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IN YOUR OWN TIME

How western medicine controls the start of labour and why this needs to stop

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Sara Wickham

Pregnant women and maternity services are facing an induction epidemic. As medical guidelines include more “at risk” categories, women and our already overwhelmed and under resourced maternity systems are increasingly pressured to induce birth before labour begins spontaneously.

Pregnant women and maternity services are facing an induction epidemic. As medical guidelines include more “at risk” categories, women and our already overwhelmed and under resourced maternity systems are increasingly pressured to induce birth before labour begins spontaneously. Women are deemed to be too large and too old, while babies are estimated to be too big and too overdue. But is ‘better-out-than-in’ really a safer option than waiting to birth in your own time?

REVIEWS

I am 30 weeks pregnant with my second baby and was a bit taken aback when my consultant brought up the topic of induction four times during a conversation at 14 weeks! I was uncomfortable about the pressure I was already getting, and alarmed that it was being suggested for 39 weeks when my first baby was born at 41+5, exactly when she was ready.

I read some of Sarah’s books during my first pregnancy and found them to be extremely helpful, so when I saw this book, I didn’t hesitate to buy it.

I am not a medical professional, but I still found the book to be very accessible and readable - it’s clearly very thoroughly researched and referenced, but Sarah manages to walk the line between academia and accessibility with seemingly no trouble!

It’s been the most useful resource I have found in terms of preparing for what I anticipate is going to be a bit of a battle around declining induction (unless there’s a valid medical reason). I sort of feel like I could do with swallowing it, so I can parrot back all of the stats at will, but failing that, it has certainly made me feel more confident that my gut instincts are right, which is a big help in itself.

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