Unassisted Free Birth

This is when a woman decides to have a baby, at home, without the help of a medical professional (ie. Doctor or Midwife). Sometimes there may be assistance from a partner/friend/sister/doula and other times the woman may choose to have her baby in complete privacy.

The reasons a woman may choose this option are many and varied. It may simply be the case that the woman does not have access to a medical professional who is able to attend a homebirth, or perhpas there are no Birth Centres in the area, and so to achieve a birth without medical management she must take sole responsibility for the birth.

To most people the idea of an unassisted childbirth will seem horrifying and they may wonder why any woman would choose to do so. Rest assured that any woman who chooses this option has not done so without very careful consideration and many hours of soul searching - not to mention extentsive research into pregnancy and childbirth.

The women that choose this option are usually highly educated and have a very strong belief in themselves and their bodys ability to birth.

Even if this choice is something you would never consider, I think that one of things we can take away from women who do choose this is their positive attitude towards birth and their bodies.

While this kind of mindset is not a guarantee that there will not be complications, it still goes a long way to helping one approach labour and birth without fear - essential for the correct perception of pain and to feel empowered by your experience.