What is informed consent during labor?

Informed consent means that before any procedure or intervention, you understand what is being offered, why, its benefits and risks, the alternatives — and that the decision is yours.

A simple tool we teach is B-R-A-I-N: Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing (what happens if we wait?). It turns a rushed moment into a conversation.

Informed consent is not about conflict with your care team. It's about partnership. Good providers welcome your questions.

In our classes, we practice these conversations out loud, so that asking feels natural on the day it matters.