It’s blackberry season, which for my family means one thing: I’m dragging everyone off to the brambles at the first hint of a free afternoon! Now, this seasonal adventure with my family always makes me think of birth (yes. . .almost EVERYTHING makes me think of birth. . . .my poor family!!)

Here’s what strikes me every single time we’re out picking. The ripe ones practically fall into your hand. The lightest touch and they’re free. The ones that aren’t ready yet don’t come away like that. You end up tugging, and either they resist completely or they come away half-crushed and not what you wanted.

And not every berry on the bush is ready at the same time. Nobody stands there confused about that. You just come back tomorrow.

In the time I’ve been working in the birth world, the reasons given for induction of labour have crept up, year on year. Sometimes kick-starting labour is genuinely the sensible, necessary choice. But a lot of the reasons families are given today aren’t really clinical reasons. They’re about managing the logistics of birth. Get them in, get them out.

Whenever I talk to parents about induction of labour it is about helping parents make informed decisions about what is right for them. . .and I always start with physiology. How does labour and birth start naturally? What are the benefits of labour and birth starting naturally? What are the benefits for mum or birthing person? What are the benefits for the baby?

Unlike blackberries, we can’t see when our babies are ready. They’re hidden inside. But the pattern still holds. We hear so many stories of inductions that take days before baby arrives, often needing extra help along the way, and that’s often a sign it just wasn’t quite time yet. When body and baby are truly ready, labour tends to move. Sometimes remarkably fast.

Nature has this rather well worked out. When baby’s ready, signals from their lungs tell mum’s body it’s time. Hormones shift, body and mind start preparing together. When we step into that process before it’s naturally begun, we can end up creating new problems that then need managing in turn.

Induction absolutely has its place, and its benefits. But for many of us, going in before things are ready is a bit like tugging at an unripe blackberry. It doesn’t always get you what you were hoping for.

Knowing when induction is the right call is genuinely tricky, there are so many factors at play in those conversations. My suggestion: if you want to be able to make an informed decision when the time comes: learn as much as you can now. Read. Listen to podcasts. Ask questions. Or, better still, come and do a course with me! We cover all of this, and a great deal more!

September course is full, but I still have spaces in my October course, so get in touch!