Communication and Advocacy
How to speak up for your partner when it matters most
Your Role in Advocacy
The birth partner is often the only person in the room who is both paying full attention and not performing a medical function. That gives you a specific job: to ensure your partner is heard, that your partner has time to think, and that decisions don't happen around your partner.
The BRAIN Framework
When a recommendation or intervention is presented, this framework helps you both get enough information to decide:
Practical Phrases
Managing the Room
Labor rooms can get crowded and loud. It is entirely appropriate to:
If You Disagree With a Care Decision
Stay calm. Ask questions. Use BRAIN. If you believe there is a genuine safety issue, you can ask to speak with the attending physician or a charge nurse. You are not the medical decision-maker, but you are an advocate. There is a difference.