Freebirthing is a trend of non-medical birthing without the guidance of a midwife, OB-GYN, or other medical professional. Many moms also forgo formal prenatal care.
Freebirthing, as it's known, is an underground movement that involves giving birth, typically in the home, without the assistance of a midwife, physician or other medical professional. Freebirthing is also commonly referred to as unassisted childbirth.
Freebirthing is different from the popular home birthing trend, as home birthing will involve guidance from an experienced nurse midwife. Freebirthing is a "non-medical birth," that occurs without assistance from a midwife or OB-GYN. Mothers who favor an unassisted birth in a home setting often subscribe to the belief that birth is a process that should be allowed to unfold naturally and peacefully, without - what some argue - are unnecessary interventions that occur in a hospital setting.
Arguments In Favor of Freebirthing
Freebirthing proponents argue that women have been giving birth at home, without the assistance of a doctor or midwife for thousands of years. Freebirthing is an option that appeals to expecting mothers who are already living a natural lifestyle and who trust their bodies to birth in a natural, peaceful way.
Freebirthing appeals to some pregnant mothers who believe the birthing process will be more peaceful and natural at home, without the help of a nurse midwife or doula. Many mothers who choose to freebirth believe that medical intervention during childbirth causes more harm than good. Unassisted birthing advocates also believe that the body "knows" what to do during the birthing process, and many feel they are safer without the poking and prodding that's associated with medical interventions (i.e. the use of forceps, vacuums, breaking the mother's water, etc.)
Many expecting mothers who plan to freebirth are disillusioned with the traditional medical community as the result of a bad birthing experience in a hospital or other medical setting, and therefore believe that freebirthing is a safer and more appealing option for both mother and baby.
Arguments Against Freebirthing
Opponents of freebirthing argue that giving birth at home without the guidance of a nurse midwife or physician is reckless and extremely dangerous for both mother and baby.
When a complication arises during a birth, death can occur within a matter of minutes. This means that the unborn baby and/or mother may die during a freebirthing simply because trained medical help was not immediately available as it would have been, had the birth taken place under the supervision of a nurse midwife or in the setting of a hospital.
"While women have been giving birth at home unassisted for thousands of years, one must remember the large percentage of pregnant mothers and babies died during childbirth. Even just 100 years ago, death during childbirth was a leading cause of death for women of childbearing age," explained Dr. Allison Haverland, a Boston-area OB-GYN.
She added, "Mothers who decide to have a 'non-medical' birth may also fail to get the proper prenatal examinations. This means the mother and unborn baby are at much higher risk of dying as a result of birthing complications that could otherwise be avoided had the mother been in the care of a midwife or in a hospital setting."
Freebirthing: An Underground Movement Moves into the Spotlight
The Discovery Health Channel recently aired an hour-long documentary that examines freebirthing trends in the United States and in the United Kingdom, where the practice can leave some facing social and even legal repercussions. In the UK and in the US, mothers who opt to give birth at home without the help of a midwife or other medical professional present can face intervention from social services.
According to Freebirthing, which premiered on Discovery Health October 21, 2008, the pregnant woman's partner, family members, friends and anyone else who is present at a planned non-medical birthing event may also face criminal charges in some cases.
The freebirthing documentary follows three expecting mothers who opting for an alternative birth plan, in the form of a non-medical home freebirth.
Unfortunately, since freebirthing remains an underground movement that exists beyond the reach of the established medical community, there are no official statistics available that indicate the precise successful healthy birth rate or mortality /injury rate that's associated with freebirthing practices.
The copyright of the article What is Freebirthing? in Birthing Options is owned by Mia Carter. Permission to republish What is Freebirthing? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Actually, as Beverley Beech, chairwoman of the Association for Improvements
in Maternity Services (UK) pointed out in the program, unassisted
childbirth/freebirth is NOT illegal in the UK. To quote her directly,
"Anyone that says it's illegal is either lying, misinformed or
ignorant." What's illegal is for someone to pretend to be a midwife
when they're not.
As far as those who oppose the practice
because they believe it is dangerous, I would encourage them to look into
the standard procedures that are carried out in most hospitals these days.
It would be wonderful if women could truly go into a hospital and only
receive "help" or intervention if it was truly necessary. But the
fact is, doctors and nurses intervene in every aspect of birth. Women are
routinely given Pitocin and other obstetric drugs that are known to
adversally affect labor. Standard birth practices are NOT safe. Maternal
mortality in US hospitals has doubled in the past 15 years. Infant
mortality has also gone up. Every 15-20 minutes a baby is stillborn in a US
hospital - which is double what it was 10 years ago. This, I believe, is
primarily due to induction of labor and C-sections.
There are
good reasons why women are choosing to give birth at home. A
midwife-assisted homebirth is an option for some women, but most midwives
are also required by law to intervene. In Colorado, for instance, a woman
must be transfered to the hospital if her water has been broken for more
than 24 hours, or if second stage is longer than an hour, or if the
placenta isn't delivered within an hour of the birth. Despite what the law
says (and many midwives would agree), in most cases these women don't need
to transfer.
I gave birth unassisted because I trusted my own
body and believed in my own abilities. The mind is more powerful than most
people realize. Yes, some women and babies used to die in childbirth (and
still do) but most of this was due to poor living conditions - lack of
food, adequate shelter and access to clean water. As the World Health
Organization says, 99% of deaths in childbirth are poverty related.
Throughout history, healthy, well-fed women have successfully given birth
without medical assistance. Birth has been beautifully designed. The
problems come when we interfere either physically or psychologically. As
women learn to trust their bodies, birth outcomes will naturally
improve. Laura Shanley Author of Unassisted Childbirth
Nov 29, 2008 10:16 AM
Guest
:
As a midwife in the uk i belive that every woman has a right to dive birth
exactly how they like, it is my job to act as an advocate of the woman.It
is also my job make a client aware of her right to informed consent, i.e we
cannot legally even touch you without your say so. I have assisted in
more home births than i can count each one special and each very different,
i very rarley transfer to hospital, but if it is my opininion that to carry
on at home would result in serious injury or death to either mother or
child i must inform the client and give my advice, if mum is insistent that
she will noy go in, i cannot force her,as long as she is aware of all the
risks i have done my job, and i will stay with the client as long as she
needs me. I belive it is a very sad state of affairs when women cannot
trust thier local maternity services to do the right thing, especially when
it comes to midwives, after all we are experts in normal birth and fight
tooth and nail to ensure that every woman has a choice and eventually can
go on to have normal safe labours and birth. p.s I have also had 2 home
water births, 1 with a friend also a midwife and one with only my husband 3
year old daughter and mum (retired midwife), the hospital midwives didn't
belive i was in labour and missed my son,s birth by an hour, so i feel your
pain!!!!
Dec 7, 2008 1:13 PM
Guest
:
Giving birth is about your baby's safe delivery into the world, not about
your "wonderful experience." In my opinion, an unassited delivery
is asking for trouble,in the form of fetal or maternal death. Also, not all
women can delivery vaginally. What happens if you have a cord prolapse,
breech presentation, maternal hemorrhage?! Potential to end very badly. Of
course, its not fun to go to the hospital and have IVs, cervical exams,
episiotomies,and such. But isnt it worth it to have a good outcome and a
healthy baby. Knowing that there are life saving interventions and
professionally trained staff that can act quickly. Perhaps, anyone
considering freebirthing should consider their baby's health before their
own fantasy birth experience, and their loathing for medical intervention.
Isnt your baby worth it. It all sounds a little selfish. At least have a
midwife present.
Jan 21, 2009 10:52 AM
Guest
:
To the latest comment. Just imagine that you have spent the past 9 months
in the warmest, calmest, safest, most nurturing human environment in
existence and then getting passed out into a cold, sterile, hospital room
with people whom the mother has no personal connection, who then take you
away from your one life source to start prodding and examining...sound fun?
I think you have forgotten that the baby participates in this process
mentally and emotionally. This experience may not be about mama's fantasy
as much as it is about the sacred connecting experience for both child and
mother. Please allow for possibility that the idea of free birth is as much
for the protection of the baby's experience as it is for the mom. I think
the real problem is that it is not very easy to develop a close intimate
relationship with a trained midwife (or especially a medical doctor)
throughout a woman's pregnancy which may alleviate the want for some to go
it alone.
Feb 25, 2009 12:42 PM
Guest
:
I completely agree with the comment ahead of me. She took the words right
out of my mouth.
Oct 26, 2008
