a supportive community, which is crucial as new parents tackle the daunting task of navigating the maternity care system and the demands of their changing roles at home, work, and in their social lives.
There really is something to the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child.
" Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting are cultural experiences as well as personal ones.
People feel a strong pull towards doing things in a way that is socially acceptable and ties them to others who do similar things.
Yet, there are often many ways to handle questions about maternity care and parenting.
Should you choose a doctor or a midwife as your care provider? Would you feel more comfortable giving birth in a hospital, a birth center, or at home? Will you attempt to birth without pain medication, or will you ask for pain relief early in your labor? Will you breastfeed or bottle feed? Are you an attachment parenting fan, a schedule fan, a sleep trainer, or an "I'll figure it out as I go" type? For many people who are asking these questions for the first time, these decisions can be confusing, overwhelming, and frustrating.
The stakes feel very high, and no one wants to do anything that might jeopardize their child's health or screw it up for life! It is important to find groups of like-minded people who can acts as guides and supports for making decisions.
The people who are active in supporting healthy birth options often are well-informed about evidence-based care and look beyond hospital-based options.
Many are open to helping you explore the midwifery model of care and other, more holistic, modes of approaching pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
Giving birth in a hospital with an obstetrician is the most popular way of doing things, but there are other options available that are safe and that may give a more individualized, personal, empowering experience.
What sounds like crazy talk in one community is standard procedure in another.
I had a client who was a doctor, and was raising her child using attachment-parenting techniques.
Breastfeeding on demand and cosleeping felt the most comfortable to her.
Her colleagues at work were not supportive, making her unsure of her parenting choices.
Once she found a group of parents at her child's Montessori school that all practiced attachment parenting too, she felt more confident.
Parents-to-be who are part of a supportive community are more likely to effectively manage the changes that parenthood brings, and less likely to suffer from overwhelm and postpartum depression.
How can you find a community to help you learn and cope with all the changes that are happening? Taking pregnancy and childbirth classes can offer an entry into the realm of birth workers and people who are active around birth issues.
Attending meetings of birth networks or birth circles is another way to meet experienced people.
If those resources aren't available, find well-informed birth advocates at breastfeeding support groups such as La Leche League or Breastfeeding USA.
Social media provides another set of options for connecting with people locally and beyond.
Beware people or groups that are negative, fear-based, judgmental, or insist that their way is the only right way.
Explore various meetings and groups to find ones that feel comfortable, supportive, and welcoming.
People have given birth and raised children for millennia.
There is so much knowledge and support available for anyone looking to connect with others who have already walked the path.
There's no need for anyone to feel isolated or overwhelmed during pregnancy or parenting.
Your supportive community is waiting for you to find it!
There is a whole birth community that is ready to welcome expectant parents who seek connection, support, and a greater understanding of all things maternity-related.
The amount of information available about pregnancy and birth can be overwhelming for women and men who are on their way to becoming parents.
While some people deal with those feelings by handing control of their maternity care over to their doctor or midwife, others embrace the challenge and seek answers to their questions from a broader range of sources.
There are many childbirth educators, doulas, advocacy organizations, and experienced parents who carry a wealth of knowledge about maternity and childbirth, and they are enthusiastic about sharing what they know to help the newly indoctrinated on their path to parenthood.
In addition to providing information about the physical aspects of the experience, these community-based resources can offer information about a wider range of options that exist beyond the mainstream.
They also provide a supportive community, which is crucial as new parents tackle the daunting task of navigating the maternity care system and the demands of their changing roles at home, work, and in their social lives.
There really is something to the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child.
" Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting are cultural experiences as well as personal ones.
People feel a strong pull towards doing things in a way that is socially acceptable and ties them to others who do similar things.
Yet, there are often many ways to handle questions about maternity care and parenting.
Should you choose a doctor or a midwife as your care provider? Would you feel more comfortable giving birth in a hospital, a birth center, or at home? Will you attempt to birth without pain medication, or will you ask for pain relief early in your labor? Will you breastfeed or bottle feed? Are you an attachment parenting fan, a schedule fan, a sleep trainer, or an "I'll figure it out as I go" type? For many people who are asking these questions for the first time, these decisions can be confusing, overwhelming, and frustrating.
The stakes feel very high, and no one wants to do anything that might jeopardize their child's health or screw it up for life! It is important to find groups of like-minded people who can acts as guides and supports for making decisions.
The people who are active in supporting healthy birth options often are well-informed about evidence-based care and look beyond hospital-based options.
Many are open to helping you explore the midwifery model of care and other, more holistic, modes of approaching pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
Giving birth in a hospital with an obstetrician is the most popular way of doing things, but there are other options available that are safe and that may give a more individualized, personal, empowering experience.
What sounds like crazy talk in one community is standard procedure in another.
I had a client who was a doctor, and was raising her child using attachment-parenting techniques.
Breastfeeding on demand and cosleeping felt the most comfortable to her.
Her colleagues at work were not supportive, making her unsure of her parenting choices.
Once she found a group of parents at her child's Montessori school that all practiced attachment parenting too, she felt more confident.
Parents-to-be who are part of a supportive community are more likely to effectively manage the changes that parenthood brings, and less likely to suffer from overwhelm and postpartum depression.
How can you find a community to help you learn and cope with all the changes that are happening? Taking pregnancy and childbirth classes can offer an entry into the realm of birth workers and people who are active around birth issues.
Attending meetings of birth networks or birth circles is another way to meet experienced people.
If those resources aren't available, find well-informed birth advocates at breastfeeding support groups such as La Leche League or Breastfeeding USA.
Social media provides another set of options for connecting with people locally and beyond.
Beware people or groups that are negative, fear-based, judgmental, or insist that their way is the only right way.
Explore various meetings and groups to find ones that feel comfortable, supportive, and welcoming.
People have given birth and raised children for millennia.
There is so much knowledge and support available for anyone looking to connect with others who have already walked the path.
There's no need for anyone to feel isolated or overwhelmed during pregnancy or parenting.
Your supportive community is waiting for you to find it!
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