Having an Empowering Hospital Birth.
Are you birthing in a hospital setting? Are you truly prepared to advocate for yourself?
There’s a few things that you can do to help empower you and your partner (if one is present) to have the most positive and empowering hospital birth possible. And in all honesty, it’s not that much! I promise! 😉
take an out hospital childbirth education class
No really. And this should be your top priority. Take a childbirth education class that’s out of the hospital. Many of the hospital childbirth classes, albeit share a lot of the same information, that information is presented differently and is skewed in favor of the hospital and their “policies” (🙄, because we all know most hospitals don’t practice evidenced based care). A lot of the what they provide isn’t covered very deeply, especially the comfort measures (this section is typically is like 30 minutes total of the entire series, not enough time at all). Where as an out of hospital childbirth class goes deeper into evidence based information. Here is a few of the popular childbirth education classes that I have local to me (there’s some in San Diego and some in the Temecula Valley and Riverside, just ask me which one you’re interested in and where you’re located and I can give you names):
Hypnobirthing - utilizes mindfulness and hypnosis
GentleBirth - utilizes mindfulness and hypnosis
Bradley Method - partner centered support
hire a doula
This is important as they provide unconditional emotional and physical support as well as a continuity in your birth team. They typically transfer with you from your home (if you were laboring at home and they were there) to the hospital, otherwise they typically meet you at the hospital. They typically have a plethora of knowledge and are skilled in reminding you to breathe 😉 Not only are they great at massages and light touch, but many times they can also remind the people in the room that it is a birth experience, and that the person birthing the baby, is just as important as the baby. They will also help you solidify your birth plan and answer any questions you have regarding that.
possibly switch care providers
If they aren’t supportive of your evidenced based care birth preferences, that’s a massive red flag and you should run. It’s also never too late to switch care providers. I switched at 28 weeks, and wished I would’ve switched again at my 36/37 week appointment. If you’re providing them with evidenced based information and they are saying that isn’t their “policy” that’s typically just another code word for “I’m not comfortable doing that because I don’t understand it or have never done that before.” Ask them to see the policy. Ask them why not. Get them talking, and if they drop you from their practice (because that can happen when patients ask too many uncomfortable questions and their knowledge or power is questioned), write a letter to the patient advocacy department or the CEO or whomever you can send an email to. You have to remember that you are the consumer, and as long as you’re simply asking for evidenced based care (and not trying to birth in the ocean or something like that), why can’t they support that decision? If it’s based on outdated policies, then those policies need to change, and the only way to change them is with your voice telling them something is wrong as the consumer.
emphasize informed consent
A nurse saying “I'm going to check your cervix when you’re done with this contraction” is NOT informed consent. A nurse/doctor saying “When you’re done with this contraction I would like to check your cervix” is NOT informed consent. A nurse/doctor saying “Can I check your cervix when this contraction is over?” and WAITING for your response, IS informed consent. Make sure you emphasize that you would like them to ask you questions and for them to actually get consent over any procedures. Medical coercion is a real thing (I experienced it in the birth of my little) and just letting them steam roll you I’m sure is not a part of your birth plan. Doctors and nurses get so used to just doing their job that a lot of the times they forget that there’s a transformative experience happening and that there’s a person on the other end of their checklist. They just want to get things done, while you want to know what’s going and what’s being done to your body. Put it somewhere in your birth plan to explicitly ask for your consent for any medical procedures that may be done to you or your baby.
possibly switch hospitals
If your evidenced based birth preferences aren't being supported and you personally don’t feel supported, you may need to switch birthing locations. No hospital can turn you away while you’re in labor, however it can be difficult to show up in labor with your entire prenatal history and establish some sort of care in between contractions.
If it’s based on outdated policies, then those policies need to change, and the only way to change them is with your voice telling them something is wrong as the consumer.
Advocate for yourself
Make sure you are comfortable speaking up for yourself. Have your support person be able to speak up for yourself. Make sure your doula reminds you to use your voice.
If your care providers aren’t listening to you or respecting your wished, say things louder. If they still don’t listen to you, fire them and hire a new care provider. You can totally fire your care provider even when you’re in labor. YES YOU CAN. There are stories of birthing people telling the attending OB to stay on the far side of the room, while they catch their own baby.
Finding the confidence to use your voice and speak up in labor is one of the most important things when you’re in a hospital setting.