|
|
|
 |
| |
Your Journey | Meet
The Doctors Event
THE JOURNEY OF YOUR CARE
PREGNANCY, BIRTH, AND BEYOND
- A healthy and happy birth begins
in early pregnancy when the care you give yourself is probably
more important than the care you get from your doctor. We
strive to help you make sure that your baby starts life
under the best possible conditions.
- Once you know you are pregnant you
can contact FPMS Birthdocs yourself or ask your
family doctor to make a referral for you. Contact
us...
- There are different kinds of services
offered by Birthdocs FPMS that may suit different women.
See Who We Are or Our
Programs...
- For most women we provide traditional
care, with regular individual doctor visits during the pregnancy.
- Centering Pregnancy is a new program
that combines medical care and prenatal education in a group
setting.
TRADITIONAL PREGNANCY CARE
- Pregnancy care occurs at the B.C.
Women’s Hospital Ambulatory Care Clinic or at one
of our doctors’ offices.
- You will see the same doctor for
most of your pregnancy care..
- At your pregnancy health visits you
can discuss your concerns, find out more about your baby,
and learn how to be as healthy as possible.
- The first visit is spent discussing
your medical history, your preferences, and our philosophy
of care.
- A complete physical examination
and blood tests are recommended in early pregnancy.
- If you are over 35 a special visit
may be scheduled for you and your partner to discuss options
for genetic testing.
- Health visits occur once a month
until about 7 months (30 weeks). Later you see your doctor
every 2 weeks, and in the last month you see your doctor
every week.
- At each visit you and your baby will
be checked to be sure that you are well. We welcome questions
and discussion.
- You are welcome to bring your children,
partners, friends, or family members to all your visits.
CENTERING PREGNANCY CARE
- In early pregnancy you will see the doctor by yourself for two or three visits for history-taking and a complete physical examination.
- You will be invited to join a group of 8-10 women with a similar due month to yours, starting around 18 weeks of pregnancy. Centering groups meet monthly for 4 months, then every 2 weeks until the babies are born.
- The group is co-facilitated by a doctor and a perinatal nurse who will remain with that group for the whole pregnancy.
- FPMS is pleased to be able to offer a Centering group for every second month (for 2009, we have groups for women due in January, March, May, July, September and November).
- Together with the other group members you discuss topics related to pregnancy, birth, parenting, and personal growth.
- You will be shown how to check on your health and the baby's health. At every meeting there is some private time with the doctor and nurse. Centering group meetings usually last 2 hours.
- Partners are welcome to attend the groups and all health visits.
- Extra visits with the doctor are scheduled in the clinic if needed.
- The philosophy of Centering Pregnancy is to combine the health checks with education, to empower women to take care of themselves, and to encourage women to learn from each other.Learn
more about Centering Pregnancy...
FOR BOTH TYPES OF PRENATAL CARE:
Near your due-month you are invited
to Meet the Doctors Night ,
where you can meet all the doctors who might be on call
when you are in labour. At Meet the Doctors Night, we get
to know each other while talking about labour, birth, and
the newborn period. Questions, discussions, and story-telling
are encouraged.
When you think you are going into
labour our doctor on-call is available to talk with you
on the phone at any time of the day or night. The doctor
will want to know how you are doing and will help you decide
when to come to the hospital.
Soon after you arrive at the hospital
you will be met by the on-call doctor, who will take good
care of you. They will see you often during your labour
and assist at your birth.
Partners, friends, family members,
and doulas are welcome during labour and birth according
to your wishes.
After the birth, one of our doctors
will visit you every day while you are in hospital. You
may go home when you and the baby are doing well.
A few days after going home you will
return to the clinic to see your pregnancy doctor (or you
may see your regular family doctor) to check on your recovery
and the baby’s well-being.
In the first few weeks after the
birth you and your baby return to the care of your usual
family doctor. We will help this transition by giving you
and your doctor all the information that is needed.
At six to eight weeks after the birth
you may have your last health visit with your FPMS doctor.
This is an opportunity to review the birth and answer any
questions you may have.
Your life as a parent continues to
grow with many experiences ahead of you. We wish you well
and are happy to have helped you at this special time.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
