Hospitals often present policies as mandatory, but in reality, many are hospital preferences—not legal requirements. Understanding your rights helps you make informed decisions and advocate for the birth you want.
This guide will cover:
✔️ Common hospital policies & whether they are required
✔️ How to challenge unnecessary restrictions
✔️ Your rights as a birthing person
Hospital Policies vs. Your Legal Rights
📌 Many hospital rules are not actually laws—they are guidelines that providers prefer you follow.
✔️ You have the right to refuse any procedure, test, or intervention.
✔️ Hospitals cannot force you to stay or accept treatment unless it’s a life-threatening emergency.
✔️ You are not required to sign consent forms for things you don’t agree with.
📌 Pro Tip: Just because a nurse says “we don’t allow that,” doesn’t mean you can’t refuse. Always ask for written hospital policy or state law.
💡 Related Post: How to Advocate for Yourself in Pregnancy & Birth
Common Hospital Policies & Your Rights
🚼 1. Routine IV Fluids
✔️ Hospital Policy: Most hospitals require IV access “just in case.”
✔️ Your Choice: You can refuse an IV unless medically necessary.
🚼 2. Continuous Fetal Monitoring (CFM)
✔️ Hospital Policy: Many hospitals require CFM, which limits movement.
✔️ Your Choice: Intermittent monitoring is evidence-based and safe for most low-risk births.
🚼 3. No Eating & Drinking in Labor
✔️ Hospital Policy: Many hospitals ban food and drinks due to outdated anesthesia risks.
✔️ Your Choice: The ACOG states that clear liquids are generally safe in labor.
🚼 4. Breaking Your Water (Artificial Rupture of Membranes)
✔️ Hospital Policy: Some providers routinely break water to “speed up” labor.
✔️ Your Choice: You can decline this intervention unless medically necessary.
🚼 5. Induction After 39-40 Weeks
✔️ Hospital Policy: Some hospitals push induction once you hit your due date.
✔️ Your Choice: You can wait for spontaneous labor unless there’s a true medical reason.
📌 Pro Tip: Ask your provider, “Can you show me the research supporting this policy?” If they can’t, it may not be necessary.
💡 Related Post: What You Need to Know About Inductions
How to Challenge Unnecessary Hospital Policies
📌 1. Ask for Written Policy & Evidence
✔️ If a nurse says, “We don’t allow that,” ask:
✅ “Can you show me the hospital’s written policy?”
✅ “What medical evidence supports this recommendation?”
📌 2. Have a Birth Plan & Advocate
✔️ A written birth plan helps communicate your preferences.
✔️ A doula or support person can advocate if you’re overwhelmed.
📌 3. Use the B.R.A.I.N. Method Before Agreeing to Any Procedure:
✔️ Benefits – What are the benefits?
✔️ Risks – What are the risks?
✔️ Alternatives – What are the alternatives?
✔️ Intuition – What does my gut say?
✔️ Nothing – What happens if we wait or do nothing?
💡 Related Post: Why Doulas Matter & How They Can Support You
Your Right to Informed Consent & Refusal
📌 Informed consent means:
✔️ Your provider must explain the risks, benefits, and alternatives before any intervention.
✔️ You have the right to accept or decline any medical treatment.
✔️ You can change your mind at any time.
🚨 Red Flags in Hospital Care:
❌ “We’ll just go ahead and do this.” (No discussion = no informed consent.)
❌ “You have to do this.” (You always have a choice.)
❌ “This is hospital policy.” (Ask for written documentation.)
📌 Pro Tip: If a provider pressures you, you can say:
✅ “I do not consent to that procedure.”
✅ “I want to discuss my options before making a decision.”
✅ “I’d like a second opinion.”
💡 Related Post: The Emotional Side of Birth: Processing Unexpected Outcomes
Birthify’s Expert Support for Hospital Birth Advocacy
💛 Feeling pressured by hospital policies? Need help navigating your rights? Birthify’s birth experts provide real-time coaching to ensure you make informed decisions.
👉 Join Birthify today and get expert-led birth support! Sign up here