07/26/2022
A couple months ago I decided I’d no longer attend births in hospitals. I made this hefty decision after a particular hospital birth left me completely traumatized and heartbroken.
I’ve been pretty nervous about coming forward and opening up about my decision, because the last thing I’d want is for anyone (especially previous clients) to feel judged for their decision to birth in the hospital. Personally, with my own first birth I immediately found an OB that worked out of Baylor and assumed that was exactly what everyone else did. It wasn’t until my wonderful friend Nina, who grew up out of the states, let me know that in most other developed countries, midwives are the norm. So I completely understand why the majority of folks choose hospitals. It’s engrained in us as a society.
Since becoming a doula and childbirth educator, since attending births, since having my own out-of-hospital birth, since doing hundreds of hours of research, I’d say I have a pretty good understanding of *physiological* birth. And I’ll spend the rest of my days advocating for physiological birth, because *for the most part,* that is not what happens in hospitals.
Physiological birth is what happens when a woman is allowed the space to go into labor spontaneously, her hormones beautifully and intrinsically work together to progress her contractions and the dilation of her cervix, her baby descends into her vaginal canal, (usually) she feels the urge to push, her baby is born, and her hormones continue in their dance to facilitate the bond of her and her baby and breastfeeding.
It’s so simple. Variations of normal are always there, but when a woman feels safe and supported, birth usually works just fine.
For various reasons, most hospital births have a significant number of interventions that can negatively affect the woman, her baby, her experience, their bond. And what I can’t get past, is that most of these interventions aren’t evidence-based and plenty of times can have more risk than benefit.
I see what the possibility of birth can look like. I’ve witnessed undisturbed, ecstatic birth. I believe that most women are able to have this experience, if the space is right, and if that’s what they desire.
Honestly, I no longer understand where I fit into our system of technological birth. But I know I have a choice in the matter, and I choose to no longer be witness to, what I believe, is a system that is not serving women and babies as it should.
As a doula, I’ll always be here to help and support women. Things will just look a little different going forward. These boundaries are necessary for myself, and I’m honestly super excited to see what the future holds and where this path leads me.
