Study: Pregnant Women Show Amazing Lack of Knowledge About Childbirth Options

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Permalink Reply by Connie Busch on June 18, 2011 at 5:20am

 This doesn't surprise me one bit. Today the internet serves as our education for everything. As a childbirth educator (www.birthfoundations.com) a large amount of my students are second time parents who didn't educate themselves the first time, then had experiences they don't want to repeat. In fact, that is how I became an educator myself. I trusted that what my OB/GYN wanted was what was best. Boy was I wrong!

I urge anyone who is pregnant, knows someone who is pregnant, or every plans to be pregnant to get educated current childbirth practices, and what options are out there. Most importantly, to find out they have choices. 

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Permalink Reply by Sasha Walsh on June 18, 2011 at 6:25pm

I thought I was normal by being aware of my options as well as my specific issues so I could self advocate. (I have EDS type III)
but a nurse in L&D told me the otherday how refreshing it was that I knew my options and could work with them well to ease any issues or confusions.
Thankfully I was able to come home after some monitored rest, 25wks is just too early ;)

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Permalink Reply by Colleen Burns on July 7, 2011 at 1:52pm

I have to admit, I was one of those in my first pregnancy.  I just figured the Dr. knew what she was doing.  I did read some books, but they were the wrong ones, and I attended the hospital birthing class, so I did learn how to be a docile patient (not that I was one!).  When I watched BOBB, I was just shocked.  I just wanted to kick myself again and again throughout the program for not having had the sense to learn these things before.  I had never planned on having kids, though, before meeting my wonderful husband, so that was one area of information that I had been completely lacking.  This time I'm reading everything and meeting with some home birth midwives next week.  I want a happy experience.  I also feel very strongly about doing something more actively.  I'm considering my options - I don't think I want to be a midwife, but perhaps a childbirth educator.  I just want to reach as many people as I can and make sure they have this same information!

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