IS THIS YOU?

• You’re pregnant (yay!) and planning to give birth in a hospital or birth center, but have no idea what policies & procedures will apply to you and what will happen if you try to opt out.

• You’re worried that you won’t feel confident advocating for yourself, and wish you had a way to practice scenarios that might come up during birth.

• You don’t want to just “go with the flow” and simply follow policies & protocols, but you’re not sure how to weed out the ones that are helpful from the ones that just make the hospital more money.

• You want to feel confident in your doula or support person, but aren’t sure what questions to ask to know who is the right fit.

• You want to get clear on your particular facility’s rules for birthing women, but have no idea where to begin.

• Understand all the red tape, rules and regulations that come with giving birth in a healthcare facility so that you can feel prepared to advocate for yourself when it’s needed.

• Feel confident and secure in what to expect when you walk in the hospital or birth center’s doors so you can focus on the hard work of birth.

• Know what you can so “no” to, how to opt out of policies respectfully and what your rights are so you’re not having to figure it all out on the fly while in labor.

• Have a birth experience where you feel in control so you can meet your baby on your terms.

Meet Dr. Sarah

As a clinical doctor who had worked with women for years, I thought I was prepared for my first birth. I had taken a hospital childbirth education class, had studied pregnancy & the human body for well over a decade, and had done my own research, but I still ended up with an unnecessary c-section. Afterwards I faced years of PTSD, depression & anxiety from the experience. I later realized that it was my perceived lack of control that led me down that path.

Even though I felt prepared, I really wasn’t. I didn’t feel confident in my knowledge around hospital policies and procedures, and often felt pressured into saying “yes” when I wanted to say “no”.

I spent the next 2 years learning everything I could about my rights, and ultimately decided to have my future children at home (but that may not be for you!)

In truly learning my rights I took control back from the maternity care system that provides every woman with the exact same care. I armed myself with the knowledge to feel confident in my choices and it brought me out of the dark.

Today I help other women to avoid what I experienced by educating them on all of their options, not just what is told to them in a 7 minute OB appointment. Being prepared and confident allows you to be the authority over your birth. I know you are a smart, capable woman and, given the right tools, can have any birth you desire.

Giving birth shouldn't come with rules and regulations, but, especially if you're giving birth in a hospital, it often does. After completing this guide you will feel at ease knowing you're prepared to advocate for yourself and your baby in all scenarios. From your right to informed consent to leaving the hospital AMA (Against Medical Advice) to CPS (Child Protective Services) involvement, we cover it all.

Everyone deserves support during their birth (if they want it). And finding the right support person for you can make all the difference in how your birth plays out.

Whether you're planning to hire a birth doula for more professional support, or just determining which family member or friend should be there, this handbook will help walk you through the most important things to consider, leaving you with a clear picture of who your support person should be.

It’s crucial to understand what it means for something to be “policy” in a hospital, who policies apply to, and why policies exist in the first place.

After watching this video you will have a complete understanding of your obligations as a birthing woman to hospital or birth center policies, and will also know how to remain respectful in conversations around policies with your facility’s staff.

Every hospital and birth center is different with regard to their policies and procedures. It's super important to be knowledgeable about what is considered standard and what is "allowed" at your particular facility.

This checklist will help guide you through the questions to ask on common birth facility policies - everything from eating and drinking during labor to VBACs and more. With plenty of space to write everything out, this checklist will keep you organized and leave you feeling confident in what to expect when you head to the hospital or birth center in labor.

Knowing what to say to advocate for yourself, especially while you're in labor, can seem almost impossible. But after reading these practice scripts you’ll feel confident & strong heading into your birth, knowing that you are truly the one in charge.

In this document I have broken down some of the most common scenarios you may face during your birth, such as:

• Your provider suggesting induction without a medical reason

• Your doctor wanting to perform vaginal exams that you would like to avoid

• Your provider recommending a c-section without a medical reason

and so much more.

Having the birth of your dreams in the hospital or a birth center means that you need to be prepared, and I’m not talking the kind of prepared you can get from random Google searches or internet freebies. I’m talking about really knowing what to expect, knowing your rights & options, and walking into your birth feeling like a boss.

Whether this is your first baby or your 10th, the Birth Rights & Advocacy Toolkit will help you feel confident & empowered during your birth. Each birth experience is unique and important, and you deserve to meet your new baby feeling respected & honored by those who attend you.