Need to make a decision? Use your BRAIN!

Probably my favourite thing to talk about in prenatal classes!  
BRAIN! The acronym can help you feel comfortable when a decision needs to be made.  

BRAIN stands for: 
Benefits- What are the benefits? What goal will this help us achieve? 
Risks- What are the risks or potential side effects? What if it doesn't work?
Alternatives- What other options are available?
Intuition- What does my gut say? Do we feel like we need more information?
Nothing- What if we do nothing? What if we take some time to alone to decide and talk things through?

Asking the questions to those questions will ensure that you are able to make an informed decision anytime you aren't sure about decision you need to make during your pregnancy & birth.  
If, for example you are past 41 weeks pregnant and are discussing inductions with your care provider. Your doctor suggests starting with a Pitocin drip to try and kick start contractions. You have a friend that was induced with Pitocin and told you to avoid it, so you are nervous but aren't sure what to ask. Using BRAIN, the following questions can help you decide if you feel comfortable with it or if you'd like to talk about other options before going ahead with it. 
B- What are the benefits to starting with this method? How effective is it? 
R- What are the risks? Am I more likely to need a cesarean or other interventions?
A- What other type of induction methods can I try? What about "natural" methods?
I- How do I feel about this? Do I feel like an induction is a good idea at this point?
N- What happens if we do nothing for now? What options are there if I wait a little while to clear my head before making a decision?