The Nocebo Effect is when our belief or fear that something will go wrong leads to something going wrong. It is the opposite of the Placebo Effect.
Belief and fear often go together. And they tell us where our knowledge gaps are. They are an opportunity: an invitation to replace fear with understanding.
How do our beliefs and fear impact our approach to childbirth?
Picture this: An anxious husband insists on all the bells and whistles, all the pings, mistakenly (and perhaps even arrogantly) believing that he can buy safety. Unable to trust anyone, not even his wife and her ability, his fear guides the decisions. He may prefer the obstetrician, rather than the midwife, and intervention over nature. The illusion of control helps him feel better. He believes he is being a protector, a saviour even, as he assumes the decision making is his responsibility.
8 factors that influence your birth choices
If, as a Birthing Woman, you are teamed up with a well meaning, anxious husband, his fears and anxieties must be addressed, along with your own, but not left to drive the decision making.
Birth Preparation is as much about preparing the birth partner (such as the anxious husband) as it is about the birthing woman. At the beginning of the process, addressing the concerns of the partner helps to shift the focus towards the birthing woman and to replace the worries with understanding. Ultimately, the birthing woman is the one at the centre, and it is her needs and desires that should drive the process. See this info graphic about hormones in birth.
It can feel like too much to hold the responsibility of birth preparation, and for many people, ‘going with the flow’ seems like the best approach. The belief is that the ‘experts’ can control, or even guarantee, an outcome. This reliance on luck and transference of power, however, is not a good situation for mothers, babies, partners or care providers.
Never Assume Anything!
Instead of assuming our beliefs and fears are correct, we use them as the starting point of our preparations. Question them. Why do I feel this way? What is this based on?
Mapping your birth enables you to sit in different possible scenarios, within your context. There are aspects of labour we can not control – how fast, or slow, it goes, how we respond to the sensations (especially the first time) and how our body and baby respond to labour. Regardless of what is happening, however, there are decision points (where some actions require informed consent). If we consider these points in advance, we will be in a better position to make an informed decision should we face that scenario.
If this – then that. We make the best possible decisions for us, based on the circumstances as birth unfolds.
Instead of handing our power over, we become active participants in our care. We take the time to ask questions and understand our options. With an understanding of all our options, we can determine the best pathways for ourselves. This benefits women, their partners and the care provider.
There is no one way. Finding Your Way can shift you from fear to understanding and protect you from the nocebo effect. Fear is opportunity – Knowledge is power.
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It is horrible when as a mother and father you plan your birth and then nurses and doctors ignore you and force their procedures upon you and your newborn.