Baby feeds on a bottle during the pandemic of inductions as photographed by Los Angeles birth photographer Diana Hinek for Dear Birth

August is here and in Los Angeles, we don’t seem to be able to get through Covid-19. Furthermore, the real catching of 2020 is the pandemic of Inductions that have been happening since March.

I recently supported a family, who reached out to me later on during their pregnancy.

They had hired me as their Doula when their first son was born, so it was easy to meet up and re-group; even with few weeks left to work together.
After listening to mom’s wishes, I suggested that she could change care provider; her current one wanted to induce her at 38 week for a previous history of high blood pressure.

Let me specify that during her first pregnancy, she had one single high reading and she ended up being induced on the spot.

So this time around, mom was really careful in monitoring her own blood pressure; since she had an immaculate record through out her second pregnancy, there was no medical evidence for her to be induced at 38 weeks.

The care provider, whom she transferred to at 37 weeks, concurred and happily took her on.

By 40 weeks though, once again the medical staff started to say she needed to have her baby.

Not necessarily due to the risk of preeclampsia; rather because it was hospital policy and the pandemic of inductions.

I remember attending a prenatal visit with my client and hearing her Dr saying that ” there was not a real medical reason for inducing her, it was simply what they did in their practice”.

Often these very convincing words are accompanied by fear-mongering statements, such as that ‘baby is measuring big’.

Typically, toward the end of pregnancy, a mother who is tired, uncomfortable and very eager to meet her baby, will give in and schedule an induction.

This is exactly what this client of mine did; however, came the day of the induction, she was called three hours before going in and told to reschedule.

All of a sudden the maternity ward was swamped with laboring people and they couldn’t handle one more person is labor.

My client’s induction got re-scheduled three times in the span of three days. So you see why 2020 was really a pandemic of inductions?

By day two, baby decided he had enough of this none sense and was born on his own terms and in a hurry!

All of sudden, the hospital policies got by passed by the true nature of birth: unpredictability.

Moreover, medical reasons were not so urgent when it came to accommodate the needs of the hospital staff. So when there was actually a shortage of staff, they started to ask patients to stay home as long as possible, instead of going in to birth their babies!

By the way, baby was born weighting a perfect 7 lb of cuteness!

My hopes, as we continue to move through the uncharted territory of Covid-19, is that not only parents find the support they deserve and need prenatally; but also that they become aware of the absurdity of some of the policies that are in place in many hospitals in Los Angeles.

That based on their needs and wishes, pregnant persons make the bold choice to fire their care providers should they fail to care for them with compassion, and especially medical justice.

I know Covid-19 has created so much confusion and uncertainty for many families.

My heart goes out to all of you.

If you have any desire or interest in having your journey being captured, please do reach out!

I would love to work with you and create a customized plan that suits and fits your family needs. No matter when, how and where your babies come to you! Pandemic of inductions or not!

For inquiries about my availability please reach out here

Newborn baby born during the pandemic of inductions. Image captured by Diana Hinek for Dear Birth
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