You are the expert in what is right for you

You are the expert when it comes to making decisions in your life.

This is one of the most important points I share with my clients. I think it applies to many things outside of pregnancy and birth too!

It can be tempting to defer decisions to experts such as doctors and scientists, or anyone you perceive as an expert in the field, especially if you are trying to make a decision in a area of knowledge that is new to you.

But the role of the experts is advisory.

They cannot make the decision for you.

This doesn’t mean that the role of the experts isn’t valuable, because they can curate options that suit you when trying to oversee the whole picture might feel overwhelming.

I liken it to choosing dishes in a buffet. The role of the experts is to curate the buffet to your needs (for instance making sure there is no animal products if you are a vegetarian), but they cannot choose the dishes for you. You do.

Not the scientists, not the doctors, not the experts. You are unique with your own unique needs and you get to live with the decisions you make, not the experts. The role of the experts is to lay options in front of you. It doesn’t mean that the a coach isn’t valuable, because they can curate through a lot of options for you, but their job is to lay options in front of you and your job is to choose what’s right for you.

Because they aren’t the ones who are going to live with the consequences of the decision.

You are.