Discussing interventions with your doctor

Lola918 · December 2014

Hi Ladies,

I don't post here very often but have been reading a lot of great information on this forum - and I've often laughed along with you guys at all the craziness. I wanted to share something I learned in one of my birthing classes because I've found it very comforting as I approach my due date, and I hope it might be helpful to others as well. I just posted this in natural childbirth, and figured I'd share it here as well.

I'm a FTM due in a couple of weeks, and my goal is to deliver my son naturally and with minimum interventions. In all the material I've read to prepare, it seems like there can be a lot of tension between a woman and her doctor regarding interventions (induction, augmentation, pain management, c section, etc...). I know you ladies often recommend Ina May Gaskin's books, so you know what I mean.

I've personally felt very intimidated that I won't know what to do in the moment if I need medical assistance during birth, and I don't want to feel afterwards like I should have been more informed. In my hypnobirthing class, the instructor went over a way to guide discussions with doctors so a woman can feel comfortable with any decision made during birth. I found it incredibly helpful and thought I would share in case anyone else finds it useful.

Here it is:

When a medical professional suggests or offers any intervention, follow the acronym BRAND and ask the following questions:

B - BENEFITS - what are the benefits of this procedure?

R - RISKS - what are the risks associated with this procedure?

A - ALTERNATIVES - are there any alternatives to what you are suggesting?

N - NOTHING - what happens if we do nothing (for 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week)?

D - DECISION - please give me a few minutes to think this over and I will then make a decision and let you know.

I hope you ladies find this helpful as you prepare to meet your little ones!

Jellybean707 · December 2014

Thanks for sharing this info!

caitlindenise · December 2014

Thanks for sharing!!! Putting that in my phone now!

marvan5 · December 2014

This is in my Hypnobabies book! Thanks for sharing. I know I will need to get DH on board with this since he will be advocating for me while I am in a hypnotic state. Good luck with your natural birth, I'd love to hear how it goes!

TXUltraRunner · December 2014

I guess I just found the doctor who was a right fit for me. The doctor and nurses respected my birth plan. I had no interventions beyond breaking my water at 9cm. I thought I had to go in on the defensive and as it turns out it was unnecessary. If you're healthy and baby is healthy and you have the right doctor you probably don't need to go into labor like you're going into war. Or at least this was my experience

Lola918 · December 2014

@TXUltraRunner‌ I agree, it's best to find a doctor with whom you can develop a trusting relationship, and to approach your delivery as a team rather than be on the defensive. I believe I've also found that, and I'm very lucky for it, just like it sounds you were.

I also believe being an informed patient and being a team with your doctor or midwife aren't mutually exclusive, and the structure provided by the acronym means I won't forget to ask an important question in the moment. I trust my medical team, but I also want to be proactive and involved in ensuring mine and my baby's health and well being.

rdray30 · December 2014

I've had a few medical procedures/surgeries done in the last two years (to get pregnant) and my providers all covered this information when presenting a proposed care plan. We went over benefits, risks, and alternatives for each treatment option. Unless it's a true emergency, a good provider will give you this information. And it was always my decision.

Discussing interventions with your doctor

Re: Discussing interventions with your doctor

Choose Another Board

Search Boards