Did you know that you have rights in the birth room?

Since starting this journey of supporting women in pregnancy and birth, studying with The Calm Birth School & setting up Empowered Mamas it has been so enlightening.

I have learnt so much that I didn’t have a clue about especially when it comes to your rights in childbirth. When you go into hospital you generally do as you’re told, you see the doctors as the wise old owls that you don’t question.

Education & Information Is Your Power.

You can say no, you can question the doctors; you can wait & take a moment to centre yourself, you can change midwives if you don’t feel they’re the right fit for you and your birth.

Did you know that you can decline routine vaginal exams? One of the reason midwives perform these is to make sure your labour is going at a certain speed. If your labour slows or stalls hospital policy means that you will be offered interventions to speed up the process. Its your choice if you accept or decline on the facts of your own personal case.

You can also decline an Induction, look at the facts of your birth, question your doctors if you do not feel that this is right for you and your baby, look at alternatives and the evidence or ask for some time. A great resource for more information is Sara Wickham & AIMS, do your own research if you have time or would like to know more.

“Be very clear in your own mind that you have a legal and moral right to be the key decision maker in your maternity care. You also have the right to be treated with respect and dignity and to have the full information given about any choices you may need to make” Milli Hill – Give Birth Like A Feminist.

For further reading or if you feel like your rights were not respected, check out https://www.birthrights.org.uk/

I also recommend Milli Hill books & Informed is Best by Amy Brown as a point of reference.

https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/ten-things-i-wish-every-woman-knew-about-induction-of-labour-the-article/

https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/induction-care-bundles