Unnecessary Medical Interventions in Labor and How to Avoid Them

Studies show birth is most common Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Is this just coincidence or is it a contrived effort by providers to control personal schedules?

Pregnant women are often encouraged to welcome the chance to have their baby on a scheduled date for the convenience of their provider. But often they’re not told the risks and side effects involved. They don’t realize that some interventions—such as pain medications, epidurals, C-sections, or birthing the baby with forceps or vacuum extraction—may not only be unnecessary, but also dangerous.

“Moms-to-be may blindly trust providers, thinking everything suggested is good—but this isn’t always true,” says registered nurse and midwife Breck Hawk, author of “Hey! Who’s Having This Baby Anyway?” (Metropolis Ink, $19.95, www.HeyAnyway.com). “Unless it’s anatomically necessary, women deserve and need to be told they probably will birth babies vaginally and naturally.” Hawk has over 27 years experience as a midwife, doula, prenatal instructor, and registered nurse specializing in maternity and neonatal intensive care. She has helped hundreds of women give birth. Here she reveals how to avoid common interventions and have a successful birth.

• Hire a doula or professional labor support person.

• Exercise during pregnancy. This strengthens muscles and prepares your body for the long stress of labor.

• Consider a birth center or having a homebirth with a midwife.

• Attend childbirth classes that teach non-pharmacological methods of pain relief such as yoga, HypnoBirthing, Lamaze and others.

• In the hospital, ask to be assigned to the nurse who is the strongest supporter of natural childbirth.

• Before taking pain medication, ask for a vaginal exam. See how far your cervical dilation has progressed. You may be further along than you thought and decide to forego the medication.

• No matter what’s on your provider’s personal agenda, remember it’s your body and your baby and it’s your right to have the last word regarding your baby’s birth!

How birth-savvy are you? Take the 12 Question Quiz for Moms-to-Be or purchase your copy of “Hey! Who’s Having This Baby Anyway?” at www.HeyAnyway.com