I could never stress enough for people younger than me, that have never been pregnant when they state "I don't need to see a doctor, I already know I am pregnant, I will wait until later down the road when I need to be registered at the hospital" - that drives me BATTY! :mad:

Prenatal care is the care you get while you are pregnant & to monitor the progress of a pregnancy and to identify potential problems before they become serious for either yourself or your child.

I have no idea why so many people are still so foolish!!!

You can receive lots of (free) information to help you along your new journey in life, and also many places that will help support you (financial assistance or counseling).

Most of the time, depending on your insurance/specific doctor you can expect
the visit to be similar, if not directly like this:

Weeks 4 to 28: 1 visit per month
Weeks 28 to 36: 2 visits per month
Weeks 36 to birth: 1 visit per week

With my son, I went to my second to last, and then poof he was born.
With my daughter, after delivery I told my doctor (on call Dr) that he can check me off for my checkup for the following day and he can just visit me in the labor and delivery area. :)

Seriously ladies, get checked up - don't leave your child's welfare a mystery!

Good advice! As soon as my daughter told me she was expecting, I first of course ecstatic being my first ever grand baby, then I called the doctor to schedule the first session. She hated to go, and was sick for quick sometime at the start, but she thanked me in the end, when I was in full doctor gear (blue rags) after she gave birth C-section. :) Wonderful bonding experience!

I hate to go to the doctors. Have to be near death, or in so much pain, I can't stand it any longer. But when I was pregnant, there was no option. It wasn't just me I had to consider. I made my first appointment within a day or two after discovering I was pregnant. A baby's life is too precious to risk the potential of life long complications because you don't want to go to the doctors.

Okay, I'm not a mother but I have a mother. And she told me stories about when I was still inside her womb. I was the eldest and she visited the doctor every month, that's according to her. So I also assume that she visited the doctor frequently just weeks before I was born because I was the only the only that was born in a hospital. My two brothers that followed after me, they were born in our house with the help of a call-in doctor.

This advice of alexis should be taken seriously especially by those who will have their first born. Because this is the first time the body of a lady will have changes because of the pregnancy.

Yeah, younger people tend to think if they feel fine, then everything is great. They don't realize that their diet and body don't automatically spontaneously provide all the baby needs automatically.

Folic acid is the first thing that comes to mind. Really, I don't understand why a girl wouldn't want to rush in anyway. I would expect most people to be a little freaked!

Yea, it doesn't really matter if you hate doctors or not, just suck it up and go. Its for a good reason after all. :)

I was so surprised to be pregnant, I thought I was just sick! When I went to the doctor, I was SO excited I kept making excuses in hopes of extra ultrasounds. Hehehe. I just wanted to hear/see him!

It is believed that good prenatal care is the biggest thing responsible for the reduction in infant and maternal mortality. But what do the female half of the 47 million uninsured Americans do at this most important time of their lives?

Most states have healthcare plans for pregnant women in place. This is partly because having a child puts most single/married without kids parties in the income bracket to get state assistance for their healthcare. There are also free clinics or income dependent clinics that will work with you to insure that you get the care you need. A quick search of your state government website should help you find a doctor to visit.

And I totally agree, being pregnant is a HUGE change, and there are so many things that can go wrong especially if its the first pregnancy.

I have seen many use the state assistance and the clinics that bunny spoke of. A friend of mine on the west coast had to do this with her 2nd born (son) when her husband was laid off from work. I also know some that if they could not get to a place, they would take the care of a family member/friend that also worked in the health field.

I am glad to hear that this is available. The health care system in this country is lacking to say the least and I hate that it is this way. I'm glad that the babies don't have to suffer because of it.

I guess we don't have to fully rely on healthcare insurance. Having a baby must be a planned thing. Before even thinking of having a baby, you must have a considerable amount of money saved somewhere wherein you could get it in times of need. Or at least you have a regular income to make sure that when the baby comes out, you don't get short of finances.

For those ladies who have been pregnant on the wrong time, you can still save money for 9 months.

You can only save for nine months if you have a job, or if your spouse will allow you to. I was not that fortunate in either way.

It was a struggle, constantly, until about six months ago when I took him to court for child support (yes we are now thankfully separated).

I admit I waited till the 5 th month with my second one.I was living in a new state though and had no insurance and did not know where to go. I did go to a clinic though to a nurse midwife.

Absolutely great advice and very true. This is not a game, we put our own life at risk and that small life inside. I wouldn't even consider pregnancy unless getting a very definite "green light" from my doc. And then, after getting preggy .. I'd make sure I go there as often as needed. There are so many things that can go wrong