What Women Think They Know...

I attended a lovely Hypnobirthing class last night with a client and her husband.  We got to talking about what her friends and family had to say about birth.  Most of her friends were telling her to "just get the epidural".  She said that other pregnant women she know simply don't have the information and just are taking their doctor's word as truth - and as what is best for mom and baby. 
I could relate.  My first pregnancy was lead, not by my body, but by What to Expect When You're Expecting.  That book was my bible.  I read it over and over again.  I read ahead to the coming months to see what I should be feeling soon.  I looked back to see if I missed any signs or if I was feeling certain things later than normal.  Why shouldn't I consult this book?  I got it from my doctor's office for free.  My friends had this book.  It was THE book in all the latest parenting magazines.  No other book was ever talked about. 
A recent study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada aimed to describe first-time moms' attitudes towards birth technology and their roles in childbirth.  What it showed was that moms are generally misinformed or simply uninformed regarding the risks and benefits of common procedures used in childbirth. 
I don't know exactly all the procedures they are referring to, but I can guess perhaps the administration of pitocin, fetal monitoring, heplock, epidurals, internal examinations, episiotomies, caesarean section and the like. 
Again, I could relate, but this time I was also saddened.  Out of the 1318 women who took the survey, "For eight of the questions, “I don’t know” (IDK) responses exceeded 15%. These IDK responses were most frequent for questions regarding risks and benefits of epidural analgesia, Caesarean section, and episiotomy."
That's about 200 women simply not knowing information regarding the procedures they were most likely to experience.  It's scary.
Whether you plan on a home birth or a hospital birth, please be informed.  The Birth Partner is an excellent resource for pregnant women and those who'll be attending the birth, be it a husband, wife, partner, mother, sister, friend.  I like this book because it goes over everything without blatant bias.  I cannot stress enough...educate yourself...outside of what is standard for the typical pregnant American woman.  I wouldn't take the advice of a beauty magazine without a shaker of salt.  I also wouldn't depend on a tabloid for flawless information.  I wouldn't (now, anyway) read the most current issue of any parenting/baby magazine and take it's word as the only word.  What it is, however, is the most common and popular word.  It does not mean that it is the best word for you and your baby.