10 P’s make a difference!
In many childbirth classes, you may have heard of the 3 P’s: the passager, the passageway, and the psyche. Let’s discuss these and 7 more that can have an affect on your birth experience!
1) The passenger: this refers to your baby, it’s size, position, and health.
2) The passageway: this is your pelvis! Are you keeping it open by sitting on a birth ball or walking? Or is it closed and compressed by lying on your back?
3) The psyche: mentally, are you prepared for this birth? Are you able to relax in the moment? How are you feeling?
4) The person: Who are you as a person? What is your knowledge base? What are your hopes, wishes, concerns and fears?
5) The partner: Is your partner prepared? How does your partner feel about your health care provider, the birth setting? Does your partner have wishes or fears about the birth process? Is anyone supporting your partner?
6) The people: who is supporting you? Do you have a doula or just an entourage that is distracting? Are you supported by a caring extended family?
7) The pain: what are your thoughts about pain – is it an enemy or an ally? What are your thoughts about pain management?
The professionals: who is attending your birth? In Ontario, you can choose a midwife, a family doctor, or an obstetrician. They each practice differently!
9) The passion: Where is your heart leading you?
10) The politics: As much as we don’t admit it, there are birth politics. This can be hospital policies, the relationship between health care professionals. This also includes your personal politics about birth!
These were written by Klein and Simkin and shared with me by some wise sage-femmes (midwives) at the Birthing the World Conference during their presentation “So she wants to have a natural birth, now what?”
Stay Informed
Pregnancy and birth bring a series of changes and more visits to a health care provider than a typical year. It also comes with many tests and procedures we have never heard of. Ask these 5 questions to get the information you need to decide if you are comfortable with the suggested test:
What are the benefits?
What are the risks?
What are the alternatives?
What if I choose to do nothing?
How much time can I think about it?
Being informed about your health care is the first step to being your best advocate. By asking these questions and making decisions you are comfortable with, you are caring for yourself and your child.
