Informed decision making during birth: A birth doula’s perspective.
Informed decision making during birth is crucial for a positive and empowering experience. It’s about understanding your opinions, the potential outcomes, and feeling empowered to make choices that align with your values and preferences. A birth doula can be an invaluable partner in navigating these conversations. A helpful way to remember key questions to ask is the BRAIN acronym:
B - Benefits
What are the benefits of this suggested action for baby and me?
How is this supported by current research?
A birth doula can help you understand the evidence and weigh the benefits in the context of your birth plan.
R- Risks
What are the potential risks or negative impacts for both me and my baby
Can you give me the actual, absolute numbers for these risks ( like percentages, not just relative risks).
Your birth doula can help you process this information, ask follow up questions, and provide a calm presence.
A - Alternatives
What are my alternative options? This includes non-medical interventions, different positions, or simply waiting?
What are the benefits and risks of these alternatives?
Are there other ways to achieve the same goal?
A birth doula is fantastic resource for non-pharmalogical pain relief techniques and can suggest alternative positions or comfort measures.
I- Intuition/Information
What does my intuition tell me about this? Does it feel right?
Where can I get more evidence-based information to help me decide?
I don’t understand, could you explain this to me again, maybe in a different way?
Can we have time to think about it and talk it over? How much time do we have?
A birth doula provides continuous support, helping you find your voice, ask clarifying questions, and advocate for the time you need to make decisions.
N- Nothing/Next
What happens if I do nothing at all? What happens if we wait?
What are the next steps if we choose this interventions, or if we don’t?
What happens if this intervention doesn’t work or fails?
Your birth doula can help you explore these scenarios, offering emotional and informational support for whatever comes next.
Other important questions to ask beyond the BRAIN acronym:
Am I okay? Is my baby okay? These are crucial initial questions to establish urgency.
Is this an emergency? This helps you understand how much time you have to make decisions.
what exactly is the problems, and how serious is it?
How urgent is it to begin treatment or interventions.
How will this feel for me, and how will it affect my baby?
Will I have time to eat and rest?
How do my personal values and preferences fit with this decision? (This is a question for yourself to consider and share with your care team)
How do hospitals polices or protocols impact my decisions?
Can I get a second opinion?
Remember, you have the legal right to give or deny permission for your care. Your care providers should always respect your needs, values, and goals, while providing clear, evidence based information to help you make the best decisions for yourself and your baby. Hiring a birth doula can significantly enhance your ability to make informed choices about your physical, emotional, and informational support during labor and birth.
