Own Your Own Birth Experience!
- There is nothing wrong with saying NO or YES!
- Being your own authority over your OWN body and your OWN decisions which ultimately affect you and your offspring’s wellbeing.
- Question anything and taking your time to consider your options.
- Carefully consider the risks (your birthing partner and/or doula can help you with this)
- Consider and ask for ALTERNATIVES
- Trust your INSTINCTS
- Remember that you are NOT a “PATIENT”
How can I do this?
Investing in a doula can:
- offer you the extra support and strength that you need.
- In moments of blur, they can help to shed light and be that familiar presence.
- at times of natural introversion when you are internalising your strength, they can be your voice of reason and the structure of support to your plan. (please note: a doula CANNOT advise you to do anything)
- provide evidence and statistics often required to challenge or even refute the obstacles faced by proposed threats of interventions.
In recent years, there has been an increase in fear. Obstetricians and health care professionals fear that women do not trust their body to give birth. Physiological birth is a natural process and that is not to say that interventions are not needed, because there are times when they are! However, the ushering to the Labour ward and the suspension of Home Birth services in areas in the UK, signifies that birth is seemingly becoming more of a medically controlled condition.
This is particularly apparent with the hospital stats on maternity wards and services and the induction rates and more so predominantly amongst Black, Asian and Muslim women (although there is limited data for Muslim women).
And we say it again …….
It is very clear that Black, Brown, Asian and mixed-race women are at risk for adverse outcomes for themselves and their babies when they give birth in systems of care designed by and for white people (Giscombe & Lobel 2005, Muglu et Al 2019, Knight et Al 2020, Lokugamage et Al 2021)
Via Dr Sara Wickham; ‘In Your Own Time’, p.149, 2021.
“We have significant evidence of racism within the systems of care where induction is offered (Knight et al 2020, Marmot et al 2020, Lokugamage et al 2021). We know that we need to dismantle some of the systems and structures that are negatively affecting all women, and this is particularly important when it comes to racism and racial inequalities. That applies both within maternity care and more widely”
Dr Sara Wickham; ‘In Your Own Time’, p.150, 2021.
Some Tips!
- Sustain healthy communication with your parental partner, loved ones and/or birthing partner.
- Preserve the developments and movements of the journey, from conception to postnatal, as much as you can.
- Consider journaling as a record/reference of reflection – this account might just prove to be invaluable!
Most importantly, ENJOY the whole experience and process as much as you can. Follow your raw, natural INSTINCT (Fitrah) and let it simply ‘be’. You’d be surprised how much of a connection can be achieved with your baby by simply keeping things simple, following your instinct and tuning into your and your baby’s needs.
I offer a free 45 minute consultation to everyone so get in touch if you’d like to see whether I would be the right doula for you