The key to a positive birth? - Sister Support Doula

Knowledge truly is power! To prepare for the most positive birth experience, what do you need to know?

Educate yourself about evidence-based care so that you know the options available to you in pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as in parenting.
Know that you have choices regarding your place of birth and your caregivers.
Gain an understanding of how the maternity care system works – many hospital protocols are in place for institutional convenience and are not based on “best practices”.
Be aware of your options for labour support and understand the importance of a birthing atmosphere where you feel informed, safe and supported.
When you know your options, you can then identify your birth preferences, document them and share them with your caregiver, both in antenatal visits and when you go into labour.

Know that you have rights regarding the care offered to you and your baby. Just because a procedure is part of a hospital’s usual protocol doesn’t mean you must accept it if you don’t believe it’s in your or your baby’s best interest.
You have the right to ask about the benefits, risks and alternatives of any procedure. Your right to informed consent AND refusal of medical treatment is covered under Section 10(c) of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
Additionally, the Australian Medical Association released in April 2013 a position statement advising doctors that they should respect the decisions of fully informed pregnant women.
When you know your rights and feel free to exercise them, you are more likely to have a positive birth experience.

Know your body and its fabulous design for birth.

Mother Nature would never leave women to face the momentous task of birth without some serious assistance. When you know about the elixir of hormones designed to promote efficient labour, provide natural pain relief and foster bonding with your baby, you can really trust your body and the process of birth.
Get to know the supreme design of the female pelvis -how it moves and shifts to allow baby passage – and tap into the primal movements that allow optimal positioning. Don’t take birth lying down! To learn more, check out my Spinning Babies® Parent Class and Dancing for Birth™ Classes!

If you’ve never had a chance to dig deep to reveal your core beliefs about yourself – your strengths, your ability to persevere, your value as a woman – then there’s no time like the present. Pregnancy offers the chance to discover your authentic self, to release old fears and to find your inner stillness.
Shed light on your fears around birth and seek out the tools to dispel those fears and bring yourself into a state of quiet focus and deep relaxation. All this prepares you mentally and emotionally for birth and parenting.
Birth is as much a mind game as it is a bodily process, so approaching the big day with belief in yourself and access to your calm centre will help ensure a positive experience.