所有你不知道你在怀孕和产后需要的专家——另外，如何找到他们

几个世纪以来，城镇有一两个医生负责初级成人和儿科护理、分娩等等。他们的病人是朋友和邻居，他们是帮助抚养新父母和孩子的村庄的一部分。

你可以称之为美好的旧时光。

加州生殖精神病学家、医学博士莎拉奥瑞克说，这种类型的关系已经被侵蚀了。人们不太了解他们的医生。

但是此外，新父母不仅仅需要知道他们的剖腹产切口或产后阴道撕裂正在正常愈合。随着母乳喂养率的上升——2017年，81%的女性表示她们尝试过母乳喂养，高于2007年的74%——哺乳顾问变得更加必要。考虑到在新冠肺炎疫情期间产后焦虑和抑郁显著增加，像奥利克博士这样专门研究围产期时间的心理健康专家至关重要。

毕竟，虽然护士助产士或产科医生GYN会在你怀孕期间陪着你，但在你的身体经历了出生后的生理、生理和心理转变，带着孩子回家后，你可能会有六周左右的时间没有再见到你的医疗提供者。

RELATED: 11个最适合所有妈妈和爸爸的在线分娩和育儿课程加州的导乐、哺乳顾问和健身教练贝拉切尔尼克说，这个故事通常是这样的：名女性在整个怀孕期间都会得到教育和建议，然后，在分娩后——这是大多数女性需要更多支持的时候——她们往往会被忽视。然后呢？找到你需要的人并不总是容易的。

幸运的是，像罗宾、妈妈图和布博这样的数据库——让你找到并预订从道格拉斯到哺乳顾问、营养师等产前和产后专家——正在试图填补这一空白。他们正在帮助父母找到满足他们需求的专家，分享他们的理念，并在出生前后培养患者和提供者之间更密切的关系。

>Here, a primer on how to find the specialists you may want to add to your (even virtual) village—and how they might be able to help.

How to Find the Experts You Need

Once you realize you might need help with something—abdominal separation (formally known as diastasis recti), pelvic floor issues, mental health problems, breastfeeding struggles—the next step is figuring out where to get it.

Often a good place to start is your OB-GYN or midwife, who may be able to provide help and a referral. You can also ask if they know if the person takes insurance, which can help offset costs, but you'll need to call your insurance company or the specialist to verify.

But as a heads up: Your birthing professional may not always have referrals or the one or two professionals they recommend may not be the right ones for you. "I have found that OB-GYNs aren't always able to roll out next steps," says Dr. Oreck. "There needs to be education within our medical system to extend those referrals and that network."

If your provider doesn't have any suggestions, Dr. Oreck suggests getting warm referrals from friends and family. Dr. Oreck also recommends Postpartum Support International (PSI) for mental health listings and free support groups. After all, specialists cost money and not everyone can afford them.

• RELATED: Top 17 Postpartum Questions, Answered

You might not be as geographically-constrained today either. "One of the small upsides of the pandemic is that telehealth has become more prevalent," says Dr. Oreck. "That can be useful to parents who have young children at home or who are pregnant and having difficulty traveling."

The important thing to remember: You aren't alone and it's OK to ask for help. "Part of being a successful mother is asking for help and having the humility to know we can't do it on our own," says Dr. Oreck. But since navigating pregnancy and postpartum specialists can feel like a whole new world of jargon, let this guide be a starting point to help you learn about some of the experts to consider in your search.

Doulas

Doulas provide emotional support and advice during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. Different doulas may be able to help with various issues that arise during the first through fourth trimesters. "They can often help with nutrition, movement, lactation, and newborn care," says Alli Kasirer, CEO and founder of Robyn.

The best doulas will work with you and your OB-GYN or midwife. If the doula has never worked with your OB-GYN or midwife, you can ask for them to do a virtual meeting or call to ensure everyone is on the same page.

• RELATED: Should You Hire a Postpartum Doula?

Doulas don't typically take insurance—though some states do cover doula services—so be sure to do your research before choosing one. Major Care is also a new service that helps connect parents-to-be with doulas, specifically.

Mental health professionals

A therapist can help talk through postpartum anxiety and depression and any struggles you're having while adjusting to being a new parent. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication, such as antidepressants, as needed. Dr. Oreck suggests trying to find someone who specializes in the perinatal and postpartum periods since it's such a nuanced time. PSI has a provider directory on their site that lists thousands of providers—many of whom provide virtual care—all over the country (and world!). Hospitals also often provide resources for postpartum depression support groups.

• RELATED: Do Postpartum Depression Symptoms Look Different in a Pandemic?

Mental health providers often take insurance and insurance companies can provide a list of providers in your network.

Lactation consultants

Breastfeeding is natural—mammals in the wild nurse, after all—but it doesn't always come naturally. And when you bring a crying baby home and no one has slept, that doesn't always add up to a positive breastfeeding experience, says Nicks. One 2013 study found that 92 percent of women hit snags breastfeeding in the first few days postpartum.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) can get a breastfeeding journey off on the right foot and help you work through any issues, including a baby's latch. They can evaluate babies for tongue and lip ties that may interfere with effective latching, offer advice on increasing and maintaining milk supply, measure you for pump flanges if you plan to pump, and more.

• RELATED: Using a Lactation Consultant: All You Need to Know

Some lactation consultants may take insurance, but often this can be an out-of-pocket expense.

That said, there are free resources. La Leche League, for example, offers free lactation consultations. A hospital also may provide a list of free breastfeeding support groups, too.

Instagram is also full of professionals who may be willing to answer direct messages—it doesn't hurt to ask. "Most birth workers will talk to someone for free," says Nicks. "I get DMs every day, 'Is this safe? Can I do this?' I respond."

Prenatal and postnatal fitness instructors

The right fitness instructor can help you keep up with and find new exercise habits during and after your pregnancy. Nicks suggests seeking out professionals who can help you take care of your body when you're taking care of another human and working with someone who will provide a phased approach that includes healing (Kegels and breathing exercises to heal your pelvic floor and transverse abdominals), gentle movement (yoga and walking), and functional strength (squats and upper body work).

Pelvic floor physical therapists, who specialize in caring for the muscles of the pelvic floor which can often wind up injured or overworked in pregnancy and childbirth, can also be helpful rehab professionals to look into.

Luna Mother Collective, Peloton, and Obé Fitness all offer great prenatal classes and education online and through their apps. The American Physical Therapy Association and Pelvicrehab.com list pelvic floor physical therapists, too.

Fitness instructors usually require clients to pay out of pocket, but insurance providers or employers may offer discounts.

Nutritionists

Like fitness instructors, nutritionists can help you establish and maintain healthy habits during your journey as a parent and help you tackle anything from battling nausea to a gestational diabetes diagnosis, Kasirer says.

"A lot of Robyn's dietitians are also lactation consultants," she says. They can help lactating parents nourish their bodies in a way that doesn't interfere with milk production.

Some nutritionists are covered by insurance.

Sleep consultants

That old adage, "sleep when the baby sleeps," isn't always possible and no one benefits when a caregiver is chronically exhausted. "If your baby isn't on a regular schedule, a new parent doesn't have time to recover," says Kasirer. "It can be helpful to have a sounding board."

Sleep consultants can advise on sleep-wake windows and different products, such as swaddles and sleepsuits, which may help your baby sleep. Since there are various ways to help a baby sleep, you'll want to think about things like your baby's age and your comfort levels with different methods so you can find a provider who fits with your views.