FREEBIRTH: Reasons women choose it and what their reasons say about our current system
It may startle a few of you to hear that some women CHOOSE to give birth alone. But truly, this is only startling to our 21st century medicalized birth culture. Giving birth at home was the 'norm' less than a century ago. And giving birth ALONE was the 'norm' for most of our human history. But, enough on that for now... here I'd like to introduce you to a few of the reasons women decide to give birth unassisted by any 'professional' provider - and how some of these reasons reflect a system that isn't supportive of birthing women. Choosing freebirth, or unassisted childbirth (UC), for reasons such as cost and inability to find or afford midwife reflect a situation in which the 'care system' is failing many women, babies, and families. Every woman deserves access to a provider of her choice at a cost she can afford. Period. Other reasons such as anger, resentment, and fear of the medical birth model again reflect our system's failings to provi...