Freebirth involves not having a medically trained care provider; such as an obstetrician, GP, nurse, or midwife. It is similar to homebirth in terms of atmosphere, and avoiding medical interventions. In freebirth the birthing woman (and her partner) is responsible for informing and advising herself (with the assistance of a doula if she chooses) and any family or friends she might wish to have present. All decisions rest with her, she directs how the birth goes.
Some of the reasons a woman might opt to freebirth include:
- Privacy: some women find that they feel inhibited by the presence of hired birth care providers.
- Responsibility: freebirthing women have an understanding that no matter where they birth they are responsible for their bodies and their babies and they want to embrace this responsibility rather than fear it.
- Power: at a freebirth the birthing woman is the only expert in the room.
- Natural Birth: freebirthing women are highly motivated to have completely natural births, and for some this means birthing the same way that our ancient foremothers did.
- Empowerment: many women feel that freebirth is the best way to ensure they have an empowering childbirth experience.
- Intimacy: in the absence of care providers the birthing woman and her loved ones are better able to enjoy a very intimate birth experience.
- Instincts: some women feel that the only way they can truly tune into their own instincts, rather than rely on the suggestions of those attending the birth, is to freebirth.
- Because they can! women who choose to freebirth are generally low-risk women who know, either from extensive research or first-hand experience, that they don't need a midwife to watch them labour.
Women who choose freebirth beleive that there is no need to monitor, chart or time childbirth, they treat birth as a simple and natural experience. Unassisted Pregnancy and Childbirth Australia states: “The woman simply labours and gives birth in whatever ways that she feels like, trusting and knowing her body, her baby and the safety of unhindered birth.”
Some Places to Begin Your Journey:
Born Free
Empowered Childbirth
Pure Birth
Related Ilithyia Inspired Pages:
Registering a Freebirth in Victoria, Australia
Pregnancy & Birth Websites
Pregnancy Articles
Birth Articles
Birth Stories That Inspire
Doulas: Mortal Ilithyiai
