Have you heard of AIMS Ireland (Association for improvements In the Maternity Services)? No? Well, let me tell you a bit about this fantastic resource for mums and mums-to-be.
AIMS Website
AIMS Ireland is a voluntary organisation that was formed in early 2007 by mothers dissatisfied with the Maternity Care System and ready to campaign for changes. Their goal is to highlight and support normal birth and mother-friendly birth practices in Ireland. They are a consumer led, campaign pressure group operating with a self-regulating committee elect and a body of members consisting of parents, consumers, health care professionals, and support group representatives throughout Ireland.
They have a website and a Facebook page with 1109 followers and the number keeps growing.
I came across them when I was doing research for meetmums and I have been following their Facebook page since then. They always post highly interesting news related to pregnancy and birth and their followers love interacting, sharing opinions, support and advice. Every mum-to-be in Ireland should check them out because this is the place where you are more likely to find answers to the questions your GP don’t have the time or patience to reply to.
Their website is packed with highly useful information, from how to write a birth plan, birth healing to how to make a complaint about the maternity services.
Here is just a little excerpt of information:
AIMS Tagline
Tools to Use in Decision Making
Many women express a deep concern on how to initiate informed decision making with their care providers. Informed decision making is a continuous process. Throughout your pregnancy, you should be considering your birth preferences and what is important to you for your labour and birth.
Initiate discussion with your care providers; birth plans are a wonderful tool for initiating discussion. It may help to write a list of questions you have for your care provider to ask at routine antenatal appointments and antenatal classes. You may also find information from pregnancy books, private antenatal classes, and evidence-based information from organisations like AIMSI and Cuidiú.
The more informed you are, the more likely that you will be involved in the decision process.
A helpful tool to use in your decision making, before consent or informed refusal is to assess the situation by using BRAIN. Ask yourself and your care providers:
B – what are the Benefits involved?
R – what are the Risks involved?
A- what are the Alternatives?
I – what does my Intuition tell me?
N – what would happen if we do Nothing?
Discussion and good communication are vital ingredients for informed decision making. Please discuss any concerns and questions you may have with your care providers. Your care providers should present you with unbiased information on the risks, benefits, possible implications and any future consequences before you consent or refuse a test, treatment or procedure. Remember, if you feel you are not getting the information you need from your care provider you can request a new carer at any time. Finally, never feel that you are trapped into a decision—you can change your mind at any stage!
I encourage any women who have a complaint about the maternity services or think they had a traumatic birth experience and seek support to contact AIMS on support@aimsireland.com
Finally, I want to point out that in our forum, advertisement of lactation consultants and Doulas is allowed as these are highly valued services that are not advertised enough.
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