Your decision to be involved with your partner's care throughout their pregnancy is a great way to show them support. While your partner ultimately has the final say about who provides their prenatal care, you can help them narrow down their options. Your partner may especially need your help with this aspect of their pregnancy if they are already busy handling other responsibilities at work or home. Alternatively, you just might be the partner who does better at making phone calls and researching prospective health care providers. Either way, you can use these three tips to begin finding prenatal health care doctors that your partner will feel comfortable working with throughout their pregnancy.
Consider Your Partner's Location and Schedule
Prenatal care for a normal pregnancy typically starts off slow with one or two checkups per month. However, most new moms are seeing their doctor on a biweekly or weekly basis towards the end of the pregnancy. Those who have high-risk pregnancies may even plan to see their doctor more often. For this reason, you want to find a doctor that has a practice near enough to your partner's home or workplace to be convenient. They should also have a schedule that fits your partner's such as by offering morning or afternoon appointments throughout the week.
Find Out if There Are Special Pregnancy Concerns
The majority of pregnancy issues are found during prenatal appointments. However, your partner may already know if they are at risk for issues during their pregnancy. For instance, women who have had previous complications during pregnancy may need to seek a doctor that is comfortable with helping high-risk patients. Your partner might prefer a doctor that is experienced with providing care to older pregnant moms or that will support their birth plan decisions.
Arrange for a Meet and Greet Appointment
Once you find a doctor that you think your partner will like, you want to encourage them to schedule an appointment. The first appointment can be a simple meet and greet session where you can ask the doctor questions to get an idea of how they manage their practice. During this session, the doctor may also ask your partner for information about their health to determine if there are additional concerns that you all need to discuss together. Make sure to plan some time after this appointment to talk to your partner about both of your feelings. This way, you can make sure that you are both on the same page before you commit to the prenatal health care provider.