Unassisted Childbirth on Good Morning America

Good Morning America recently did a story on Unassisted Childbirth.

You can read the article here. I'll keep my opinion of the "expert doctor" to myself, but I'm wondering what you think of his statement. The article also states:

The baby could be born in a breach position, or with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. The mother could suffer from significant tearing or from a maternal hemorrhage and bleed to death in as little as five minutes.

As for the baby being born in a breech position, the fact is that doctors nowadays are not really taught how to vaginally deliver breech babies. Only in certain situations is it not possible to vaginally deliver a breech baby. Many women give birth to breech babies at home, without any complications. As for having the cord wrapped around the baby's neck, in some situations that can present a problem. But in most....just unwrap it.

Rixa wrote a great post with a response from Gloria Lemay concerning the doctor's concern that women "could bleed to death in as little as five minutes".

There's also a video available to watch.

I believe I've stated my own personal opinion concerning Unassisted Childbirth before, but I'll state it again. Unassisted Childbirth is not for me, however I understand why a woman would choose to go that route. When I was planning my homebirth with the Guppy, the Knight and I very briefly considered doing a UC before deciding that we felt more comfortable with a midwife present. Personally, I love having a midwife, an experienced woman, at my side. I am definitely not a lone birther, I love to be surrounded by loving and supportive people. While I do feel that it is a little more "risky" giving birth without at least a midwife there, I do acknowledge and respect the fact that most women who choose Unassisted Childbirth are not taking their decision lightly: they are serious about educating themselves about the risks and how to act if an emergency does come up.

I'm interested in hearing what your views on Unassisted Childbirth are.

Unassisted Childbirth on Good Morning America

Unassisted Childbirth

I recently found this article about Unassisted Childbirth, in which a mother chooses to give birth at home without the assistance of a midwife or a doctor. According to the article:

For these women, out-of-hospital births are not accidents of timing, but deliberate expressions of their values. For most, a desire to retain control over one of life's most emotional, intimate and primal processes is paramount.

But the freebirth phenomenon alarms many obstetricians, midwives and feminist health experts, who characterize the practice as ill-advised at best — and life-threatening at worst.

My views on Unassisted Childbirth? I agree that it is indeed a powerful, primal and raw experience. I feel a little envious of those who have had the chance to experience it. But would I personally choose an Unassisted Childbirth? No. Not because I believe that it is dangerous or that women who choose to birth their babies in this fashion are wrong, but simply because I enjoy having a midwife at my birth. I am comforted by the presence of a midwife, by the laughter and joy that a midwife can add to a birth. Just like UC'ers feel most comfortable birthing alone or with only their partner, I feel most comfortable birthing with my partner, my mother, my sister, my cousin, and my midwife. And women should be able to choose to give birth in the way that they feel most powerful, and most comfortable.


I do believe, however, that having an Unassisted Childbirth should not be taken lightly. If a woman decides to go that route, it is my strong belief that she better get her butt in gear to prepare for the birth by ensuring she takes care of her self in terms of prenatal health, that she has a valid back up plan, and that she researches and educates herself on the process in childbirth and what exactly could happen. Which, from my understanding, is what most women who choose the UC route do.


So what is your view on Unassisted Childbirth? Do you believe that women have the right to choose to give birth in this manner, or in any manner of homebirth?

Unassisted Childbirth