Informed Consent 101

Informed consent means good communication with your entire birth team from start to finish. 

Informed consent isn't just knowing options available, but also to understand potential risks, potential benefits and alternative care practices.

Communication from the start means an open line of communication at prenatal visits and check ups. Parents have the right to outline a list of preferences for their maternity care and it is the legal obligation of care providers to offer the resources and care to meet their patient's needs, safely and compassionately. 

Every parent should be empowered by their maternity team to access the information and resources they need to have the safest possible pregnancy and birth. It might seem like a given, but unfortunately informed consent in practice is inconsistently implemented in many hospitals, birth centers and facilities. 

Why is informed consent important?

In order to make the important decisions for your baby's prenatal care and birth plan, you need all the options available with pros and cons from your doctor. When parents have a better relationship with their practitioners, they are less likely to require medical intervention or unplanned cesarean surgeries during birth and are able to better understand what to expect from pregnancy, labor and postpartum.

High rates of childbirth intervention leads many researchers to believe that many practitioners are underestimating their patients' abilities to make informed medical decisions and even pressure women into making hasty decisions without providing a good understanding of why the intervention is necessary, the risks, the benefits and any other course of action that is available. In the chaos of the moment many parents don't immediately identify this behavior as a breech of consent or violation of their rights. 

This is not to paint a negative portrait of hospitals, prenatal care facilities or birth centers as a whole, but to help parents identify red flags and stay empowered to make prenatal and birth decisions from the very beginning. 

Childbirth Education

Parents who take supplemental childbirth education workshops and classes are often more equipped to remain aware and in control as they progress through maternity services. Childbirth education courses help parents identify the different stages and requirements of prenatal care, what to expect through labor and delivery and the different resources to personalize their birth plans. Some childbirth education courses can be conveniently scheduled as an in home visit, while others are a group setting where parents can brainstorm birth plans to gain some extra peace of mind. 

Parents shouldn't feel intimidated to talk to their doctors, nurses and birth team during consultations and prenatal visits. You have hired these professionals to facilitate your birth.

Take the floor and stay in the loop by learning more about your baby's development, care plans and routine check ups. A supportive relationship with your care provider and informed consent starts with your very first prenatal visit. 

Make communication your top priority and always voice your questions and concerns along the way to stay empowered and feeling confident that you're making the right decisions for you and your brand new baby. 

Best Podcasts and Apps for Parents

We live in a digital age and are constantly connected.

Believe it or not, we're so fortunate to be parents with such incredible resources right at our fingertips. Podcasts and apps pop up everyday that make parenting so much easier and gives us answers to our questions 24 hours a day in the palm of your hand.

We asked around and put together a list of apps and podcasts that parents can't live without.

So grab your ipad or smartphone and update your technology to match your modern lifestyle. Whether it's help with organization ideas, parenting tips, or even just some entertainment, these podcasts and apps are definitely the answer.

Podcasts

Mighty Mommy

is one of the most popular parenting blogs for moms on the go. This podcast is a particular favorite for moms to play in the car while they run errands, with short episodes that cover a wide range of topics. This archive features tips of all kinds that just make life a little easier. From parenting tips, ways to live healthier, tricks to developmental milestones, this podcast really covers all the bases with real answers that parents are looking for. 

The Longest, Shortest Time

If you're looking for a podcast that illustrates real human experience on controversial or real world topics, The Longest Shortest Time is the podcast for you. They cover real stories from parents that range from adoptive parent experiences, risky birth scenarios to experience of parents discussing cultural and orientation differences with their kids. This is the perfect podcast for parents looking for an educational and relatable podcast with stories and articles that cover all the ups and downs of the parenting experience.

Smartphone or Tablet Apps

Baby Nursing

Baby Nursing is a phenomenal app for parents who are looking for a little extra organization for their breastfeeding routine. Track all your baby care in one convenient place where you can keep track of diaper changes, feedings, and sleep patterns. This app keeps your data and records easy to share with your care provider and even provides calculations for you. It's a great resource for new moms and is super easy to navigate. 

Little Hoots

Kids really do say the darndest things and when they do, you don't want to forget about it. Little Hoots is the cutest app that takes your little one's hilarious quotes and turns them into really beautiful graphics to share with family and friends on social media. You can also print out the exceptionally funny ones or have them printed on gifts, the possibilities are endless and this app gives you a really awesome template to use. It's cute that they include the age below the quote so you can easily work these graphics into your scrapbook for some cute memories of the hilarious things your kids have said. 

We're high tech parents and every day we get new resources that make our family life a little easier or more convenient.

Have a favorite app or podcast you didn't see here? We would love to hear about it so we can spread the love to other parents who might need a high tech helping hand.

Continuous Labor Support; Clinically Recommended

Labor support is more than hype, it's clinically recommended.

It's no mistake that cultures all over the world have childbirth traditions strongly rooted in supporting women physically and emotionally during labor.

A strong support system is fundamental in successful and comfortable birth experiences. 

Even though it seems common knowledge that when it comes to birth, the more support the better, medical foundations and organizations are now recommending support services to their patients. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends continuous labor support to decrease the number of cesarean interventions during labor. 

ACOG also concludes that continuous support during childbirth improves the quality of the birth experience, creating a safer and more nurturing atmosphere for the mother in labor and the newborn. Labor doulas are one of the leading providers of such supplemental support during childbirth, creating safer and more nurturing environments for birth. 

This birth support can be both physical and emotional. 

Your labor doula is actively engaged in your physical well being during labor, providing comfort measures and natural pain relieving techniques. Regular massage and stretches encourage the mother's body to assume the correct form and position for labor, typically making the experience more comfortable and shorter in duration.

Emotionally, a labor doula provides continuous support with affirmations for the mother through phases of contractions and pushing. Mothers who utilize doula services are empowered to take charge of their birth experiences and make changes to their birth plans as they see fit. Doulas provide an experienced and encouraging presence to calm parents throughout every phase of labor. 

The birth experience is changing for the better. 

The role of support systems like labor doulas is being elevated and becoming an industry standard to have additional support for women in labor. The environment of hospitals and birthing centers are becoming more nurturing spaces that are effectively balancing safety with comfort. Having labor doula support is not only empowering, but incredible peace of mind for new and veteran parents alike. 

We support you.

We encourage all of our expectant parents from the very beginning. From crafting a birth plan that suits your needs to continuous support throughout your child's delivery, we are creating more comfortable birth spaces. 

With our labor support, we can decrease risks for medical interventions and reduce the chances of unplanned cesarean surgeries. 

Partner Support

There's a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. 

It also takes a team for a child to be born. Childbirth is a cooperative effort and can be just as overwhelming for the partner as it is for the mother in labor. Partner support during labor and postpartum is just as important. 

Doulas bring compassionate care to the whole family, not just the newborn or the new mom which can be a huge relief to their partner. The more supported your other half feels during pregnancy, labor and postpartum, the more equipped they'll be to transition into their new responsibilities as a parent. And the easier it will be for the birthing parent to relax, knowing their partner is being care for as well.

It's a common misconception that a doula is there to replace the support of a partner during childbirth, and that couldn't be further from the truth. 

In the hospital, home or birth center, a labor doula can actually bring a couple closer together. Every couple has their own comfort levels when it comes to participation. Some partners feel more comfortable being actively engaged as the main source of comfort while others prefer to be witness and take a back seat along the way. The doula fills the gaps, ensuring that the mother in labor is getting the support she needs in any capacity. 

If your significant other is taking more initiative with emotional support, your doula can run errands, act as the communicator with medical personnel or help coach them through comfort measure exercises.  A doula simply offers comfort, care and attentiveness to provide a couple with the most rewarding birth experience possible, with attention to every detail. 

Non Judgmental Support

Your partner is the person in the room that knows you the best, and your doula isn't trying to compete with that bond or connection. 

Every birth is different and with doulas, there's no room for bias. No matter what decisions you and your partner make for your birth or parenting philosophy, you'll always have non judgmental support by your side. A couple gets enough unsolicited advice while expecting their first baby, they don't need any during birth or as they transition home with their little one. 

Huge Relief

We hear all the time from the partner of a woman in labor that they're relieved to see us arrive at the hospital. It can be overwhelming to manage all of the decisions, comfort the mother and not have a panic attack all at once. Don't worry, we've got your back from start to finish. 

To keep things running smoothly as your baby makes their big arrival, the whole team needs to work together. 

We're there to make sure that harmony happens.