My Medical Choice sponsors natural birth service, When Push Comes to Shove
New Health And Legal Services Now Available For My Medical Choice Members When Push Comes To Shove
My Medical Choice members now have access to natural birth services and doula support through a partnership with When Push Comes to Shove, offering expert birth advocacy, holistic maternity care, and comprehensive planning resources focused on birth autonomy.
Key Takeaways:
- My Medical Choice has partnered with When Push Comes to Shove to provide members with access to natural birth services and doula support
- When Push Comes to Shove, founded by Nickita Starck, offers holistic maternity care focused on human rights and birth autonomy
- Research shows doula support can reduce labour duration and decrease the need for medical interventions
- Members now have access to expert birth advocacy, referral services, and planning resources
- My Medical Choice continues to expand services that empower individuals in their healthcare decisions
My Medical Choice Partners with When Push Comes to Shove for Natural Birth Services
My Medical Choice has taken a significant step forward in expanding healthcare options for its members by partnering with When Push Comes to Shove, a leading alternative maternity service. While My Medical Choice cannot directly provide pregnancy and birth-related services, this strategic partnership ensures members have access to respected natural birth practitioners and doulas who champion medical autonomy during one of life’s most important experiences.
Founded by renowned natural birth practitioner Nickita Starck in 2021, When Push Comes to Shove has quickly become recognised as the world’s leading alternative maternity structure. The organisation specialises in human rights advocacy and ensuring women have complete control over their childbirth choices, aligning perfectly with My Medical Choice’s mission of supporting medical autonomy.
The Role of a Birthing Doula in UK Healthcare
The term “doula” may be unfamiliar to some, but these professionals play an increasingly vital role in the childbirth experience. Unlike midwives or doctors, doulas don’t provide medical care. Instead, they offer continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to mothers before, during, and shortly after childbirth.
The Natural Birthing Support Gap in the UK
Despite the UK’s comprehensive healthcare system, many expectant mothers find themselves seeking additional support during pregnancy and childbirth. The standardised approach of traditional medical settings can leave women feeling that their individual preferences and concerns or “birthing plans” aren’t fully respected. This gap has led to increased interest in holistic birth support options that honour personal choice.
Research Highlights the Benefits of Natural Birthing
Studies consistently show that having doula support during labour can lead to significant benefits. Women with doula support typically experience shorter labours, require fewer medical interventions, and report enhanced mother-baby bonding, which can also impact breastfeeding success. These findings highlight why access to doula services is becoming an essential option for expectant mothers who want more control over their birth experience.
The Rise of the Doula
Doulas have emerged as a vital bridge between clinical care and personalised support. Their non-medical, client-centred approach focuses on empowering mothers to make informed decisions about their birth experiences. As advocacy for patient autonomy grows, so does the recognition of doulas as valuable members of the birth support team.
Lucy’s Transformative Birth Experience in the UK
Lucy, a first-time mother in London, was anxious about her upcoming childbirth. She’d heard varied stories, some positive and others filled with interventions she hoped to avoid. After attending a workshop at When Push Comes To Shove, she decided to hire a doula. With her doula’s continuous support, Lucy felt empowered to voice her preferences, leading to a positive and transformative birth experience. Her story underscores the invaluable role of doulas in the UK’s healthcare landscape.
What the New Partnership Offers Members
The collaboration between My Medical Choice and When Push Comes to Shove creates a comprehensive support system for expectant mothers seeking alternatives to conventional maternity care. This partnership honours personal preference, ensuring members have access to evidence-based information alongside compassionate support.
Expert Birth Advocacy and Human Rights Support
When Push Comes to Shove specialises in human rights and advocacy for childbirth choices. Through this partnership, My Medical Choice members gain access to experts who can help manage the complex aspects of maternal rights and healthcare options. This includes assistance with birth plan creation, understanding consent in medical settings, and support if difficulties arise with healthcare providers.
World-Renowned Natural Birth Practitioner Nickita Starck
Members now benefit from the expertise of Nickita Starck, founder of When Push Comes to Shove and one of the UK’s most respected natural birth practitioners. Since founding the organisation in 2021, Nickita has built a reputation for combining evidence-based practice with a deep respect for women’s autonomy in childbirth decisions.
Referral Services for Pregnancy and Birth Alternatives
While My Medical Choice cannot directly provide pregnancy and birth-related services, the partnership establishes a strong referral system connecting members to qualified doulas, birth educators, and other specialists within the When Push Comes to Shove network. This ensures continuity of care aligned with members’ personal preferences and values.
Support Resources for Childbirth Planning
When Push Comes to Shove provides members with access to educational talks, and template letters for communicating your childbirth preferences to healthcare professionals. These resources help expectant mothers develop comprehensive birth plans that reflect their values and preferences while considering various potential scenarios.
Benefits of Doula Support Through This Partnership
The collaboration between My Medical Choice and When Push Comes to Shove offers members seamless access to trained doulas who provide support throughout the birth experience. Research consistently shows that doula support leads to improved outcomes for both mother and baby.
1. Emotional Support Throughout the Birth Process
Doulas offer a reassuring presence, providing comfort, encouragement, and understanding throughout the process. This emotional support helps reduce anxiety, which can otherwise slow labor progression and increase pain perception. Having a dedicated advocate present throughout the birthing process creates a sense of calm security that allows mothers to focus on the birth experience.
2. Physical Comfort Techniques During Labour
Trained doulas offer various non-pharmacological pain management techniques, including:
- Massage and counter-pressure
- Optimal positioning suggestions
- Breathing techniques and guidance
- Relaxation methods
These approaches can significantly reduce discomfort during labour and may decrease the need for medical pain interventions. Doulas adapt these techniques to each mother’s preferences and the specific dynamics of her labour.
3. Informed Decision-Making and Advocacy
When medical decisions arise during labour, doulas help mothers understand their options by explaining procedures, benefits, and alternatives in clear language. This support ensures that women can provide truly informed consent for any interventions. Doulas can help ensure the mother’s wishes and birth plan are respected, acting as an advocate for her needs and preferences.
4. Reduced Need for Medical Interventions
Studies show that continuous doula support correlates with lower rates of cesarean sections, reduced use of pain medications, and fewer instrumental deliveries. This doesn’t mean doulas oppose medical interventions when needed, but rather that their support often helps labour progress naturally, reducing the likelihood that such interventions become necessary.
5. Enhanced Mother-Baby Bonding Experience
By helping create a positive birth experience, doulas contribute to smoother transitions to parenthood. Mothers who feel empowered during birth often report greater confidence in their early parenting abilities and higher satisfaction with their birth experiences, regardless of how their birth ultimately unfolds.
Empowering Your Birth Experience Through Medical Autonomy
The partnership between My Medical Choice and When Push Comes to Shove represents a commitment to expanding healthcare options that respect individual autonomy. By offering access to natural birth practitioners, doulas, and educational resources, this collaboration helps members make informed decisions about their maternity care.
Medical autonomy in childbirth doesn’t mean rejecting modern medicine. Instead, it means having access to complete information, understanding all available options, and being supported in making choices that align with personal values and preferences. The goal is for every woman to finish her birth experience feeling respected, informed, and empowered, regardless of how her birth unfolds.
My Medical Choice continues its mission of promoting healthcare autonomy by creating pathways to alternative care options that complement traditional medical services. For members interested in learning more about these new services, visit My Medical Choice for detailed information about accessing doula support and other natural birth resources through the When Push Comes to Shove partnership.
Unfortunately, My Medical Choice is unable to provide our members with services specifically for pregnancy and birth-related issues, as that is beyond our remit. However, we believe in medical choice, meaning we are keen to provide members with options for safe alternatives to standard NHS pregnancy and birth plans.
This is why we refer members to the world-renowned natural birth advocate Nickita Starck of When Push Comes to Shove. Our aim is to work with Nickita to raise awareness of the advantages of natural birth amongst our members and to help fund birth programs for women in difficult financial circumstances.
Just a friendly reminder that no information in this publication constitutes legal or medical advice from My Medical Choice or any of our affiliates and the contents of this document are for educational and support purposes only.