The sheer amount of information that women juggle during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum can often be overwhelming. Add "baby brain" to the mix, and making decisions can often feel impossible!
No matter how many classes you take, books that you read, and how well you craft your birth plan – there are often unexpected decisions that have to be made. Medical events, procedures, induction, interventions, and many other things can come up, and you can do one of two things – you can either REACT or you can RESPOND.
A knee-jerk reaction can often result in decisions that you might later regret. Deciding on an appropriate RESPONSE gives you the power to make a decision for yourself. So how exactly do you go about making a decision?
I like to tell my clients and students to “Use their Brain!” – and by that, I mean the acronym B.R.A.I.N.
B. – Benefits. What are the benefits?
R. – Risks. What are the risks?
A. – Alternatives. Are there other alternatives that I could try first?
I. – Intuition. What does your intuition tell you?
N. – Nothing. What happens if you do nothing?
You can use this tool to make decisions by yourself, with a partner, while talking with your doula, or in a discussion with your care provider. B.R.A.I.N. works for everyone!
