The healthcare system in America is deeply flawed and needs a lot of work to make things more beneficial for the consumer. No one knows this better than women seeking to have children. The average cost of a vaginal childbirth is more than $13,000 without insurance. With a good insurance plan, that out-of-pocket cost is cut in half, sometimes even more, but still costs thousands of dollars. A birth via cesarean section can be double that original estimate.

Rather than advocating a wholesale overhaul of the healthcare system, women should take advantage of the resources currently available to them. Information is your friend, and it doesn’t hurt to take some time to research and educate yourself before you get pregnant.

First, find out what your health insurance plan covers. It can seem complicated at first, but get on your healthcare insurance app or make a phone call and take notes. If you have a chance to change your insurance plan before pregnancy, it may make sense to change your plan and pay a bit more monthly, knowing your plan will cover higher costs in the event of childbirth. This will take some research about what you’ll pay versus what the insurance company pays and how that affects average out-of-pocket medical costs. According to this insurance aggregate , it’s also worth a phone call to ask if costs for pregnancy and childbirth are capped at the individual level or if it will apply to the total family deductible.

Second, decide on where or how you’ll deliver. If you’re a believer in holistic methods or feel confident in midwifery, consider childbirth at a birthing center. It costs quite a bit less to deliver there, but bear in mind emergency medical care is limited should problems arise. And even if you’ve decided to deliver your baby at a hospital, it’s OK to shop around, although usually you give birth where your OB/GYN has privileges.

It’s also important to know what your insurance covers besides childbirth because there are many additional costs related to it. They include things such as OB/GYN checkups before birth (multiple appointments are required if you’re not using a midwife), ultrasounds, prenatal screening, and diagnostic testing. Which of these does your insurance plan cover? Ask what’s really necessary and discuss what’s ethical with your doctor. For some, more tests equal more peace of mind. For others, fewer tests mean the same thing, and fewer expenses, too.

When you finally do have your baby and you get that first hospital bill, here are a few more tips: Do not pay off your massive bill with a credit card out of panic or ignorance. Few hospitals expect new families to pay it off immediately. Call the hospital and arrange a reasonable payment plan. Before you do this, though, check your bill and make sure there aren’t any errors. It’s quite common to see errors because there’s usually a lot going on between mother and baby during birth. It’s OK to dispute things you discussed doing but decided against, such as an epidural.

Speaking of that, there are some smaller ways to cut costs, but these are optional and, for many, might seem unnecessary. Anesthesia is approximately $1,000 of a total childbirth bill — a mother could always forgo it and deliver naturally. It’s just an idea! Don’t shoot the messenger: I had epidurals during my four deliveries.

Having a baby is an incredible experience, but it’s not for the faint of heart or light of pocket. Be informed. Ask questions. It might be costly, but in the end, as every mother knows, babies are priceless.

Nicole Russell is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist in Washington, D.C., who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota. She is an opinion columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.