You know that feeling when you think you have to have something one way
but then you find out that you have options? Kind of like when you're at a restaurant
and the sandwich comes with kettle chips but you find out that you can choose curly fries instead
for the same price. When you find out your options it's like your whole world opens up.
Now in today's video I want to share some important options about childbirth. Now I'm
sharing five options that you probably didn't know that you have. I'm going to be starting
with one that probably feels like the smallest and building up as we go along. Now if you watch this
video all the way through I guarantee that you are going to be less likely to have that feeling
of "I wish I would have known or no one ever told me". I hate those feelings, that feeling.
Hey everybody I'm Alice, I make videos on this channel to help you get through childbirth. Now
if birth is in your future, I recommend hitting the subscribe button and the notification bell so
that you will know when new videos are released. Now let's jump into option number one and that is
wearing that hospital gown. Did you know you have the option to not wear the hospital gown when
you are in labor? Now if the idea of wearing that one-size-fits-all hospital gown while giving birth
doesn't sound good to you, the good news is you don't have to wear one! You can actually wear
whatever you want in labor. Now I've had clients, I've seen them wear things like the cute hospital
gown that you can buy. I actually reviewed uh two of them in this previous video (and a link
below). I've seen people wear like a bikini top and a skirt. I even had a client wear leggings.
So you can wear what you want you have options. Option number two is all about that hospital room.
Did you know that you have so many options when it comes to setting up that environment? You can dim
the lights. You can bring in your own lighting like battery operated candles and Christmas
lights or twinkle lights. You can play your own music. You can even bring in comfortable things
from home like photos in frames, blankets, stuffed animals. I've seen all of that and most places can
even allow you to diffuse some essential oils and change that sterile hospital smell. Great options!
Number three is all about the hospital bed. Now I want every single person out there to know you do
not have to labor your entire time in bed. There are some cases where you have to be in bed like
an epidural, but if you don't have an epidural you don't have to be in bed. And I recommend that you
not be in bed. This is an option so many people don't realize they have because what happens is
you get to the hospital and your nurse tells you to get in bed for some monitoring and subsequently
for the hours that pass after they don't tell you that you can get up. But if you just
ask your nurse "can I get up?" the answer would almost always be "yes". Look, labor is long and
sitting and laying in a hospital bed for hours and hours is not a great strategy. You have an option
to get up. Take that option! Option number four is about having your membranes artificially ruptured.
So this is also known as breaking your water done by your care provider, your doctor, your midwife.
Now, I've supported over 300 families in labor and I've seen this scenario time and time again. So
doctor or midwife comes into the room asks "how things are going?" and then says
"let's break your water" or "I'm going to go ahead and break your water". Now, this is not
often presented as an option but it's absolutely an option. What really should be said is "are you
interested in having your water broken, let's discuss the benefits, risks, and alternatives.
Also, do you have any questions that I could answer?" Breaking the water, rupturing membranes,
it's not an emergency so you aren't doing anything wrong by asking about your options, about this
procedure and it really might be something that you might want to avoid or you might want to just
delay until labor. So please know, you know now you have options about this. Option number five,
I promised that I was going to save the most important option to the end and here it is,
cervical checks. Yes, cervical checks or vaginal exams whatever you want to
call it they are your option. Now, this starts actually before labor begins. Many providers
will state that they do cervical checks during your prenatal appointments. They might say
at 38-week appointment we'll do the cervical check. Again this isn't presented as an option
but it is an option. You have every right to say that you're not interested in the check at 38
weeks. Just so you know, cervical checks at 38 weeks they don't predict labor and they aren't
based on research. They can cause you stress if you find out your cervix hasn't changed yet
and probably most importantly that people don't talk about enough is that they can hurt. Before
labor your cervix it's starting out really in a posterior position it's pointing towards your back
and it can be really difficult to reach. Ouch and I've heard so many people say
that their in-office cervical checks made them sad. Made them disappointed and hurt.
It just makes me sad knowing that people don't realize they're optional. Now, you might be
worried about choosing options that might be different from what your doctor recommends.
But please know that care providers, they really should take your preferences into account and what
you prefer really does matter and they should support you. Now I could go on and on about
cervical exams and I actually have gone on and on in an entire video on this topic that I'm going to
leave right here that I'd love for you to check out. Now, I hope this list of options will help
you feel more prepared when you have contractions starting. Now if this video is something that
you liked I'd love a thumbs up and thanks for joining me today. See you next time guys. Bye!