Daniela Knaan
UX/UI Designer at - AdobeWhile home birth is going popular again more and more these days, there are still a lot of women who wouldn`t feel comfortable considering this as an option.
For whatever reason, every woman has the right to chose to birth where she feels safe and well. And many of us just want a homebirth at the hospital. Which is- honestly- not much to ask. But unfortunately, birth is seen as a medical event that needs much intervention, a lot of monitoring, and a lot of “going by the rules”, which is shortly said- wrong.
Sometimes, yes, birth can turn into a medical event, but most times, what makes it that are the many unnecessary interventions, and the lack of letting birth unfold. Most doctors and midwives are just too used to “manage” birth, rather than watch it happen, that they tale away the woman`s own intuition and trust in their body.
Which is a shame.
So if you are one of those women who wants an undisturbed birth at the hospital, here are some tips to help you with that!
But first, let`s lighten up with a little video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jACKa9YW2Yg
1. Vaginal Checks
Vaginal checks hurt. Much. They may be done once you get to the hospital, but only if you wish! You can totally say no to vaginal checks, as they do not give any accurate idea of when you might birth. And in case you arrive and are “only” one cm dilated, you might be discouraged or get a wrong idea of how much longer it might take you to be fully dilated. It varies so much from woman to woman, and it depends so much on what you are doing during labor, how relaxed you are and which position you are in, that it tells just nothing!
And besides, the less hurting exams, the less the chance that you enter the pain-fear- tension circle.
2. Continuous monitoring
That`s another thing they will tell you needs to be done once you arrive at the hospital. The problem is, you will be tied to bed in a semi- sitting much uncomfortable position while being monitored. And being tied to bed is like stopping labor altogether and not having any way to deal with contraction pain. Further, blood and oxygen flow to your baby is not optimal while being in that position at all.
Continuous monitoring is not evidence based, and is not proven to have any better outcome. It is totally fine to ask for a wireless monitor to check once in a while for a few minutes!
3. Synthetical augmentation of labor
And here we are back to the need of managing birth actively. In 1950 there was a study made on literally a few women which decided that with every hour dilation should progress by about one cm. It was called the Friedman`s curve, and in cases there was no progress, women where admitted to cesarean section or administered pitocin for augmentation of labor.
Today we know that every woman is unique and every birth is unique and it is nor important how fast dilation happens as long as mother and baby are healthy and there is some kind of progress.
The Friedman`s curve is outdated and not evidence-based.
Synthetical pitocin carries inherent risks for mom and baby that should not be underestimated. Augmentation of labor should be considered very, very carefully, and you don`t have to agree on it just because you have exceeded the time limit given by hospital staff!
4. Lying on your back while pushing
Lying on your back is not something that should happen during any stage of labor and birth. Labor progresses when your baby presses on your cervix, so your body knows to produce oxytocin and contractions get stronger. Gravity is our great helper with that one! Upright positions are the best during every stage of birth!
If you look at the human pelvis, there is the tale bone, the coccyx, which makes the pelvic outlet smaller when we lie down on our back. Same for semi-sitting positions! There are a variety of other positions during labor and birth that help our baby find their way into and out of the pelvis where we make the in and outlet as large as possible, and they don`t include and on the back position!
5. Episiotomy
Is also outdated and not evidence based!
“We have to cut, otherwise you will tear” is what they tell you. And the thing is, a tear is better. And better, sometimes if we change position, and be a little patient, eventually the baby will come out without ant tearing at all!
6. Accept decisions made by others
You always have the right to ask for options, explanations, reasons for any decision, medical staff wants to make.
It is your body, your birth and your baby, and nobody can take that from you.
Take a look at this decision making model to help you get an idea if what you can to to proceed in ANY given situation you might get faced with. Not just in childbirth, but for life..
A birth plan, and why you should talk assertively
Once getting to the hospital and being in labor it will be difficult to explain your plans and wishes to the hospital staff… That is why a birth plan can be helpful. You will be able to make your point about every possible scenario, and it will be clear to everybody what you are okay with and what not.
You won`t be bothered with questions and explain yourself all along.
It is important though, that you consider using assertive language in your birth plan. Hospital staff just simply tend to do their thing, because that is what they learned and what they do. This does not mean that they don`t want your best, only sometimes your idea and theirs of what is best differ!
To prevent them questioning how serious you are about everything you wrote down in your birth plan, we want to use assertive language.
An example for that would be: “I will be moving and in upright positions during labor”- instead of “I would like to be…”
Final thoughts
You can never know what the staff you`ll find will be like. But going to hospital ready and knowing what you want makes a huge difference.
The most important thing is that you find a way to trust yourself on your instincts. Following your inner voice and moving as your body is trying to tell you is really hard when you are interrupted all the time, and when you don`t feel comfortable with your surroundings…
Asking for silence and dimmed lights, less people in the room and no unnecessary questioning and talk is legitimate and your right to do!
You`ve got this, Mama!
Sources:
Childbirth International
