I Had No Idea!

“For my first birth I had no idea what I was agreeing to and things did not go the way I wanted at all”

Do you know how many times as a birth doula I’ve heard this same story? It’s usually followed by something along the lines of…

“So this time I’m learning as much as I can!”

Looking back to the birth of my first son, I can totally understand where these women are coming from.

At the time of my first pregnancy I was more than a little afraid of labour, birth, hospitals, needles, anything medical really. And looking back I realise how I didn’t do myself any favours by closing my eyes and ears to it all. I was more than just a little naive.

But I’m a research-based, logical-thinking kind of a gal, who really needs to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the information I’m presented with. So why at such a crucial time in my life did I think it was a better idea to neglect any research and adopt a ‘what will be will be’ attitude?

It was because I truly believed that I had no control at all over the way my labour progressed. I believed that it was pure luck as to whether I had a straightforward labour or a challenging one. And honestly, if a traumatic, painful experience was in my future, well then I would rather not deal with the stress that would come with the fear of this knowledge. After all, stress limitation is important in pregnancy right? I thought there was nothing I could do to change what I would experience in labour, so why stress myself out?

This is where I was completely wrong. And where woman after woman that I speak to realise they were also wrong.

I now know that my decisions and behaviours before and during labour are highly consequential to the progress of labour itself. I am not a powerless pawn who will be dealt her labour card and just have to play it.

The age old phrase ‘Knowledge is Power’ has never been more applicable than in preparation for labour. Your decisions will affect the course of your labour and may have a huge consequence on how your baby is born.

In my prenatal meetings I cover the topic of the ‘Cascade of Intervention’. This delves into the seemingly insignificant decisions women are making in labour that can transform their low-risk, uncomplicated birth into a heavily-medicated and assisted birth, leaving some new mothers reeling and asking the question ‘How did I get here?’

Ladies, my tip for you - educate yourself! Own your birth experience by equipping yourself with the full power of knowledge.

And in doing so experience the high level of satisfaction with birth that you deserve.

Your birth. Your way.