Beginning –Birth is an intricate and delicate system of hormones that work together to progress the labor and delivery process. Each hormone triggers an important step all the way up to the moment of birth where we receive the bonding hormones.

Anything foreign introduced into this system has the potential to disrupt it. Disruptions can include anything from stalled labor to feelings of disconnect between yourself and your baby.The standard system of care for birthing parents and their new babies is not set up for our best interests. Despite having the research and knowledge that many of our standard practices are harmful, we continue to push them on every parent-baby unit.

Birth is such a powerful initiation into parenthood for the birther and into life for the baby. How it goes has a significant impact on the unit and how well they do together in the following months and years into childhood. Instead of allowing this very important initiation to unfold in it’s powerful way, we numb it with everything we can.

Sure, this is helpful in the pains of labor but it comes at the price of causing potential trauma if things go poorly and the ramifications of setting up these parent-baby relationships to be more difficult. This situation sets parents up for failure which is then detrimental to the whole of society. Parents who have traumatic births and or don’t feel bonded to their baby may have a hard time caring for them properly.We have been made to fear birth. It can be a dangerous and emotionally charged process that deals with very real outcomes, but we were also made to continue on the species. Therefore, most birthing bodies are made to accomplish it with little to no complications when supported with appropriate care, which varies from person to person.

This fear however has left us with even more difficulties when it comes to legalities of the system. Homebirth and midwifery aren’t legal in all places and those seeking a more physiological experience may have to fight for it. This is made even more difficult by well meaning friends and family who aren’t informed on what is actually normal, unnormal and helpful versus hurtful in the system.Birth is a private event that has been taken over with controlling vigor in the name of false safety. This extreme level of control has ramifications on levels we aren’t immediately aware of but ripples through all of our society. The legalities and restrictions have put a chokehold on birth, birth workers and the options the common person has available to them.

8:10 –They started moving the birth scene into the hospitals around the 1950s. Up until that point, most babies were born in the privacy of the home with only a few select individuals whom the mother felt comfortable with.We’re so disconnected to the birth process that many of those who have had multiple births themselves are still unfamiliar with the process and what is and isn’t normal. So many are eager to wipe their hands of any responsibility in the matter, handing over complete control and dictation to their doctor.

This hospital setting and relinquishing control to the system works really for some parents and babies. It shouldn’t be forced upon everyone though. Some new parents desire the more sacred, spiritual and divine side of this transformational process and to experience it without dilution or micro management. These parents take on the responsibility of working for a good and positive experience and outcome through a marathon of self education as well as a mental, emotional and physical preparation for birth.Most who get the empowered birth they want did a lot of upfront work in an effort to make it happen. Working through fears and coping possibilities ahead of time being some ways of preparing. We can do our best to prepare but birth is a chaotic mystery that unfolds differently each time.The energetic resonance we’re born into effects us throughout our lives. We don’t want our first ever experience of the world to be one of fear. We ideally want it to be in a resonance of love, empowerment and joy.

17:25 –We’re told about so many things we should be afraid of in birth, like the cord being around the neck. Do umbilical cords get wrapped around babies necks? Sure. It’s a pretty common occurrence that is almost never an actual problem.Another very common misconception and out of date practice is not allowing laboring individuals to eat or drink during the process. The fear is that aspiration may occur under the unfortunate circumstance of an emergency c-section. This isn’t a common enough occurrence for it to be a standard practice. Especially when we have the research to prove that lite eating and drinking is helpful in maintaining stamina and energy levels. Particularly with certain foods like hydrating fruit.We don’t want to blame anyone for poor standard practices, as the doctors and hospital staff are simply a product of the system themselves. Schools train these individuals with a mindset of attempting to control any potential problems before they arise. Unfortunately, when you’re always looking for problems, you will find them even when there are none.

Obstetricians aren’t trained in normal birth. They’re trained to manage complicated births. Most don’t know what a normal birth really looks like and we have to be informed on what’s normal so that we can properly identify when something isn’t. Not to say that their skills aren’t hugely useful when they’re needed. We’re very fortunate to have them available when we truly need them.Another misconception is that breech babies are a dangerous birth factor that almost always automatically signs you up for a c-section. This is based on a faulty study that took off despite being inaccurate.

25:20 –The nocebo effect is similar to the placebo effect. Whereas the placebo effect occurs via nothing more than the power of suggestion, the nocebo effect is when you cause a problem because you were looking for a problem to exist where it didn’t.This is a common thing that happens during prenatal care. We spend so much time looking for problems despite any evidence of there being a problem present. Problems in pregnancy skyrocketed once we introduced ultrasounds a testing as a standard.

If you find yourself in a position of being told something is wrong, you almost always have plenty of time to do your own research, explore your options and get a second or even third opinion. Trust your gut and be honest with your provider about your concerns and what you desire.You can usually read whether or not they’re supportive of what you want and if they truly are looking out for your best interests or trying to corral you into unneeded interventions. Bullying in this system by the doctors and staff is unfortunately very common. Know your rights. They work for you.

33:15 –“Big baby” is a common fear tactic that doctor’s use to control the narrative in the labor and delivery process. So many pregnant people are told that they’re baby is “too big” and that they’re going to have to be induced and it’s simply not a thing that’s true. Our bodies are built to be able to birth what we would consider a big baby and in the majority of cases this is not something to be concerned with.Are there exceptions? Always. The truth of the matter is though, that we can’t accurately predict how big a baby is going to be. Most weight guesses (and that’s all they are, is guesses) are based off of length of the baby, which can be measured via ultrasound. Length does not translate into weight, though and perhaps your baby is just on the “taller” end.

Gestational diabetes has it’s own problems in this system. We shouldn’t be giving pregnant people this sugary drink across the board with zero discernment for their blood sugar history. We discuss my own history with hypoglycemia and how this test should have never been given to someone with my health background. We cannot treat every ‘patient’ with the same across the board standards.We aren’t given any advice on how to manage our health through healthy habits, lifestyle or food intake. Everything is managed through medication and procedures even though most would benefit hugely by simply making some changes to their diet.
41:50 –A twin pregnancy automatically signs you up for a c-section for no reason other than it generally being an unfamiliar territory for your doctor. Twins can be nonproblematically born vaginally.

I was trained as a midwife, beginning with a 4 year apprenticeship and eventually serving in the role of Licensed Midwife (Arizona). I outgrew that in 2012, returning my license to the State and following my Soul into the undefined world of spiritual birth guidance with the bonus of having midwifery skills and experience.I maintained the CPM credential from 2009-2023 but became disillusioned and non aligned with this organization (and any organization that seeks to control birth and midwives) and gave this one back as well. After 15 years of serving women at home, I continue to do this in Hawai’i but for the most resonant and aligned women that see birth and motherhood as sacred initiations and desire a knowledgeable witness as their guide. https://indiebirth.org/