how to advocate for your children
With my first child, I didn’t have to advocate very often: he didn’t have any health issues, and we didn’t have any concerns about his development. However, when I had my twins in the NICU during the first week of the COVID shutdown, I had to learn how to advocate for them quickly, and often over the phone. This article will show you how to be an advocate for your child.
Choose your pediatrician or nurse practitioner carefully
It’s important that you trust your pediatrician and feel that they listen to you and your concerns. When choosing your pediatrician, ask your friends, family, neighbors, even strangers in the doctor’s office for recommendations. If your pediatrician doesn’t listen to you, advocating for your child will be much tougher.
ask lots of questions
If you don’t know something, don’t just wait to Google it later. Ask! Before a doctor’s appointment, write down your questions, so you’re prepared. Bring a notebook or phone to doctor’s appointments and ask questions. So often, parents worry about looking uneducated or like a bad parent. But new parents aren’t expected to know everything. That’s why babies have pediatricians, so ask all those questions. They’ll help you to be a better advocate.
trust your instincts
A parent’s gut instinct is so powerful. If you are worried about something, trust that instinct. While doctors are so important and are educated, you know your child the best. Talk to your doctor about your concerns or, if necessary, get a referral for a specialist.
If your doctor is pushing you to do something that you’re not sure about, you can tell them you need time. (B-R-A-I-N works for babies, too.)
don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion
If you feel that your baby’s pediatrician isn’t listening to you, don’t hesitate to ask for an appointment with another pediatrician in the office or the nurse practitioner. In the case that your pediatrician isn’t giving you a referral or listening to you, you can ask that your doctor make notes in the chart that you made a request and the doctor chose not to provide it. This does not mean that you need to be combative or mean; you are simply asking for a paper trail. This will often convince a doctor to listen to you, but more importantly, if you have this type of relationship with your child’s pediatrician, it’s probably best to find another.
Overall, parents or caregivers are with their children the most, so they should trust their instincts about when something is wrong or there is a developmental or behavioral issue. Parents should trust their pediatrician and feel that the pediatrician listens to them. In the case that parents feel their concerns or wishes are being ignored, they should pause and consider getting a second opinion or switching doctors. Parents shouldn’t feel afraid or worried to speak up on their child’s behalf.
If you want to learn more about how to advocate for yourself or your child (especially in birth or postpartum,) set up a prenatal meeting with me!
Hi! I'm Gigi; I'm a postpartum doula, mother to three toddlers, including twins, and a wife to my high school sweetheart. I’m a #swiftie who loves cheesy novels.
As a former teacher, I bring realistic, evidence-based, and actionable advice (and LOTS of handouts.) I help families get all the tools they need to prepare, so once baby arrives, they can focus on resting and bonding instead of researching or stressing. I’m here to streamline the newborn learning curve and help birth parents, partners, and other family members. There isn’t ONE way to have and raise a little human. I’m here to guide parents to find THEIR way so that they can thrive in the fourth trimester and beyond.
Ready to learn how to create an actionable postpartum plan?
Ready to get the support you need in the fourth trimester?
Then learn about my prenatal planning services here!
