Know Your Birth Options

Why is it that some woman, when pregnant may just take the doctors word for whatever they say and not ask questions, research choices, or know their options?

I am not saying people need to be overly aggressive about it, but ignorance when it comes to delivering your baby should not be part of the picture.

You chose to have this baby planned or not, right? Don't you want to know all your options on how you can have the birth you want?

Have you ever thought about how you want to birth your baby? If not, you should. "You planned your wedding, you should plan your birth." So many people spend months and even years planning a wedding, and not as many even give half the time and energy into planning the birth of their baby. I don't count decorating the babies room, or buying cute baby clothes.

I am talking about, who you want at the birth, where are you going to deliver, how are you going to deliver, have you researched pain meds, epidurals, other interventions.

Ladies, just because your girlfriend told you how her birth was ...there is a 99.9% likelihood yours will NOT be like hers. This is your body, your pregnancy, your baby....go find out "your" choices. Age has a lot to do with it, younger girls have babies for many reasons, and don't always look into all the details of how delivery works.

My point here, is that lack of knowledge is IGNORANCE. Don't be dumb when it comes to your options, know them, your baby has been counting on you since the day you got pregnant. When you educate yourself about your birth choices it also influences your baby's survival and health afterward. Many choices you make, or your care provider makes for you, around the birth of your baby can and will effect him or her for the rest of their lives.

Don't you want to go into bringing your child into this world knowing everything about your choices around it that you can?

Ask a doula, child birth educator, lactation consultant, or midwife about anything around your birthing options. They will listen, answer your questions and be there to help you through this. You are not alone, and we are not re-inventing the wheel here, there is a lot that is normal that you wouldn't even think to ask!

Pregnant or know someone who is? Pass this onto them....

Who do I want at my birth?
Where do I want to give birth?
What am I afraid of?
What am excited about?
What do I look forward to about the birth of my baby?
What am I not looking forward to about the birth of my baby?
Is there something I want to avoid because of a last birth or experience that I have had?
Have I thought about my pain management?
Do I have a high threshold for pain?
What are my options around pain?
Do those options effect my baby? How?
What is the recovery time for some of the pain management options?
Are there other interventions that come along with the pain management choice?
Do I have an option to stay home as long as I can?
Do I trust the team I have for my birth to guide me through my labor? Do I have back up for my team so they can rest, eat etc....so they can be there for me when I really need them?
If my water breaks early and there are no contractions, what is my doctors protocol? Do I have to follow it? What are my other options?

Any one of these questions leads to several others.....so think about it. Why not have someone with you to help you through all of this, so you don't have to think about it. You can birth your baby and they will guide your through all the paths that may lead to the end, having your baby in your arms.