Going to see the doctor or midwife during pregnancy can be kind of fun, especially if everything is going well. But sometimes these brief interactions can be frustrating, especially if you find you are waiting long hours for short appointments, or leave each time with unanswered questions.

Here are some tips for getting the most from your prenatal care:

• Think ahead about what you want to ask the doctor or midwife that day. Depending on the customs at your office, your routine prenatal appointments will probably be scheduled in a 5 or 10 minute slot, so you will need to make the most of the time available. Typically, nurse-midwives have more time to spend with their prenatal patients than doctors do. Bring a list of questions so you don't forget what you wanted to ask.
  
  
• Bring work, music, or pleasure reading with you to help prevent frustration. Waiting in doctors' offices is almost inevitable, and can be particularly aggravating when you have to go frequently, as you do for prenatal care. Remember that doctors and midwives who spend time with you when you need it also will spend time with their other patients when they need it; waiting times can be long with some of the best practitioners.
  
  
• If the office often runs late, it may help to call ahead to see how things are flowing. First slots in the morning or right after lunch tend to run closest to schedule.
  
  
• Try hard to avoid scheduling an appointment for before you have a meeting or other important appointment. You never know when there will be a delay, or if your doctor will send you for an ultrasound or some other test right from your visit.
  
  
• If possible, arrange a few prenatal appointments at a time; scheduling months ahead will help you to get times that are convenient for you, and may allow you to schedule work and family obligations around your prenatal care.
  
  
• Lastly, be up front with your doctor or midwife if you are frustrated or disappointed with your prenatal visits. Although the major function of prenatal care is to screen for developing problems, education and reassurance are also part of the package. Most practitioners want to meet the needs of their patients and will respond positively to a request for help. But no one person can be the right practitioner for every patient. Sometimes mothers-to-be need to change practitioners in order to get what they need from their pregnancy care.