What if I told you that some things your doctor says during labor might not be for your safety, but rather to maintain a sense of control? Today, we’re unpacking the complex topic of informed consent and coercive practices in childbirth. Understanding these nuances can drastically change your birth experience.
In this episode, we dive into the following:
How to identify coercive strategies
4 ways to avoid coercion by leaning into informed consent
Advocacy techniques to help you in pregnancy and labor
Steps to protect your autonomy in labor
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What if I told you that some things your doctor says during labor might not be for your safety, but rather to maintain a sense of control? Today, we’re unpacking the complex topic of informed consent and coercive practices in childbirth. Understanding these nuances can drastically change your birth experience. Let’s dive into the common scenarios where you might feel disempowered and explore how you can reclaim your autonomy during this transformative journey.
The Disguised Control of Childbirth
Many birthing individuals often feel disempowered or confused during labor because they aren’t provided with all the necessary information to make informed decisions. This lack of information isn't just about negligence; it’s a systemic issue rooted in outdated practices, power dynamics, and insufficient education about patient rights. The impact? Birth trauma isn’t always about poor birth outcomes; it often stems from feeling unheard or coerced.
Recognizing Coercion in Childbirth
Here are some common situations that might feel like informed consent but are actually coercive practices:
Restriction of Movement: Being told you must stay in bed during labor isn’t a medical necessity but an overstep of authority, unless anesthesia is involved.
Eating and Drinking Limitations: Instead of being told what you "can’t" do, you should be informed about the hospital policies and the reasons behind them, allowing you to make an informed decision about your bodily autonomy.
Incomplete Risk Assessment: If your provider only discusses the risks of declining an intervention without mentioning the risks of the intervention itself, it’s not informed consent.
Assumptive Procedures: Phrases like, “We’re going to do a cervical exam now,” without asking for your permission, strip away your right to consent.
Consent Forms Without Conversations: Signing a consent form without a comprehensive discussion of the risks, benefits, and alternatives is not true informed consent.
Taking Back Your Power
So, how can you ensure your birth experience is empowering and not coerced? Here are a few steps:
Ask for the Full Picture: Before agreeing to any intervention, ask about the risks, benefits, and alternatives, including what happens if you choose to do nothing. This is your BRAIN: Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, and Nothing.
Assert Your Rights: You have the right to decline procedures or ask for more time. Remember, emergencies where every minute counts are rare.
Question Hospital Policy: If something is deemed "hospital policy," ask to see it in writing. Policies are guidelines, not mandates.
Refuse to Sign Unexplained Consent Forms: Never sign a consent form without understanding the procedure fully.
A Call to Advocacy
In a flawed medical system that often prioritizes efficiency over patient experience, it’s crucial to be your own advocate. Almost 40% of people giving birth in the U.S. report a traumatic experience, largely due to inadequate communication about interventions. Understanding informed consent and advocating for yourself can lead to a more empowering birth experience and make you a more confident parent.
Your birth experience should be a powerful and transformative journey, not one marred by coercion or disempowerment. By recognizing the signs of coercion and insisting on true informed consent, you can reclaim your autonomy and pave the way for a birth experience that’s both empowering and satisfying. Remember, you have the right to ask questions, decline procedures, and make decisions based on full information. Your voice matters—use it to shape the birth experience you deserve.
What's Next?
PREPARE FOR AN EMPOWERING BIRTH WITHOUT GETTING OVERWHELMED!
Sign up for my FREE Workshop: 3 Essentials for Having an Empowering Birth...... and avoid a traumatic one!
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