As a prenatal and postnatal services provider, we link up with many different prenatal and postnatal practitioners in Singapore, and every one of them has a different purpose. I was thinking today about how to have a well rounded team to support you during your pregnancy, and how each one has a part to play to help you have a positive pregnancy and birth – and I thought I would share it here!
- A great Ob/Gyn – In Singapore, there is no midwifery led care, which means all your pregnancy care is under your Doctor (sad times for us midwives!). What a lot of people dont realise is that your gynaecologist isn’t in the room with you whilst you are in labour, the nursing staff on the ward will be caring for you, but your Dr is still making decisions about your care. So having a Doctor that is aligned with your birth plan is really important. If you want a natural birth, get recommendations from midwives or prenatal specialists who know which Doctors to go to! This can make all the difference in how you feel postnatally.
- Women’s Health Physiotherapist – Have you all heard about how you cant jump on a trampoline after having a baby? Or that sex after birth is painful if you have had stitches? Not if you have been under the care of these wonderful physios! This is my top recommendation post birth – if you don’t see anyone else, go and see a women’s health physio around 6 weeks post birth for your check up. They can check your pelvic floor, your diastasis, and your general recovery, and give you personalised care on how best to recover.
- Osteopath/chiropractor – the jury is out on which I prefer, as I have seen excellent results with both! These guys can help align your body in pregnancy to help have a smoother birth, help with babies positioning and get your body ready for birth. They can also help postnatally with any aches or pains, latching issues, baby Colic, reflux and more – definitely worth having them on board if you have had a very long labour, fast labour, caesarean, forceps or vacuum birth.
- Exercise – Whether this is yoga, a PT or pilates instructor, investing in exercise is great because not only do you strengthen for birth, but you also release endorphins and they make you happier! So find a class or a PT and get moving!
- Doula – This is something not many people know about pre birth, but having a doula in Singapore is a game changer if you want a natural birth – research shows that you are more likely to have a positive experience, less intervention, less pain relief and it is so comforting to know that someone is on your team, being your advocate and they know what is happening. Shop around for your doula – interview a few to find out who you gel with, and every doula will work in slightly different ways.
- Lactation consultant – no matter how easy you think it is supposed to be, everyone finds breastfeeding tricky at some point! So having a visit from a lactation consultant post birth is great for that piece of mind that everything is going well – it is easier to fix things earlier, rather than waiting for sore nipples, low supply and mastitis before you call anyone out.
There are lots of other great things you can do during your pregnancy but these are definitely the ones we find are the most helpful! And I hope this helps you too 🙂
