Not that saying this is an ego thing, or that I feel I am any more powerful than anybody else, except that I believe in myself. Unfortunately, I think people often underestimate pregnant women (and women in general). We are capable of so much more than most people expect of us, and often than we expect of ourselves. During this pregnancy, I have rototilled a large garden space, shovelled truckloads of mulch, planted, weeded, and harvested. Not to mention packed and moved my family, patched drywall, learned to milk a goat, trimmed goat's hooves (which was no small task), built a milk stand, and put up a fence. One thing my parents told me over and over growing up: "You can do anything you set your mind to."
So as my body prepares to have this baby, I set my mind to give birth, and I believe that I can. I won't be alone, necessarily, but I will be in charge. I will have the final say in who participates in this birth and in what way, and in what happens to my baby in the moments following. Unassisted birth doesn't necessarily mean you give birth without help. I am helped by my supportive friends and family, my husband, and a knowledgeable woman I have invited to be present, whom I believe understands and agrees with my preferences. Unassisted birth, or more appropriately called freebirth involves a woman's right to choose where, how and with whom she gives birth. There is no government sanctioned "professional" in attendance or in charge at a freebirth, but rather the birthing mother is the expert on her own body and what she needs to birth her baby safely and effectively. She is free to follow her intuition and free from routine procedures, which can interfere with the course of labor.
This is not a new thing. It is a very traditional way of birthing. One hundred years ago, before the advent of medically managed birth on a large scale, it was the way most women birthed, and such has been the case throughout history in most cultures. Often, the birth was attended by a female relative or trusted woman in the community, but an understanding of the process was usually common among women, and not seen as something that required patriarchal interference.
It is a fallacy to believe that our medical system has made birth safer for women or babies. Even in our prosperous, developed nation, the morbidity and mortality rates of hospital births are extremely high, and the rate of surgery is ten times what is considered safe. Many women and babies are injured by invasive techniques and instruments, and surgical deliveries are dangerous and painful to recover from.
That being said, the process of natural birth is a delicate dance of hormones and responses within the mother's body and the baby. Allowing the body to cultivate these hormones is the only way to a safe, natural birth without complications. The birth hormones flow at their best when the mother is comfortable, relaxed and free from fear. The same is true for all mammals, and is a biological necessity. A mother gives birth when and where she feels it is safe to do so. If she does not feel safe, her body will hold back until she does.
With that in mind, I don't recommend unassisted birth to anyone. I don't recommend home birth with a midwife. I don't recommend hospital birth or birth centers. The only place a woman should give birth is the place in which she feels most safe and comfortable. She should recognize that there are options, and the choice is hers to make. She should chose carefully for her sake and her baby's. She should believe in her abilities. I have chosen the way of giving birth that I feel is best for me. As my body prepares to give birth, I prepare my mind as well. I remind myself that I am a strong and powerful person. My body is up for the task, and I can do anything I set my mind to.
