Looking Glass Alice is an activist, woman, mother, consumer and birthing warrior. Her latest blog entry reflects on the many reasons women choose to freebirth. Specifically, she addresses the false assumption that many people make about freebirth, which is that it is a homebirther's last resort. Here's an extract that had me nodding along while reading:
She goes on to write:"Freebirth is thus not an attack on midwifery but for some women it is an indication that midwifery as it stands is unable to fulfil the needs of many consumers. Perhaps rather than viewing freebirthing women (and those who support them) as another enemy, it would serve some careproviders to use this information to reflect upon how to manage these issues without clients being affected."
"Increased availability of midwives, desirable as it is, will not alter every woman’s freebirth plans given the range of reasons women might choose freebirth in the first place nor should it since women’s right to choose within birth must be inviolable. However a woman arrives at the decision to pursue freebirth, it almost always boils down to a desire for autonomy. Autonomy is not available to women in the hospital system, it is not available to all women choosing independent midwifery for complex reasons, some of which are stated above. In fact it is generally not available to (nor is it pursued by many) women in our lives outside of birthing. Some women want to truly make their own decisions around their bodies, births and babies. This can only be a radical concept in a world where women are seldom supported in their basic rights to bodily integrity."
To read Looking Glass Alice's post in full click here.
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