Frequently Asked Questions: Is it better to tear or be cut?

Is it better to tear or be cut? 60Sec Doulas give some great responses to if it's better to tear or be cut. I like to use the analogy of tearing a piece of fabric. If you hold a piece of fabric in your hands, and choose to tear it by pulling it, it's very difficult. It can be done, but it's hard. How would you tear that fabric then? You would take scissors and snip a bit, then it would be easy to tear! Although your perineum isn't exactly fabric, the analogy works pretty well.

Frequently Asked Questions: How do I avoid interventions?

In this video, the three doulas discuss how to avoid interventions. The questions to ask your care provider are very important.

I like to go by the acronym BRAND....

Benefits
Risks

Alternatives
Nothing
Delay

When faced with an intervention during birth, you have the right to ask these questions and be fully informed of all your choices.

What would be the BENEFITS of this intervention?
What would be the RISKS of this intervention?
What would be the ALTERNATIVES to this intervention?
What if we do NOTHING instead?
What if we DELAY this intervention?

In our prenatal appointments we will discuss some of the interventions you may encounter and what you're preferences are regarding these interventions. As a doula, I cannot advise you on medical interventions, it is not within my scope of practice to give medical advise. But educating on some of these interventions is within my scope of practice and it's important to discuss them so that I have a better understanding of how to best serve you.