The experience of birth is a powerful and transformative journey, ideally unfolding in a setting that supports the birthing person’s physiological and emotional needs. Birth physiology requires an environment of privacy, safety, and respect—conditions that are often at odds with the standard practices in many hospital settings. However, with proper preparation, advocacy, and support, it is possible to achieve a hands-off, no-intervention birth in a hospital.
The Hospital Setting: Challenges to Birth Physiology
In the realm of birth, privacy and safety are paramount. Michel Odent, a pioneer in natural birth practices, emphasizes the importance of a calm, undisturbed environment to facilitate the natural release of oxytocin—the hormone crucial for labour progression and bonding. Unfortunately, hospital settings are often bustling with activity, routine checks, and interventions that disrupt the natural birthing process.
Research indicates that it can take up to ten years for new findings to be integrated into standard medical practices. This lag means many hospital protocols do not align with the latest evidence-based practices supporting natural birth. Routine interventions such as continuous fetal monitoring, cervical checks, and the use of synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) are rarely necessary and typically interfere with the natural course of labour and can be detrimental to outcomes.
Overcoming Obstacles: Advocacy and Education
As a BodyTalk birthkeeper and doula, I am trained to help you navigate the hospital system and advocate for an intervention-free, physiological birth. Education is crucial; understanding your rights and options empowers you to make informed decisions about your care. In my Maternal Patients Rights Guide, I highlight the importance of informed consent and your right to refuse any treatment or procedure. As a birthing person, you have the right to a birth experience that respects your autonomy and choices, free from coercion and bias. The doctors, nurses, midwives all have ethical practice standards in place requiring them to provide client-centred compassionate care. It is just up to us to hold them accountable to the standards that are already in place. This is possible when you know your rights and can advocate for them.
I can help you and your partner prepare for the birth you desire by creating a comprehensive birth plan and care expectations document. This plan ensures your rights are upheld and your needs are prioritized, allowing you to focus on the birthing process without distractions. This can be done in partnership with the hospital staff and does not need to be adversarial.
Creating Change Through Advocacy
While I help families prepare for and support freebirth, (undisturbed births outside of the medical system) we can’t ignore that advocating for change within the hospital system can have a broader impact. By expressing your preferences and demonstrating a commitment to low to no- intervention practices, you can help shift the culture of hospital births towards more client-centered care.
Encouraging hospitals to adopt practices that support physiological birth not only benefits individual birthing experiences but can also influence policy and protocol changes over time. By choosing to birth in a hospital and advocating for the care you desire, you contribute to a movement that prioritizes the health and well-being of birthing people and their babies.
How I Can Support You
As someone trained in birth trauma prevention and advocacy, I am here to support you in preparing for a hospital birth that aligns with your values and desires. Together, we can develop a comprehensive birth plan and care expectations document that ensures your rights are upheld and your needs are prioritized. By working closely with your healthcare team and your partner, I can help you navigate the hospital system confidently and achieve the birth experience you envision.
While the hospital environment may present challenges to undisturbed birth, with the right knowledge, preparation, and support, it is possible to have a birth experience that honours your autonomy and respects the natural physiology of birth. If you are planning a natural birth in the hospital let’s work together to advocate for the birth you deserve, fostering change within the hospital system one birth at a time.