Well Baby, Well Mom

I think about all of this against the backdrop of the healthcare debate raging in this country during this most historic election year. I know my family is blessed to have excellent care and that we can afford it. It is a gift. Now that I am a mom, I know from my own personal experience that access to quality healthcare for children is essential to good parenting. While Medicaid and State Health Insurance Plans (S-CHIP) may provide a safety net for millions of families, there are still many more whose children are either uninsured or underinsured. This must change. Not only do regular well baby visits prevent disease and ensure early screening for lead toxicity, anemia, TB, hearing and vision loss and a host of other concerns, the visits are often the only time parents have the chance to really discuss their young child’s development—and to prepare for what the next stage will bring.

I think it is fair to say that every mom could benefit from the guidance of those well visits. I look at it from the perspective of well baby, well mom. As our babies grow, so do we. And it is essential to be able to both reflect and gain insights on where we’ve come from and where we are going on this long and winding road.