I was once asked to help field calls from callers after speaking briefly on how much say a mother has over her body once in the hospital. The bottom line is that parents have the legal right to allow or deny all medical procedures. Most parents don’t know this and are often required to make critical decisions without time to understand the full ramifications of their decisions. Challenging authority figures, while you are in labor, is very difficult. It is very time consuming, for families to fully research their options. I talked briefly about the medical vs the midwifery model of care. Choosing to work with a midwife, who has ample experience supporting undisturbed birth, can give parents a better chance of having the kind of birth they are hoping for. Many parents are unaware that midwives also practice in hospitals.
I was able to make a few other points on the show. I quoted Christiane Northrup MD who says that mothers must believe in their bodies and the birth process in order to give birth without the aide of medical intervention. She has been encouraging natural childbirth for years. BirthLink was mentioned numerous times. Many mother’s called in to ask questions.
This was a while ago. Now many parents think they can find out everything they need to know on the internet. If they don’t know what questions to ask how will they make informed decisions by knowing their options? It is very challenging and takes time and effort. I’ve been helping parents for many years. I know the midwives from working with them for a long time. I have a wealth of information to share about the birth process and why it’s best to avoid the over medicalization of birth. Babies deserve it and it empowers parents!