S5 Ep 6: 8 Weeks to Prepare for your ND Birth: Navigating Communication in Maternity Care

Welcome to week 5 of '8 Weeks to Prepare for your ND Birth'!Today Victoria and Aileen White, founder of @mybirthsupportcic and ND Birth Training Practitioner, talk about navigating communication in maternity care as a neurodivergent person.We cover:Common communication challenges (medical jargon, implied questions, rushed conversations)Asking for clear, direct languageProcessing time: it's okay to say "I need time to think"Written vs verbal communication preferencesBuilding a communication preferences planUsing visual aids and written summariesAileen talks about the HEART acronym which can be helpful when asking for more processing time.H: Hear - "I hear what you're saying"E: Empathise - "and I know why you are recommending this"A: Affirm - "but I would like more time to consider ...." or "I would like to try this alternative."R: Reassure - "I’ll definitely let you know if anything changes/I'll get back to you"T: Thanks - "Thank you so much for supporting me and my baby.”You can find out more about Aileen and My Birth Support CIC at https://mybirth.org.uk/Thank you for listening!Join the conversation on Instagram @neurodivergentbirth and at ndbirth.com.