It’s impossible to plan all the details of your baby’s birth but you can make sure that no matter what happens, you receive the care you deserve & are at peace knowing you made the best decisions for YOU.
With my first baby, I was 24, no one in my circle was having kids & people weren’t as vocal on socials about birth/prep experiences. Like many, I relied heavily on my OB to give me all the information I thought I needed when it came to my birth.
Fast forward to my due date, Baby hadn’t arrived and I went in for my 40 week checkup (I had been 5cm dilated since the previous week). The first thing my OB asked was “do you want to have this baby today?”
I thought, “oh wow I didn’t know I could choose.” So I called my husband to hear his thoughts and we decided, “Yeah let’s do it.” Her response soon after was, “We could’ve delivered this baby last week if I knew you’d be dilated 5cm for a whole week.” (Wut 🤔) Before I knew it I was scheduled to be induced later that afternoon so I hurried home to prepare.
If you didn’t know— Black and brown women in the U.S. have the highest rates of induction which can increase risks for both mom and baby. Yet another contributing factor to black/brown maternal mortality rates.
I found out later that it wasn’t necessary to get induced at 40 weeks if there were no complications. Induction isn’t typically discussed unless it’s 1-2 weeks after the due date & if the baby hasn’t arrived.
I thank God that there were no issues during my first birth but wish that my OB gave me more info & that I had the courage to question her.
Advocating for yourself is very hard and is extremely intimidating in situations like these. The reality is that although medical professionals can know what they’re doing (at times)—at the end of the day your care and safety are what matters most.
For my 2nd birth, I was able to have the most incredible experience because I did things on my terms. Thanking God for all the mamas on this platform that are sharing their birth stories & encouraging others to advocate for themselves!
Most Important Things To Remember :
- Do your research.
- Ask lots of questions.
- Advocate for yourself.
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