BRAIN, the Beloved Acronym of Childbirth Educators & Doula's Everywhere

Sometimes, complications arise during labor and decisions suddenly need to be made. Should I allow the doctor/midwife to break my water? Is a cesarean necessary? Are we going to use Pitocin to speed up labor? Do I need IV fluids? 

Every choice has consequences, both good and bad. We can also call these consequences benefits and risks. We know there is a mind-body connection and it's important to be especially mindful of it during birth. The BRAIN acronym gives  the laboring woman and her partner a tool to weigh the benefits and risks of each non-emergency decision so that the mother can feel safe and secure, protecting that mind-body connection needed for labor to progress as smoothly as possible. Remember, this is a tool to use in a non-emergency situation. You can get a postcard sized printable version of the graphic above by clicking here. (Hint: You can fit more than one on a page, so feel free to print on for a friend.)