Easier on My Mind

I did lots of research yesterday, which is one of my favorite pastimes since the advent of the Interwebs, and I found out some terrific information which empowered me to make some educated choices about this whole path to mamahood.

I've made a preconception appointment at the UCLA Pregnancy Health Center for next month (the earliest they could take me - I'll have gone through two more ovulation cycles so I could already be knocked-up by then) which is where I have found a highly-recommended, young and hip OB/GYN, and where I will make use of their Nurse Midwife Program when I deliver. (An OB/GYN and a Nurse Midwife - plus a brand new labor and delivery facility that you can see in a virtual tour on their web site - woo hoo!) And miraculously my insurance will cover it all.

Yay! I'm not banished to Cedars-Sinai, where for only $3k more per day of my maternity stay I could receive a mani-pedi and cut/color while in labor and delivery! Both my partner and I truly dreaded the prospect of delivering there and now, we won't have to!

Anyway, when I spoke with the Nurse Midwife on the phone to make the appointment she asked me why I thought I was a candidate for a high-risk pregnancy. She laughed when I told her my age (35) and weight (over) and said that those factors were totally irrelevant unless I was over 40 and obese. She also questioned whether the OB/GYN I'm seeing would even recommend genetic testing of my partner and myself when I explained why I was coming in for genetic counseling.

There philosophy on their web site states:

We provide a midwifery model of care utilizing:
* Watchful waiting and non-intervention in normal processes
* Appropriate use of interventions and technology for current or potential health problems
* Consultation, collaboration and referral with other members of the health care team as needed to provide optimal health care

So if I need The Drugs or The C-Section, not an issue, but not necessarily Plan A - which is what I've heard about Cedars-Sinai.

In short, a lot is resting easier on my mind after immersing myself in researching how I want all this to go down. The only two draw backs at this point seem to be the unfortunate namesake of the hospital where the UCLA Pregnancy Health Center is located (Ronald Reagan) and the cost of parking in the lot per visit ($11.00) but I think I can live with those two details slightly amiss.