Keep Your Power
Hey Mama, let’s talk about how amazing you are! Do not turn your power over to your provider, you are the best advocate for you and your baby. Imagine you are in an appointment or even labor an you are confronted with a decision of some kind like gestational diabetes screening, prenatal rhGAMo, non stress test, GBS, an induction, labor stimulation, newborn vitamin K or erythromycin ointment for your baby’s eyes. So many choices, here’s something you should know. Your provider must give you all of the risks and benefits of the options you are being given and then you get to choose if you accept that option or not. This is what the medical world calls informed consent. This acronym may help you as you go down this path. It’s called BRAIN.
B: Benefits-Probably the most straightforward, what’s the good that can come from this.
R: Risks- What are the risks, not just immediately, but the short or long term risks as well, what about the likelihood of those things happening. This should weigh in on part of your decision if your provider does not know or is not providing you with the information, ask for more information or even do your own research and continue discussing.
A: Alternatives- What are the alternatives to what is being offered in this situation. You’ll want to go through the risks and benefits of each of these as well.
I: Intuition- What does your gut say, sometimes we don’t necessarily want something, but we know deep down it’s best. And sometimes we feel all the science points to yes, but our gut still says no.
N: Nothing-what happens if I do nothing. This is a powerful question, time is powerful. Whether it’s used to process options, make decisions, or let things ride out. In more real time decisions, if you discover you can wait an hour, a day, a week, or even 20 minutes. This may help you navigate the urgency of the situation. You are in charge of your body, you were given stewardship over you and your baby. Never underestimate your stewardship and your intuition. You are welcome!
