Would you go and buy a car without researching the latest models? Would you run a marathon without hours of training? And would you book a holiday without comparing flight deals? Maybe, but probably not.
When we do anything that requires forward planning, such as booking a holiday, we will probably spend hours researching the best restaurants to eat in and the nicest places to visit. How we plan and prepare to give birth should be something we invest in too - for yourself, your birth partner and of course, your baby.
The maternity system in the U.K. has faced extensive scrutiny recently (with good reason) and there is currently a national shortage of midwives. This information is not said to frighten any parents to be, but there has never been a more important time to invest in childbirth education.
Do you know that legally, you must provide informed consent for any decision offered regarding you care? It is your body and only you can make decisions about what happens to it. This includes an induction of labour, a vaginal examination and the offer of any medications. And it includes where, and how, you decide you want to give birth.
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Do you know that not a single hospital in the U.K. provides 100% evidence based maternity care? Do you know that some healthcare professionals will use coercive or misleading language, such as "your risk of developing this condition doubles, if you don't do this..." without ever explaining, statistically, what this risk is?
Do you know that there are always alternatives, (including sometimes, doing nothing) and that the risks and benefits of each decision should be carefully explained to you?
Do you know that around 30,000 women every year experience birth trauma?
And did you know that there has been an increase in the rates of maternal and neonatal deaths in the U.K. in recent years?
It's clear that although many maternity services, midwives and doctors are doing an excellent job, there is still something missing. And it's not good enough.
Antenatal and birth education is essential if you want to feel prepared, empowered, knowledgeable and able to understand the birthing process. It allows you to make decisions that are right for you, your baby and your family. This is about bodily autonomy and consent.
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Research shows that antenatal education enables women and birthing people to feel a sense of control, and to be fully informed and aware of the choices they make. This in turn means women are more likely to feel empowered and that they had a positive birthing experience no matter how they gave birth; and this in turns decreases rates of postnatal depression, anxiety, birth trauma and birth injury.
I offer up the suggestion that we should consider investing the time and money on pregnancy and birthing education, that we would readily offer up when researching the best holiday deals or a new Apple iPhone or mobile phone contract.
I say this because as a midwife, I believe it's worth it.