Have you ever promised your toddler that the broccoli would taste super yummy if she would just give it a try… only to have her completely disagree with your definition of yummy and spit it out with a disgusted look on her face. Or maybe you’ve even seen some parents offer a bit of ice cream or similar sweet treat, only to swap in for something green once the toddler opened their mouth. That is the bait and switch.

The definition of the bait and switch is the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods which are an apparent bargain, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods. For example, wow look at this amazing deal on tires, oh except we are out of the size for YOUR vehicle but I do have these more expensive tires that you will like more. Or the opposite kind of switch, is the ultimate car salesman move where they talk a car up but you find out after the sale that it’s a lemon.

This happens in birth.

Summary

Provider Bait & Switch

And we see this happening in typically two different ways.The first is with an individual provider, could be a midwife or an OB, where they say they’re very supportive of everything you want and then all of a sudden around Week 37 they’re changing their tune.The same provider who said they support unmedicated and low intervention birth is now suggesting induction or late term ultrasounds or they’re concerned about big baby. All of these things that don’t align with their previous statement of supporting low intervention birth. 

Birth Center Bait & Switch

We also see him more classic version ofAdvertisement bait and switchWith birth centers.Where they are presenting themselves in their marketingCapitalizeBeingSupportive ofNatural birthBut then their clients are experiencing something completely different.And their marketing they sound more like a homebirth style birthYet they’re running more like a hospital. I talk all about the wide rangeOf birth center careIn episode77 For centers aren’t what they seem.Please go listen to that episode if you are considering the birth center so you can understand what kind of person or you’re getting.And it’s bad.I myself googled birth center is near meAnd all the local hospitals popped upOn Google. Basically hospital’s are now calling their L&D Departments “birth centers”.Let me tell you, If your birth center is on the third floor of the hospital, it’s a hospital birth.

Another Example of Bait & Switch in the hospital

With my second birth, I toured the local hospital and the nurse who did the tour was also the IBCLC. She was great. She still is great. This was a newer facility and she was clearly very excited about all of the tools they had for supporting moms wanting a natural birth. However when I arrived to the hospital to give birth I didn’t have that nurse. She didn’t seem to care that I wanted an unmedicated birth and told me to lay in the bed.

If you want to safeguard against the bait & switch it is key to understand your birth rights and to know the red flags. Truly this requires a comprehensive birth education so you can understand how birth works, understand your birth rights and options AND know what the typical bait and switch routine is. In the Academy I cover all the typical invitations and red flags so you can be prepared for anything. The goal is to be able to make an informed choice no matter what comes your way. That’s truly what we all want, right? If you have questions in Academy enrollment, get into my DMs because I am more than happy to talk through if this would be a good fit for you. 

Mentioned on the show

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Episode 77: Birth Centers aren’t what they seem

Episode 48: My first birth & what I know now

The VBAC Doula

Moms Off The Record

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