With more women looking to birth differently these days I see this question asked a lot. If you are looking to hire a midwife there are a few things to think about before you get to the interview stage. I think that we all want to choose a midwife like we have been choosing doctors over the past decades but that really isn’t an option if you want your needs met. If you choose your midwife by location, fees, and availability alone then you may be disappointed in the service you receive.
The first step to finding the right midwife for you is to know what it is that you want in your birth experience. Having a clear vision of your birth plan will help you find a midwife or traditional birth attendant that aligns with your beliefs, needs, and will support your choices. If you haven’t given this much thought I have something for you at the end of this blog. The next step is......
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When you have had the cascade of interventions, the experience of being bullied in labor, or ended up with a planned or unplanned cesarean you know that you have questions that need answered. Most of you will go see the same doctor, unless you have moved or had other reasons to switch your providers. Many of you will find out that your care provider is less than enthusiastic about you wanting to “try” for a VBAC.
You have questions and want answers, which you should, but will you actually ask your questions? Are you too nervous to have the conversation because your doctor makes you feel inferior any time you ask a question? Here are some ways that you can prepare for your VBAC, that you have control over and will have a huge impact on whether you are successful or not.
Man if this isn’t a topic that comes across my feed daily! If you are pregnant, FTM or planning your next, I’m sure it has crossed your mind too. From my experience most women believe that having a baby has to be painful. It’s understandable, given our sources, that pain is pretty much the biggest part of having a baby that women worry about. I have been there too, trust me, with my first homebirth I had back labor and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
After that experience I was pregnant with my third when I heard an acquaintance say that she had a pain-free birth! Of course my response was, “excuse me, say again please?” I mean I was in disbelief because I had never heard of such a thing before. We chatted and I grew in my confidence and belief in my body to birth my babies without pain. Below are some things that I learned that helped me manage the discomforts of labor once I knew what was possible.....
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.” Henry Ford
This quote is true and can be used in so many different areas of our lives. Many women question their ability to birth their babies without the assistance of some form of medication to help them “handle” what they perceive will be painful.
But why do we look outside of ourselves when asking this question?
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