Where is the best place to give birth in Lexington, Kentucky? Discover your Birth Options in the Bluegrass!
As a birth doula with nearing a decade of experience, people often ask me which hospital or provider I prefer to work with.
Professionally, I usually answer something like this: “I help families discover their birth preferences and ensure they are properly matched with a provider and birth location that will be supportive of those preferences – or to work as effectively as possible with their chosen provider and birth location to preserve their birth experience.”
My personal answer is honestly a bit juicier.
I want to be open and responsible with sharing the unique perspective and knowledge I have of our local birth scene. Each year that I work as a doula, I witness truly excellent, evidence-based, patient-led care. I also witness the continuation of outdated obstetrical practices, mediocre healthcare, and disrespect towards patients.
Where Is The Best Place To Give Birth In The Lexington, KY Area?
The hard truth I have to share is this: there is not a perfect place to give birth in Central Kentucky. Even with the great strides our state has taken to improve maternity care, not least of which passing a bill to license CPMs to make homebirth an even safer and more accessible option, we still have a long way to go.
And here’s another truth that’s hard to swallow: every birth option will always have benefits and risks; to take on the benefits, you also take on the risks.
Expecting parents should carefully research their options and own their roles as leaders of their birth care team. You get to decide which set of benefits and risks you’re going to accept. Though our medical system can put families in the middle of a seemingly impossible choice, I have good news for you.
The industrial medical complex is sick, but the prognosis is not fatal.
What Is The Best Way To Give Birth?
Expect more for yourself and your baby. Ask. Discuss. Plan. Think outside the box – and even the hospital – when it comes to creating your birth plan. Did you know that YOU have the power to be the change you want to see in your birth?
A great way to get started is to download our free class: “Birth Options in the Bluegrass”! You’ll find that resource in this article!
And, yes, doulas can help immensely! A doula will help you tap into the power you already have! A doula will introduce you to a variety of birth options you didn’t even know existed! A doula can give you the inside scoop on what’s going down at your chosen hospital. A doula will be your own personal expert and sounding board as you make decisions. And let’s not forget the basics of doula care: a doula is trained to increase your physical comfort in labor, to facilitate methods to keep labor progressing, and to ensure the needs of you and your partner are met! In summary, a doula will be part-personal trainer, part-wedding planner, and part-bestie for your birth!
But since we’re all about real talk today, I’ve got to say it plainly: doulas alone cannot solve the ailments of modern American maternity care. Saying that ‘doulas will fix birth’ is like saying ‘this BandAid will stop the hemorrhage’. It takes all stakeholders working together, bringing a deep sense of love and intentionality with them. What a doula can do is be an anchor in the chaos, a beacon of hope in the storm, and an expert navigator to your destination.
What’s Your Role in Improving Birth?
What about you? What’s your role in healing maternity care? Maybe it’s as a parent making the intentional decisions mentioned in this article, maybe as a social media awareness-raiser, maybe as a positive birth storyteller, perhaps as a policymaker or grassroots volunteer, or maybe even as a care provider – I believe that all of us working together will make a change. It’s our time to decide that in ten years, our birth community will be healthier than we found it.
And as we keep moving forward with this good work, know that I and the entire Mother Well team are here to support you! Don’t hesitate to get in touch! We provide birth doula services, childbirth education, community groups, and vibrant social media accounts for further connection!
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