Messing with our birth days

How is it that normal has become abnormal?

What do I mean?

Why is it we now can’t wait for birthing women and people to enter labour when the person and their baby are ready rather than having to artificially end pregnancies?

Even if we ignore the fact that due dates are a mathematical equation that less than 95% of babies adhere to (someone really needs to create a new method of guesstimating a baby’s arrival), it now seems we’re unable to “allow” babies to be carried to term. Midwives are insisting on booking people for inductions and/ or sweeps (which the maternity system fails to see as part and parcel of the induction process). And whilst I understand this is based on guidance - are they not questioning why it is that suddenly so many birthing women and people are unable to go into labour without intervention?

I do not exaggerate when I say that I hear from mothers and pregnant people on a daily basis who are feeling the mounting pressure of induction dates looming over head. Who are being told they risk their baby’s life by going beyond their due date. That their placenta’s will suddenly stop working.

We seem to have forgotten how important the emotional state of the mother or parent(s) is towards the end of pregnancy. Instead filling them full of adrenaline, undermining their confidence and their own innate understanding of how their body works.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to cut out “the noise” towards the end of pregnancy that insists your body doesn’t know how to get your baby out, that your placenta will pack up at 40 weeks exactly - because obviously it has its own internal clock???? - and that you only maternity staff know how and when to deliver your baby.

So what can we do as doulas/ birthkeepers?

Whilst most of us continue to support people who will birth in the “system” this is a tricky balancing act. Whilst some of us are lucky enough to work with women and people who are freebirthing or having wild pregnancies - secure in their own innate birthing wisdom, most will be supporting mothers and parents through the NHS system.

From 36 weeks the pressure begins to mount. Otherwise healthy pregnancies are being routinely subjected to late gestations scans (despite the acknowledged inaccuracies in ultrasound technologies for determining size and abnormalities). This tends to trigger a cascade of events that goes something like this:

“Your baby is too big/ small/ too much amniotic fluid/ not enough amniotic fluid, abdomen is too large/ small” (there are plenty more)

“You must see a consultant who will tell where you’re allowed to give birth and when”

Consultant outlines all the “risks” of being too old, too pregnant, baby too big/small etc and then books you for an induction”

Or you don’t even have a 36 week scan and you go to your 38 week midwife appointment and they “do your induction paperwork” to book you in at 40 weeks for your induction, and your stretch and sweep at 39+5.

All of the above sends mums and parents into a spiral of self doubt and anxiety, and ultimately sabotages any chance they have of giving birth when their baby is ready to be born.

As birthkeepers we need to be really hot on our care and support at this time. Prepping clients in antenatal sessions is key. Explaining that this will probably happen and what this will looks like prepares parents when these bombshells are dropped by maternity services, Discuss why this is happening and what parents can do to counter it is incredibly important. Ensuring they feel knowledgable enough and comfortable enough to say No to anything and everything that is “offered”, that all these things are their choice - even if thats not how its put to them.

I like to save at least 1 antenatal appointment in hand so that when this inevitable time arises I can go and be with my clients. Talk with them about how they’re feeling, what their wishes are for their birth, Reaffirm that they know their body and baby best. Repeat the need for real rest and nourishment. Lean into trust and knowing that generations of birthing women and people have done this before them. It’s at this time that I use touch and movement to cement the idea they have the innate power to birth their babies however they choose (and it may be they choose a route you wouldn’t but that’s their decision).

Know that birth works (more often that not) if we leave it alone. Remember you have a relationship of trust with your client and that you are there to support them make decisions they feel comfortable with. That they have agency in their birth.

And remember - You are the antidote to the system that undermines our trust in our bodies, that fails to listen and treat us as individuals.,and expects us to fail at something we’re fundamentally designed to do and have been doing incredibly successfully for thousands of years.