Let’s discuss unassisted birth today….or FREE BIRTH as many people are calling it. I happen to be a midwife who actually SUPPORTS unassisted childbirth under the right circumstances. Yes, you read that right! I believe in a women’s RIGHT TO CHOOSE how, when and where she delivers HER baby. Wow, in our day and age it’s such a strange concept to let a women take ALL the responsibility and ALL of HER baby that she created WITHOUT the help of a professional. (Are you staring to really feel my passion on the subject?)
Birth is about PARENTS….mothers and fathers and babies. Not doctors or midwives. For some reason, we’ve got it all backwards. We think that without doctors and midwives that birth can’t or won’t or shouldn’t happen the way it’s supposed to. Yeah, that’s totally wrong. I could go down the list of births which I have attended where I did almost NOTHING but help Mom and Dad catch their baby.
Now, I’m not an idiot either. I know complications in birth can and do happen. But….just like Gregory J. Whits states in his book “Emergency Childbirth” any 8 year old child can deliver a baby. I actually believe what he says. We have put SO MUCH FEAR into childbirth that we’ve convinced women their bodies and their babies are ill equipped to know how to deliver a child. This could be FARTHER from the truth.
I’m not saying either that pregnancy and childbirth doesn’t have it’s potential complications and problems. But, I believe when a women is taking FULL RESPONSIBILITY for herself, her conception, her pregnancy and her birth, complications are much less likely. Why do I say that, you ask? Because when a women feels that what happens in her pregnancy and birth is completely up to her, her perspectives of the experience and how to care for it completely change.
Laura Shanley discusses her experiences and the experiences of other women in her book…..UNASSISTED CHILDBIRTH…..and how preparation and education can create a wonderful and safe birth environment and experience. Below is a video with her explaining WHY unassisted childbirth can be safe and right for certain mothers and families.
 |
| img |
Ugh…word to the wise – don’t read the comments in the linked article. There’s not enough time in the day to respond to all of the ignorant things being said there.
Hi there, I’m new to your blog – I found you through a link to this article on In Search of the Perfect Birth’s FB page. I’m looking forward to reading through the other things you have to say. 🙂
I agree. You address your fears and you address 99% of the potential problems of birth. Women need to give themselves the opportunity to really get to know themselves. UC is a perfect vehicle for that! My UC was a wonderful, easy experience. I even bled for less time post-birth. And, the next baby I had was born in a hospital because I knew something was wrong with her. None of the ultrasounds showed a problem and the hospital staff didn’t catch it after she was born, although there were signs all over the place and I kept telling them something was wrong. At 2 months, she was diagnosed with a blocked small intestine. She could have died in that time, but I stayed vigilant, taking her to the ER several times and being turned away.
My UC helped me learn to listen to my inner voice better, to trust myself more, and to never let anyone outside of me choose the direction of my life. This saved my non-UC baby’s life.
We must move beyond our fears and embrace our true selves.
Peace