I've been exploring the definition of consent and one of the KEY components of achieving consent is that we must, without fear, give consent freely. If there is a relationship dynamic of power imbalance between the person asking for consent and the person being asked to give consent, consent cannot be granted.

One of the ways this imbalance has been WELL documented and studied by the medical community is White Coat Syndrome

With this syndrome, when a patient sees a doctor, their body goes into a FEAR response of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn/feign, with a noteable increase in blood pressure. This creates real harm to patients who are then prescribed medications and treatments they didn't otherwise need. White coat syndrome has been linked to

• higher cardiovascular mortality

• worsening blood vessel function

• stiffness in the arteries

• higher risk of diabetes and of course

• higher blood pressure

So, even within the western medical community, there’s an entire syndrome that confirms, for me at least, consent, by definition, is not possible to achieve in a very well documented, large percentage of our population. We haven’t even touched the huge plethora of other unequal power-dynamics to explore when it comes to consensual decision making like race, age, socio-economic status, and class.

So what if you NEED western medicine? Maybe you have a condition that you need treatment for. How can you consent when you KNOW that the dynamics are ruled by an unequal power relationship?

If you have time, make sure you are INFORMED! Remember your FRIES - Freely, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific Consent.

Hit the books EARLY and educate yourself on your symptoms, your suspected diagnosis, alternatives, treatment plans, hospital policies, and come to your appointment with incredibly pointed questions. Unless it's an emergency, you have time! A doctor's appointment is just another method in your data collection journey on your way to making an informed choice about your health and wellness.

Even with natural birth, there are going to be times when something happens and we want access to emergency medicine, like a c-section. Unless you’re being run down a hallway, you have time to get into it. You can STILL ASK QUESTIONS literally on the way to an operating room, to make an informed decision, you can still revoke consent, you can change the boundaries, you can request information, and you can still be enthusiastic (probably with a lot of swearing) with your YES!. It’s never too late.

If there’s a loss of consciousness, your advocate, or emergency practitioner needs to take over.

This is why we educate ourselves. That’s why you’re here, trying to get to know yourself and your body.

If you need help with this journey, you can hire someone like me, a perinatal practitioner, a doula, a traditional birth attendant, wise woman, who happens to also be a clinical herbalist, trained to unpack, research, and translate medical language into something you can digest and use to make a choice! If you're interested, go to my website radical souls . ca to check out my offerings.

If you like this kind of radical content, please let me know! Leave a comment with your thoughts and get in touch if you want to work together.

—Nessa