If you’re planning to birth in hospital without interventions, you’ll need to be prepared to say no a lot. Better yet, you can pre-empt a whole bunch of questions by handing in your birth plan.
Sometimes though, even a birth plan is dismissed by care providers and they’ll try to push various management and interventions where they aren’t necessary. Just to make things interesting, sometimes they’ll get narky if you say no.
So, here’s a way to simply and calmly set the boundaries when you’re offered something that you don’t feel comfortable with or don’t feel is necessary.
“Not right now.”
It’s not a flat-out no and it’s certainly not a yes. It’s letting your care providers know that you’re in charge and that you’ll consider the intervention that’s being offered should the need arise, but you don’t currently consent.
Often care providers will suggest things (such as continuous electronic fetal monitoring or cervical checks) simply because it’s hospital policy and not because there is any indication whatsoever that it is required or could be helpful.
In these instances, “not right now” can be a great way to maintain your birth bubble and continue labouring on your terms.
For my 7th baby’s birth story, CLICK HERE.
