Preparing for Birth Australian Edition Partial Preview

Labour and Birth Preferences Every labour and birth is unique. While you may not be able to plan for every scenario, it is helpful to have some ideas about what you prefer for your own labour and birth experience. Now that you know about many common interventions, consider your own preferences, discuss these options with your care provider and be sure to communicate your preferences during labour. Identifying Preferences While you may have a general sense of the kind of labour and birth experience you would prefer, it can be difficult to sort through the vast amount of information available. It may be helpful to begin by asking yourself a few simple questions: Beyond making sure that I am healthy and my baby is healthy, what are my very top priorities? __________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Who Preview should make the final decisions about my care during labour and birth? ______________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Who do I want with me for labour and birth? _______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Where do I want to be during most or all of my labour? What kind of environment would I like? _________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ How do I want labour to begin? ____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Which interventions am I comfortable with, willing to compromise on, or hoping to avoid? ___________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Are my care provider and birth place supportive of the birth I desire? How do I know? _________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Labour and Birth 29

Preparing for Birth Australian Edition Partial Preview | Page 11