Have you heard of it? Centering pregnancy isn't a new idea or concept, but it is slowly being introduced around the country. Here in Arizona I know of at least 3 OBGYN/ Midwife practices that are participating in Group Prenatal Care, or Centering Pregnancy.
Centering pregnancy is where a group of expecting mothers and their partners meet for prenatal care as a group. They are all due within the same month so they are all going through their pregnancy together.
There are a some pros and cons to centering pregnancy. To find the position statement from the American College of Nurse Midwives click HERE
I think there are more pros then cons. You get your individual care, you learn about what to expect and you interact with women who are going through the same thing as you are.
Besides- when was the last time your prenatal visit was 2 hours long??!?! (homebirth mama's don't answer this question!!) Most OB appointments are somewhere around 5-15 minutes. Sometimes longer if needs be, but there really isn't a lot of time to talk about "normals" that you are experiencing. Individual appointments are to rule out any problems, but in group settings there is also time to talk about individual things one on one with a midwife.
All I know is that I trust the centering pregnancy program and I think it is a wonderful program for expectant mothers. It may not be offered or it may not be right for you, but take a look into it and support it where available.
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