Women (of Color) - How to Advocate for Yourself & your Birth.

Unless you’re living under a rock you are probable aware that the U.S Maternal Mortality rate has more than doubled over the last few decades and is continuing to rise.

Recent articles, like this one on “Why Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis” from the New York Times has brought this topic into the spotlight. The focus on this very statistic personally speaks to me being a women of color (FYI: WOC are 3-4 times more likely to die in child birth).

Hearing the numbers behind these horrific statistics one might think to themselves. What is wrong with my body that it may fail me when it comes time for me to give birth? What is it about my body that can’t birth and live?

The answer?

NOTHING!

I want to assure you (and every woman) that It’s not our bodies that are failing us; it’s our maternal healthcare system.

There are philosophical ideas, practices and policies that need to change in order for things to start heading in the right directions but one thing that you can do now to help make a difference is to simply learn how to advocate for yourself. In this light I wanted to give you a few tips on how you can do that to protect your birth choices in spaces that may, by nature, challenge them.

Self advocacy can be broken down Into three areas: knowing yourself, knowing your needs, and knowing how to ask/get what you need.

1. Know what you want and find a provider that will support and protect your wishes for birth.

When you have the right provider for you, you should not have to worry about protecting yourself against their care. In order to pick the right provider, you have to know yourself and your goals of what you want to accomplish. If it’s to have a non medicated birth, then find a provider that will fully support that. If you are looking for birth support, feel free to reach out to any of the women in the PVBB collective on this site for advice. Even if you don’t live in Phoenix, we can help guide you towards resources that will help you pick a great provider that fits with your birth plan. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram for more help.

2. Know that you can always (ALWAYS) find another provider.

If at anytime throughout your pregnancy, your provider all of a sudden starts giving you red flags: Find another provider. We hire providers to care for us throughout pregnancy. They will essentially be the first to touch our babies So if something doesn’t sit right with you, trust your gut, fire them and find a new provider. it’s not too late to switch! Some of our clients come to us at 39, even 40 weeks because they realized the provider they chose was not going to be able to give them the support they wanted. It is NEVER too late to stand up for what you want.

3. Educate yourself & know your rights.

Knowledge is power so whether it be in books, your doula, or a resource like Evidence Based Birth, you can better make decisions and give informed consent when you’ve done some of the legwork in ensuring you are educated on things that may come up. This site is a great place to start. There are so many resources at the tip of your fingers, so let them do the walking. Knowing what your options are will help you feel empowered to make the right choice for you in the heat of the moment.

4. Take someone to your appointments and ask all your questions.

There is something about just having another person in the room that has your back! Having a supportive presence can make all the difference in the level of care you receive. If your partner can’t be present, ask a friend. Or your doula! I personally always offer to accompany my clients to their prenatal appointments if/when they feel they need extra support.

Another great tip is to buy a journal to write down all your doctor related questions in and bring it to each appointment. Sometimes we get nervous in the room and forget a question only to remember it as soon as we get to the car! You can try to avoid that by making your list ahead of time. You can leave your little journal in your purse of by your bed so you always have access to write down a question when it pops up.

5. Ask for more time.

If your provider is suggesting something that doesn’t sit well with you, ask for time to think about it! This allows you to take a breath. Just saying the words - “I need a minute to think about it” can be incredibly empowering. Think, and take away any pressures that might be present so that you can clear your head and decide if these suggestions will meet your needs.

I hope this was a helpful guide in beginning to advocate for yourself. Remember, you are the expert on YOUR body. Equip yourself with the knowledge and the team to help you feel safe and supported.

If you are looking for more support, in my labor prep class we go over comfort and measures for labor, the normal physiological process of birth and the importance of self advocacy! If you want to know more about my class or to register just visit my website at www.pslovommy.com