BirthStrong

One to remember at those crucial decision points...

Thought for the weekend.
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This is something I talk about a lot in What’s Right For Me: making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth.
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We’re probably not going to get away from the fact that systems, including systems of health and maternity care, need rules and pathways and guidelines based on population-level evidence in order to function.
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If they didn’t, everyone would be wandering about doing their own thing and it would be chaos!
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But those pathways and guidelines exist to tell professionals what to offer. As an individual who is using that system, you don’t have to follow the recommendation or pathway or guideline if it’s not right for you.
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Details about my work, that book (along with my others on aspects of birth-related decision making) and more than 500 free articles at www.sarawickham.com/wrfm
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Even in these difficult times, women still have the right to choose how and where to birth.

The modern notion of risk is used to try to ‘sell’ us so much. But we have some control over the extent to which we let it influence our decisions.
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It's also true that, while the notion of risk is an important factor in decisions that are made by health services, it doesn't necessarily affect every decision you can make. if you want to enter a facility to give birth, you might not be allowed to have companions of your choice with you at all times. But you don't have to enter a facility until/unless you want to. And even if some of your decisions are being affected by what local facilities can offer and are putting in place, you still retain the right to make decisions about your own body. If you go into a hospital setting (or any other setting) to give birth, you have the right to decline procedures, tests or medication that you don't want.
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It's so important to get informed. If you'd like to know more, there's loads of information at www.sarawickham.com and you also might like to read my book, "What's Right For Me? Making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth. www.sarawickham.com/wrfm
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FAQs: Covid-19 – rights and benefits during pregnancy and maternity leave FAQs: Covid-19 – rights and benefits during pregnancy and maternity leave [This page was last updated on 25 May 2020.] Maternity Action is experiencing exceptional demand for our advice line at present so we have put together some frequently asked questions on rights at work and benefits during pr...