This word has no place in birth anymore

We hear people say things like:

“My OB is going to let me push in whatever position I want.”
“They said they’ll let me go past 40 weeks.”
“She’s going to let me eat during labor.”

And not only are the words coming out — they’re being celebrated.
Like the provider just did them a huge favor and deserves five gold stars.

No.

You don’t need permission to give birth in your own body.
You're not a child. You're not a student trying to be a "good girl."
You're a grown adult, birthing a human, making medical decisions.

And here’s what most people don’t know:
You are legally and ethically the decision-maker over your body and your baby.
Not your provider. Not the hospital. Not the system.

Imagine saying this in any other profession:
“My contractor is going to let me keep living in my house while they renovate my kitchen.”
You’d laugh.
Because it's your house.

It’s the same with your body.
You hired this care provider. They work for you.

And yet, most women have been raised to please.
To be polite. To avoid rocking the boat. To bow down to authority (even if it's just perceived authority)
Even in labor.
Even when it costs them their power.

It’s time to disrupt the f*ck out of that system.
Because it’s not serving anyone but the doctors.
Moms and babies are the ones who suffer.
And that ripple doesn’t stop in the birth room — it flows into motherhood, into relationships, into the next generation.

So no,
They aren’t “letting” you do anything.

They can recommend.
You can agree or decline.
But the choice is yours.
It always has been.

In your corner,

💛 Kayla + Leslie