What Mother’s Day Has To Do With Good Health

I love my baby.  He is so sweet and his laughter makes any bad mood float away.  But not only is my baby oh so sweet, he also made me aware of a breast lump. I noticed it once I started nursing him, because, really, I never really paid much attention to the issue of breast lumps and never did any self exams. 

I know, I know, health groups like American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists advocate women to have “breast self awareness,” and to report any changes to your breasts to your health care providers. But, since I don’t have any risk factors, I just never thought I would be in trouble. Well, after finding that not-so-small lump, I felt guilty. I realized even though I’m a huge advocate of preventive health, I wasn’t doing the one simple step of taking care of myself by getting preventive health screenings. And I realize, this is what preventive health is about, it’s about taking those steps to get ahead of health concerns before the health concerns get ahead of you.

Luckily, it seems that the lump is benign, but it is good I caught it and that I am following up with periodic check-ups. So to me, this Mother’s Day, I was reminded about good health. About preventive health, really. It’s about all of those good things the health care law requires new health plans to cover because they are preventive health. 

I’m talking birth control. Folic acid for pregnant women. Well-woman visits. Breast pumps. Screenings for STIs, HIV, gestational diabetes, and interpersonal and domestic violence. 

I’m talking those vaccines that my baby gets every couple of months. And those well-baby visits. This is what preventive health looks like. And it will look like for America. 

So get your preventive health checks. I know I am.