Need Advice? Ask Your Question

Questions & Answers

Category: Is It Safe?

Asked by MBrannen

Q: Here is a great resource site for anyone interested in homebirth and natural birth(and a little rant

so here is a wonderful site that I have really come to enjoy. It's packed with info, as well as amazing birth stories!
http://www.indiebirth.com/

I hope everyone else enjoys it as well!

I believe in the empowerment of women and the sacred nature of birth. I find it sad that more women are afraid of natural childbirth than they are of major surgery today, and I think that it is time to bring back our own personal power when it comes to childbirth and our bodies. We're not patients with a serious illness, we're women doing the most natural and sacred thing we can...bringing a new life into the world. Our intuitions are very powerful and I think that it is time to get back in touch with our sacred rite. This is a powerful and transformative time in a womans life.

â??The first intervention in natural childbirth is the one that a healthy woman does herself when she walks out the front door of her own home in labour.â??â?? Michael Rosenthal, OB/GYN

This question was asked May. 31, 2012 3:39pm
Category: Is It Safe?

Answer This Question

Answers (21)

Answered by liebekind - May. 31, 2012 9:30pm

Thank you for the resource! I'm looking to avoid as many interventions as possible. I'm off to do some research now. :)

237 out of 470 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by knicole27 - May. 31, 2012 8:10pm

Love the idea of home birth and natural birth! OB's and hospitals especially in the US treat labor and delivery as an illness. I hate that...

229 out of 448 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by MBrannen - May. 31, 2012 7:35pm

health organization recommends a rate of 5-15%. Which is crazy, and for the most part completely unnecessary

211 out of 428 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by MBrannen - May. 31, 2012 7:34pm

I definitely understand that. There's actually many differences between here and europe, and it seems that the rest of the world has a much different view on birth than the U.S. I know that the UK is also supposed to have alot better health insurance as well. The UN actually put out a report "declaring a global investment in midwifery would save millions of mothers' and babies' lives." Where over here there's a large war between obstestrics and midwifery, and it seems that they are more apt to shutting down midwifery practices. Our history is pretty dark and when obstetrics came in to place we began to experience things such as "Twilight birth" also known as "Twilight Sleep". And many times doctors do use interventions, inductions, and c-sections for their own convenience rather than for the good of the mother. Interestingly enough the FDA has never approved the use of pitocin or ultrasounds outside of emergency situations. and our annual c-section rate i

233 out of 458 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by BabyDaisy - May. 31, 2012 6:48pm

Fair enough. I'm UK-based, so can't really comment on intervention in the US - though from what I understand women can be put under quite a lot of pressure to have intervention (my SIL is pregnant and in the US). I think that's really sad, and the main reason I don't want to be in hospital is because I'm scared of being encouraged to have a procedure I don't need or want, just to save doctors' time.

225 out of 445 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by BabyDaisy - May. 31, 2012 6:48pm

Fair enough. I'm UK-based, so can't really comment on intervention in the US - though from what I understand women can be put under quite a lot of pressure to have intervention (my SIL is pregnant and in the US). I think that's really sad, and the main reason I don't want to be in hospital is because I'm scared of being encouraged to have a procedure I don't need or want, just to save doctors' time.

198 out of 413 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by MBrannen - May. 31, 2012 6:46pm

*ions used that are unnecessary. Meaning not when there is a risk to the mother or baby. My goal is to empower women to know that they have a choice in how they are dealt with and treated during their pregnancy and birth. Whether that choice be to have an epidural, or be in a hospital, it's still their choice. I think that many doctors try to make those decisions for us. Everything has it's place, including western medicine. So this is just to clear up whatever confusion there may have been around my post. I have alot to say about this matter and feel passionately about it, but I do not want to force my beliefs on others this is just meant for women who ARE interested. Thanks

206 out of 427 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by MBrannen - May. 31, 2012 6:41pm

I definitely agree with both of you and I think that my post may be getting blown out of proportion. This wasnt posted as a means to convince anyone of anything, but rather as a good resource for women who are already interested and as a way for me to just rant. I do not have a problem with hospitals, or birth centers, and think that they all have their place. Which is also why I think a womans intuition is so powerful, because I believe that a woman knows where she belongs whether that be in a hospital or at home. What I dont agree with is the use of interventions when medically unnecessary, which is the case often times today. And if you look at the history of obstetrics and hospitals as far as childbirth goes, it's a pretty dark one. And besides the "look at the infants who died when there was only homebirths", I'd say it's an interesting thing that the U.S. ranks pretty high in infant and maternal mortalityrates which are often times linked to the high amount of intervent

216 out of 434 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by ef99744 - May. 31, 2012 6:40pm

Thanks, going to have a look. :)

203 out of 417 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answered by BabyDaisy - May. 31, 2012 6:23pm

Personally I want to have a home birth, but I think the important thing is choice. Every woman should have the right to choose (within medical reason) which sort of birth is right for her, and no one should be made to feel ashamed for the decision she makes. The fact is, intervention does save lives, and it doesn't make a woman a quitter or 'too posh to push' if she goes for it.

209 out of 425 found this answer helpful

Was this answer helpful? Yes No

Answer This Question

You are not logged in.
Log in or Register to post an answer to this question.

Other Questions in Is It Safe?