When you’re pregnant, whether it was intentional or not and whether you want to keep the baby or not, you need ways to help you make decisions and find the right kind of care for your needs. Here are five resources for pregnant women.
1. Pregnancy Counseling
Pregnancy counseling can be useful for those who didn’t expect to be pregnant, those who aren’t sure whether they want to keep their pregnancies and those who know they don’t want to keep their pregnancies and want to discuss their options. The counselor can walk you through various options and help you find testing or healthcare services. You can also access this type of counseling if you change your mind about a decision you’ve made and need assistance. For example, if you’ve taken or are considering taking an abortion pill, you can talk to the counselor about abortion pill reversal.
2. Health Assistance Programs
Pregnancy is something that requires consistent medical care and monitoring, both during pregnancy and after birth. If you need help finding proper healthcare, affordable options or specialized testing or treatment, you can seek out health assistance programs. There are many different government programs available through the federal health department, including prenatal and newborn services and screenings, home visiting programs for expectant mothers and infants, healthy pregnancy programs and programs to assist expectant mothers with depression. Use the resources you need to keep you and your baby healthy.
3. Financial Aid Programs
Pregnant women sometimes need financial assistance. There are many options available for those who think they need financial aid. You can look into federal programs, such as Pregnancy Medicaid, SNAP and WIC. There are programs funded by state governments and many local charities whose sole purpose is to support pregnant women. If you are in need, you can find support in your community.
4. Birthing and Parenting Classes
Birthing and parenting classes are especially useful for expectant first-time parents. There are also classes specific to preparing for labor and giving birth. The expectant mother can learn about her care options, such as home births versus hospital births and working with doctors and midwives. She and a partner, friend or family member can learn about how to tell if she has gone into labor, how to handle labor, what the birthing process entails and how it works and information on proper infant nutrition and breastfeeding. You can find classes that teach parenting and newborn care skills, information about early childhood and how to keep your baby safe and healthy.
5. Helplines
You can find many helplines for all types of services and programs, including financial aid, healthcare, counseling and educational material. These options are useful for those who are seeking further resources and information or who simply want some short-term advice but don’t need long-term assistance. You can search online to find the ones you need. Other helplines also exist to assist people with urgent situations, though if you experience an emergency you should still call 9-1-1- before calling any sort of helpline.
Your first resource should always be a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another trusted healthcare provider first and learn about your options. Then you can make decisions based on the information you’ve gathered.
