Are you the type of person that does a ton of research before you buy, invest, or move forward with something? I’ll be honest, I’m that way with many things, however, there was a time when I didn’t really think about the things I was doing or deciding outside of the here and now.
Whether you are that type of person or not I think that it is really important to think deeply on this topic, especially when it comes to having children. Our walk starts when we are trying to conceive and goes through the next 19 years once we conceive and there are so many decisions we will have to make over those years.
There are parents who research things like strollers, car seats, breast pumps, and bedding, and they fail to question or research what is going on inside their bodies outside of what an app is telling them along the way. Trust me no judgement here, honestly I didn’t do any research at all even with the safety of things we were buying to cart our baby around in with my first. (I hope I’m not alone here.)
Are you thinking ‘what else is there to research’?
It’s okay if you don’t know, Western medicine has been working on that for decades, getting people to think that the doctor knows best and has your best interest in mind. It's called blind trust and that is how I handled my first pregnancy 8 years ago. For some reason God decided to open my eyes to the bigger reality of the huge responsibility He was giving me by opening my womb after 13 years.
I don’t want to tell you what to research, what I do want is to get you thinking and possibly take the blinders off for you as you go through your journey.
Do you truly know what your options are in your care? Do you know that you can change doctors, even at 40 weeks? Do you know what is healthiest for you and your baby throughout your pregnancy? Have you looked at prenatal vitamins and been confused, folate or folic acid? Do you have to get cervical checks? What are the risks of vaccination during pregnancy, membrane sweeps, inductions, or repeat cesarean? Is homebirth a safe option? Do you want a doula? Do you have to consent to all the tests and procedures without question?
See I could go on and on with questions, and this is all before your baby is born. What about once you are holding your baby?
Can you say no to eye goop (Erythromycin), newborn vaccines, or circumcision? Do you need the wellness checks for your baby? What about having a family doctor instead of a pediatrician? When is best for introducing solids? Is it okay to lay a baby this way or that? Can you have your placenta for consumption? Do you want delayed cord clamping so your baby gets all their blood from the placenta?
Again I could go on and on. These are all questions that I never even thought to ask, to be quite frank I didn’t think I needed to ask them until I realized how much I depended on the system to make decisions that are my responsibility. The only way we can make these huge decisions is by learning and knowing our options going into the journey.
I hope that this got you thinking and looking into what is important to you on this journey. We are ultimately responsible for the lives that God entrusts to us and unless we learn for ourselves we forfeit that responsibility to a medical system that is not for us in the grand scheme of things, in my opinion.
Oh, by the way, if this has spoken to you and you want more encouraging, uplifting, and supportive information, I have created a community I think you might like! You will find more great tips, empowering birth stories, and the support of a community that will come alongside you through your journey! Click here to join now.
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