Pregnant while Handicapable
Pregnancy is a time of wondrous joy, but many women also endure anxiety related to the many unknowns. Will the baby be healthy? Will there be any complications with the pregnancy? There are so many potential areas for worry that a pregnant woman can easily become stressed over the slightest issue. If you suffer from a disability and become pregnant, your worries and anxiety can multiply. In many cases, women with disabilities can have a safe and healthy pregnancy; it just might take a little bit more effort on her part. Here are some tips on how to have a safe and healthy pregnancy if you suffer from a disability.
Educate Yourself
When a woman with a disability learns that she’s pregnant, or considers getting pregnant, she must become an advocate for her own health. In many cases, doctors are not quite up to speed with the combination of disabilities and pregnancy. By educating herself, the woman can become educated on all aspects of her disability and how it will hinder or complicate the pregnancy.
Find the Right Care Provider
If your current health care provider is not supportive of your pregnancy and condition, then find another. You owe it to yourself to have the best care possible for you and your baby. Find a doctor who can give you the kind of care that you both deserve. That means a doctor who will work with you to ensure that your disability is managed throughout your pregnancy.
Get Help
Find out what kinds of social services or other forms of help are available to you. Discuss with your partner exactly what kind of assistance and support they can give you. Having a baby is difficult enough, but trying to do everything yourself and manage a disability is even more difficult. Reach out to friends and family; let them know how and when they can help.