Informed decision-making and patient autonomy are valued principles in medical care, including maternity care. In fact, informed consent is the law of the land in North America. Assisting parents to become informed of the pros and cons of the numerous options in maternity care is a major reason for the existence of childbirth education. Yet, today’s maternity care climate is highly technical and extremely complex, and there is little agreement even among the “experts” on which of the many available options are most suitable for a particular woman. Many expectant parents feel inadequate to make such decisions – everything from a planned cesarean or induction for no medical reason, to whether to have routine intravenous fluids or artificial rupture of the membranes, to whether to use formula to feed the baby while mother is at work or to pump breastmilk. “Decision Fatigue” occurs when one is burdened by numerous decisions; the term refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual when under pressure to make numerous important decisions. Do childbirth educators, doulas and birth activists sometimes add to the problem? Do we make it so complex that parents feel exhausted and incapable to make the “right” decision for them???Penny will explore this problem and offer some possible ways to prevent decision fatigue while keeping mothers and babies in the center of care.
DONA International is the oldest, largest and most respected doula association in the world. Our founders are among the foremost experts on doula care, and DONA International certification is a widely respected measure of quality and professionalism. We support doulas by providing quality training and meaningful certification. DONA International certification sets the bar for doula education and professional development and it indicates to families that a doula has achieved a high level of training and professionalism. To that end, DONA International is committed to providing high-quality, relevant continuing education opportunities – both in person, through advanced doula trainings offered by our world-class trainers and through webinars such as this one. Enjoy! It is an exciting time to be a DONA International doula, a member of the premier doula association in the world.
Penny is a physical therapist who has specialized in childbirth education and labor support since 1968. She estimates she has prepared over 12,000 women, couples and siblings for childbirth. She has assisted hundreds of women or couples through childbirth as a doula. She is the producer of several birth-related films and is the author of many books and articles on birth for both parents and professionals. Books include The Labor Progress Handbook (2011) with Ruth Ancheta, The Birth Partner (2008) and When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse of Childbearing Women (2004) with Phyllis Klaus. Her latest film is “There’s a Baby: A Film for Children about Birth and the New Baby” (2013). Besides being one of the Founders of DONA International, she currently serves on several boards of consultants, the Editorial Board of the journal, “Birth”, and serves on the senior faculty at the Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations at Bastyr University, which was named in her honor.
