Two night ago, Eric dreamt that he was pregnant. He went into labor and had a sudden realization that he hadn’t prepared for it and didn’t know what to do. He was sitting there, realizing he was having contractions, and then he thought “I just need to remember what Rixa taught me—to trust my body.” He closed his eyes and visualized giving birth, taking a deep breath and letting his body relax into the contractions. Soon after, he had one baby, and then another and then another until he had six boys. Afterwards he went to look at the babies. They were lying in these individual cots. They all looked kind of like Beaker from The Muppets with these really long foreheads and a unibrow.That beats any of my pregnancy dreams by far! Most of mine, interestingly enough, consisted of me laboring alone, giving birth kneeling or squatting, cradling my baby's head as it emerged, and catching her myself. More true to life, but much less dramatic than Eric's dream. Oh, and my babies usually talked immediately after they were born.
For some reason I couldn’t give birth at home, not for health reasons but something else. I think there must have been some sort of disaster and that’s why I couldn’t get home. Anyway there was another woman in labor too and a nurse was leading us to our rooms. It was a very cold, sterile, empty place. I knew I’d be just fine and just wanted to keep the nurse away from me. The other woman was freaking out—drama queen. Anyway I was fine by myself. I had to poop—and knew that probably meant baby was on the way—so I went to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and my baby was crowning. I supported her head as it slowly emerged with my right hand. I felt her slippery, wrinkly head. Very cool. I then used both hands to catch the rest of her body (I didn’t want her to fall into the toilet!). I cuddled her naked body against my own naked chest and, to show the horrified nurse that I was just fine, thank you, I got off the toilet.What is the strangest pregnancy dream you have had?
I can't claim to know why they feel this way, but my belief is that the majority of them -- doctors and health authorities -- truly do not think women are intellectually capable of making their own decisions when it comes to birth.I dedicated nearly 4 years of my life to researching and preparing for my birth. This was not a decision made out of selfishness, ignorance, or irresponsibility. I wish that more women would put as much effort into preparing to give birth. The knowledge I have gained over those four years has had a transformative effect on the way I view the world and how I make decisions.
I’m passing this along for Sharon Wright, a contributing editor for eve magazine. Sharon and I had a wonderful (hour and a half long!) conversation today, and I think she will do a nice job on the article!
"My name is Sharon Wright and I'm writing a report on unassisted childbirth for eve magazine in the UK. eve is a stylish, intelligent, monthly magazine aimed at thinking women in their 30s.
"We are very interested in the whole subject of unassisted childbirth and why and how women choose this path.
"Would you like to share your experience of having an unassisted childbirth, without a midwife or doctor present? I would be particularly interested in speaking to women in their 30s (like our readers), from any country, who were alone by choice when the baby was born.
"Alone might mean by yourself in the room, or maybe with a partner close by. I would love to speak to anyone who actually caught their baby themselves! We'd also like to use photographs of you and your lovely baby, to help convey this amazing experience.
"I can be contacted in the first instance at: st.wright@blueyonder.co.uk
"With all good wishes and thanks in advance,
Sharon Wright
Contributing editor
eve London"
Kaunitz AM, Spence C, Danielson TS, Rochat RW, Grimes DA. “Perinatal and maternal mortality in a religious group avoiding obstetric care.” Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1984 Dec 1;150(7):826-31.A summer 2003 issue of Midwifery Today had some responses to that study, including these comments:
Midwives who have been working in the freebirth community for these last 25 years have a different story....Many families choosing unassisted birth are highly educated and responsible; their births are a far cry from those that are unattended for reasons of poverty, distrust in medical attendants or ignorance.
~ midwife Jeannine Parvati Baker
There has never been a study done that consisted of data from planned, unassisted births of healthy women who wanted their babies, were in emotionally and physically supportive environments, were somatically aware and comfortable with their bodies, had full access to health care as they needed it and who made the choice freely and gladly. We really don't know (statistically speaking) what happens when the human body is allowed to give birth instinctively and undisturbed under such conditions.
Linda Hessel
Dear Homebirth and Midwifery Supporters:
We have gotten the news that the House Registration and Regulation committee
intends to kill our bill unless we take additional action. We are considering another amendment, but in the mean time, we need EVERYONE to write a letter to the individuals on the Reg and Reg committee, even if their own Rep is not on that committee. We must produce a packet of letter for each committee member, just bursting with letters from you - the midwives, doctors, doulas, childbirth educators and families who are effected by the homebirth crisis.
This should be a very simple letter to produce. You can recycle a previously sent letter and just change the date and add a few lines as listed below, or you can start fresh. If starting fresh, please pick up pen and paper, and then read the rest of this email. You'll be done before you know it! These letters should be addressed to “Dear Committee Member:” In the following sentence or two, identify yourself as a homebirth consumer or supporter.
Next, unless your Rep IS a committee member, indicate that you are not one of their constituents, but that it is your understanding that they represent the interests of all the people, the whole state, when working in committee.
Express your deep desire to see that your own state Representative is allowed to vote on this matter. Ask the Committee members to PLEASE allow Senate Bill 385, the Midwifery Licensure Act, Senator Haine's bill, to get to the floor so that your Rep can weigh in. If your Rep is a committee member, remind them there are many families in addition to you, many of whom are not their constituents, but are depending upon them to help make homebirth birth safer for them. Give some sort of plea to help the families who choose homebirth have a chance to have a safer experience, or access to all safe maternity care options, or something similar.
Sign off and send via email to jiandra@aol.com
If you have a fax machine, please fax to 630.369.2456. Please do not use a cover sheet. If you have no fax, please drop a signed copy in the mail to Coalition for Illinois Midwifery, 901 E. Krage Drive, Addison, IL 60101 PLEASE DON'T DELAY! DO THIS TODAY OR TOMORROW AT LATEST.
We will take all these letters and distribute them in a packet to the Reg and Reg committee members early next week. WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF THIS BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE WITH YOUR HELP!!! PLEASE HELP US, please write and help us show the State Medical Society just how strong we are!
Thank you,
Rachel Dolan Wickersham, CD, LCCE
President, Coalition for Illinois Midwifery
