How to Make Confident Birth Decisions Using the BRAIN Tool.
I am going to give you two really great tools to use for when you need to make really strong & well thought out decisions. The Four Quadrant Decision Making and BRAINS tools.
Firstly, Four Quadrant Decision Making:
Take a large, blank piece of paper and draw a box onto it.
Divide that box into four quarters.
Give it a title based upon the decision you need to make. Such as ‘Shall I choose induction of labour?’
Then on the top of the left column write ‘positives’, on the top of the right column write ‘negatives’.
Then to the left of the top row write ‘YES’.
To the left of the bottom row write ‘NO’.
Now starts the fun work. You need to fill in every box. So, fill in all of the positives to saying ‘Yes’ to induction of labour, then fill in all of the negatives to saying ‘Yes’ to induction of labour.
When you have completed all of the positives and negatives to saying ‘Yes’, you need to fill in all of the positives and negatives to saying ‘No’ to induction of labour.
When you have filled all four boxes with your personal preferences as well as all of the studies you have read, evidence you have collected and the feedback from your care team you should be in a great place to make an informed decision.
Now, this may take some time so isn’t to be used swiftly. If you need to quickly make decisions, perhaps during your labour, then I would suggest using BRAINS.
B - What are the Benefits to what is being proposed?
R - What are the Risks to what is being proposed?
A - What are the Alternatives to what is being proposed?
I - What does your Instinct tell you?
N - What happens if you choose to do Nothing? Or pause for a while?
S - Do you want a Second opinion?
When we panic we reduce the ability to use the cortex of our brain and thus are thrown into black & white thinking. This of course doesn’t enable nuanced or well thought out decisions. So, always take a break or a pause if you need to.
Use your breathing exercises to remind the brain that it really ought to be in the parasympathetic system - the part of the Autonomic Nervous System which offers calm, love, confidence, safety and lots and lots of oxytocin.
I do hope that this helps 💗💗