Informed Consent

We are living in strange times indeed.  If someone had told us six months ago that we would be living through a global pandemic.......total disbelief.  Covid 19 has changed everything, for everyone.  Being pregnant and giving birth during this time means, more stress and less birth options.  During this time and really anytime it's important to make sure your getting as much information as you can, so you can use sound judgment when making important decisions for yourself and your baby.  Informed consent means that you have been fully informed of the risks and benefits of any given measure, and your consent has been sought.  Luckily we all have a super useful tool at our disposal, our brain! 

B- benefits- what are the benefits?
R- risks- what are the risks involved?  Do they outweigh the benefits?
A- alternatives-  What could you do instead?  What would that look like?
I-  intuition-  What is your intuition tell you?  How do you feel about what is being suggested?
N- nothing-  What happens if you do nothing?  * It is important to member that doing nothing can have real risks.....see how this works.

Use your voice, partners use your voice.  You are allowed to ask questions and ask for the things that are important to you to make your birth a positive experience. Make sure you understand and agree to the actions of the provider.  It is your birth!  Times are strange, but you can still have a empowering experience.  Use your brain to make informed choices.