freebirthing

Generations of my family members have been born in hospitals so when I got pregnant with my first two children, I felt conventional medicine was my only option though I briefly entertained the idea of a water birth with my daughter. But, now with baby number three set to arrive in late September, I want to make my last delivery an experience to remember so I've decided to freebirth my baby at home.

My husband was shocked when I first ran the plan by him as I've long been an advocate of babies making their debut in the close proximity of a NICU — especially after a second scare with my son not breathing when he arrived. I gasped when I initially heard about the controversial concept of freebirthing — which is when mothers choose to have their babies at home, in most cases unassisted by doctors or doulas and sometimes even spouses or family members, but had a change of heart after watching an incredibly moving documentary about the process. To see what influenced my decision, read more

In these modern times, a pregnant woman has many options in where and how to deliver her baby. She can labor at a hospital, a birthing center, or at home. She can give birth in a bed, in a birthing chair, or in a tub of water. She can also choose to have an obstetrician, midwife, or doula (childbirth assistant) there to help deliver the baby.

I just learned that in the U.S. and Britain, many women are now choosing freebirthing or unassisted birthing. These women have their babies at home, with no medical or professional help - no doctors, no midwives, and no painkillers.

Are these women against the idea of modern medicine? Not necessarily, they want their labor to be as relaxed as possible, and they don't want strange doctors poking and prodding them and making them anxious. Plus many of them are scared of hospitals and are worried doctors will have too much control over their experience.

Many of these women feel the act of giving birth is as intimate and personal as the act of conception, so it only feels right that they should be the only ones at the birth of their baby. These women also believe that since women have been giving birth for thousands of years they just simply need to harness their instincts to know what to do and don't need doctors interfering with the natural flow of events. It is fascinating to me that "freebirthers" are not interested in having a midwife at their births, since midwifery is ancient practice, practically as old as human culture, and considered by many to be an essential part of the natural birth experience.

Of course, many officials are outraged by this. They feel like it's unfair to the unborn baby, and they're also worried about the safety of the mother. What if something goes wrong, and there isn't anyone there to help? They feel that freebirthing is reckless, irresponsible, and selfish. Plus, with the advent of modern medicine the mortality rate, of both mother and child, associated with labor has dropped dramatically.

So, I am curious, what do you think about freebirthing?

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