What I wish all birthing people knew…
A non-exhaustive list
Consider your model of care - place of birth and support team
The first thing that springs to mind might be to hire an obstetrician and birth in hospital, but there are lots of other options!
Consider whether you might hire a private midwife, enrol in midwifery group practice or hire a doula, birth at home, a family birthing centre or hospital - do your research and consider what model of care and place of birth is best for you and your baby
Hospitals operate under policies which might not be evidence-based - you can find hospital policies online. Listen to The Great Birth Rebellion podcast and you will better understand the system under which you might be birthing
Continuous support during labour may improve outcomes for women and infants, including increased spontaneous vaginal birth, shorter duration of labour, and decreased caesarean birth, instrumental vaginal birth, use of any analgesia, use of regional analgesia, low five‐minute Apgar score and negative feelings about childbirth experiences - see Cochrane review here
Midwifery-led continuity of care (continuity with the same midwife or a small team across antenatal, birth, and postnatal periods) is linked with better maternal and neonatal outcomes - see Cochrane review here
It is never too late to change care provider - listen to your gut and birth where you feel safe and supported
You have choices - it is your body, and your baby. Noone cares more about your baby than you!
Unless it is a very serious medical emergency, ask if you can you take (at least) 5 minutes to consider what is being offered to you. Practice this from early on in pregnancy. Use the BRAIN tool and do your own research to help you make informed decisions:
Benefits - what are the benefits of what is being offered? What is the aim? What will it achieve? Why is it being offered?
Risks - What are the risks of doing what is offered? How safe is it for you and bub? Does it increase the chance of something else occuring?
Alternatives - What else could you do? Other monitoring, tests, procedures?
Intuition - What is your gut telling you? Would you feel relieved to do what is offered, or does it feel a little rushed?
Nothing - What happens if you do nothing instead?
Being informed is crucial
Going with the flow is still making a decision, take responsibility and ask for support if you need it
Your partner needs to be informed too - encourage them to do their own learning and talk through challenges together
Your body is designed for birth, and understanding how labour works helps reduce fear and supports smoother experiences
Learn tools to promote relaxation and reduce fear
Fear triggers stress hormones that can slow or disrupt labour, making confidence and emotional preparation crucial
Here are some tools/exercises to practice during pregnancy:
write down your worries and turn them into affirmations
practice breathing exercises to help relax the body and mind - find a comfortable seat, close your eyes and breathe in for 4, and out for 4
build physical strength and flexibility to help support the body during pregnancy and for labour - yoga poses like tabletop, puppy pose, child’s pose and squats (with or without support) are a great place to start
