Confident Birthing Choices

When we first wrote this blog post it was the start of the corona virus pandemic. That was a time when lots of things changed very fast and we often didn't know from week to week what would be on offer in terms of healthcare for labour and birth. Since then we've been told that everything has returned to normal. But in our experience, we've not returned to the way things used to be, there's still a lot more uncertainty and last-minute changes than used to be usual. From what we can work out this is mainly due to staff availability in maternity and ambulance services. It's generally not an issue for anyone planning to birth in the labour ward. However, those planning a home birth or to birth in the stand-alone birthing centres are still being warned there is always the possibility they will be asked to come into the labour ward (or sometimes to the alongside birthing centre) on the day. For anyone having an induction of labour, this can also affect how long they will need to wait between being advised to have their labour induced and when they are invited into the hospital to start that process as well as how long that process may take.

So thinking about what is inside and outside your control when you're making a birth plan remains a good way of planning.

Being warned your labour and birth choices may not be available...

What can you control?

Life is uncertain and many things are out of our control. Take a deep breath and accept that this is life. Wonderfully uncertain and full of possibilities. Focusing on the uncertainties that are beyond our control can lead to feeling overwhelmed and start off our panic flight, fight or freeze reactions. This adrenaline cycle is the opposite of what we need when we labour and birth. For labour and birth, we need our oxytocin cycle, our self-calming safety cycle.

So, let’s change our focus and concentrate on the things that are within our control that help to build these positive hormones we need for a positive birth.

Be kind to yourself, know that it's completely normal to feel anxious or upset when life around the world has so many uncertainties. Allow yourself to cry, to feel the feelings that come up accept that they are what they are and that you will be okay as they pass. Then start to build up your thinking about the things you're grateful for, the things that you can control that make you feel loved and safe.

You can still plan for your birth.

Making a birth plan for a birth situation that's changeable and uncertain might seem pointless to some. We think it's actually often very calming to logically work through the things that might change in your ideal situation and plan for what choices you would make in different situations. Make a plan B and a plan C and so on and then put them away and focus on expecting your plan A will still work out but knowing you're prepared if you need the other plans.

What choices will you make if your chosen place of birth (home or birth centre for example) can no longer be supported by your midwife? Will you choose free birth, wait and see if things change later in your labour, stay at home and call an ambulance if you need one, go into the labour ward as soon as you feel you're in labour, go into the labour ward at the last minute? What will you do in this situation to protect your own safety and comfort? How can you take your feeling of comfort with you from home to hospital? How can you support yourself if you accept the offer of induction but then have to wait longer than expected for the call to come into the hospital? What questions can you ask your midwife to help you stay calm? What can you do for yourself during that time? How can you rest, increase your oxytocin, get your baby in the best possible position?

Changing your birth location doesn't mean loosing your birthing rights.

Know that your rights haven't been changed by any of the events going on around you. You still have the right and can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and to make your own informed decisions and to be supported by your care providers.

Know too that change of birthplace doesn't mean change of care provider or change to being higher risk. Your midwife is still your midwife and you will still be cared for by a midwife during your birth and you can still make the hospital birth room your own environment and expect the same support there as at home or in a birth centre.

Practical ideas for raising your oxytocin levels and staying calm and relaxed as you plan for and go through your labour and birth can be found in our blog post titled help your body birth.