Free birth | Mumsnet

Bluffysummers · 2022-03-05T20:22:47+00:00

Any one free birthed? What was your experience and why? I’m not pregnant nor do i plan to be. But I follow a few doulas on social media and they often refer to a free birth, basically for any one who doesn’t know without any trained medical personnel. I’m just really curious. Home broth I can definitely see the appeal, although not for me personally but can see why someone would want to. For a freebirth the fact no one medically trained is on hand is a little scary to me, the what ifs would worry me, esp in light of the ambulance crisis in the UK This is a no judgement no shaming post, I’m just really interest in experiences. Why, if the lack of medical personnel in event of emergency did scare you, any regrets? I myself have a had 2 hospital births, 1 delivery unit and one MLU (definitely preferred the MLU)

Soubriquet · 05/03/2022 20:23

Please don’t. The risks are too high.

Have a home birth office you must, but don’t free birth.

Women still die in their thousands during labour.

Why risk it?

Why risk your baby?

Russell19 · 05/03/2022 20:25

@Soubriquet did you not read the OP? She's not pregnant nor wants to be.

Original poster

Bluffysummers · 05/03/2022 20:36

Dear @Soubriquet please read the post not just the title
Sincerely OP

OP posts:

Wingingitsince2018 · 05/03/2022 20:37

I technically had a 'free birth' purely because DD came so quickly, paramedics couldn't arrive in time.

I am very thankful it wasn't my first birth as I would have been absolutely terrified if it was. I was incredibly lucky that it was straight forward and DD and I were both fine.

But I was dealing with the situation I was in and I knew that help was on the way if anything were to go wrong (paramedics arrived 1min after birth). To actively plan for it and not seek medical help is a ridiculous risk to take for mum and baby.

You mention the ambulance crisis, I actively steered away from a home birth for this exact reason and still feel guilt that we had to call them away from someone else that may have needed them.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 05/03/2022 20:39

I know someone who birthed with a doula only so effectively a free birth. She was extremely lucky nothing happened to her DD. Mind you she also took ivermectin when she got covid, left the placenta attached and doesn't vaccinate so make of that what you will.

Nettletea0 · 05/03/2022 20:40

🙄🙄🙄🙄

ShirleyPhallus · 05/03/2022 20:40

I had a very heavily medicated birth, but I can see why women want to avoid that

Even doing NCT it’s drummed in to you “avoid the cascade of intervention!”. Medically it’s not encouraged to go over 42 weeks then you’ll be induced which carries a very high risk of forceps / EMCS etc.

I think for a lot of women free birth eliminates the risk of those things. It keeps them in control, keeps their bodies relaxed and in control, avoids the need to do anything not absolutely natural.

It’s not a method I subscribe to. My child and I would be dead without doctors and hospitals.

But reading books like Ina May Gaskin I can see how some women believe they’re better to do it as naturally as possible and really believe in their bodies.

Original poster

Bluffysummers · 05/03/2022 20:41

Oh were you planning on going in @Wingingitsince2018 and she just has other plans and came super quick? Think they call that a bba don’t they? I’ve read that paramedics aren’t really trained in birth, or fully trained that is. Did they just take you in?

OP posts:

SunbathingDragon · 05/03/2022 20:42

I’ve witnessed the aftermath of a few and not all of them were good outcomes for either the mother or baby.

Some do so because they feel unable to seek medical help for a variety of reasons, some naively believe the worst outcomes won’t happen to them and are convinced that positive thinking means a good labour and birth, whilst some just can’t get medical help in time.

Newjobformoremoney · 05/03/2022 20:42

I think women who turn to this don’t feel that they are listened to in a medical setting. The UK itself is so stretched with midwives that some women don’t get the experience they are looking for and head to (the likes of Instagram) alternatives.

Both my daughter and I would have died in childbirth if we didn’t have medical intervention

Notwithittoday · 05/03/2022 20:43

I got a ‘warning’ when I joined one of those fb groups. I’d joined it because I’d had very fast labours previously and thought I might end up with an unattended birth so thought there might be some useful info. I dared to suggest that a newborn needed to see a doctor as it was head to toe in a nasty rash and had a temperature. I was told that baby had everything it needed in its mother and no medical professionals were needed. I left the group after that

Original poster

Bluffysummers · 05/03/2022 20:43

@CloseYourEyesAndSee

I know someone who birthed with a doula only so effectively a free birth. She was extremely lucky nothing happened to her DD. Mind you she also took ivermectin when she got covid, left the placenta attached and doesn't vaccinate so make of that what you will.

Yeah that’s definitely a free birth as doulas aren’t medically qualified. I thought it would be nice to have one for my second, honestly never regretted anything so much in my life, utter waste of money. Didn’t ‘advocate’ for me, just ate my snacks. Even the midwife commented that she did nothing lol. Think I was pretty unlucky

OP posts:

Chasingsquirrels · 05/03/2022 20:44

Like a previous poster, my 2nd dc was an unassisted birth - due to speed rather than choice.
I had planned a home birth after a quick delivery with dc1. We called the hospital to request a midwife when Mt waters went, they called back during my first contraction and dc2 was born less than 15 mins later.
DH called 999 when he was born and paramedics arrived within about 15 mins, followed shortly by midwife.

I had no problems at all but it isn't domethimg I would ever recommend.

alpinia · 05/03/2022 20:45

I was really put off one midwife's office that had a series of large photos in the waiting room of a woman free birthing in a filthy looking lake. They were adverts for a local natural birth photographer but still.

Original poster

Bluffysummers · 05/03/2022 20:47

@Notwithittoday

I got a ‘warning’ when I joined one of those fb groups. I’d joined it because I’d had very fast labours previously and thought I might end up with an unattended birth so thought there might be some useful info. I dared to suggest that a newborn needed to see a doctor as it was head to toe in a nasty rash and had a temperature. I was told that baby had everything it needed in its mother and no medical professionals were needed. I left the group after that

Jesus. Everything they needed in the mother, flipping heck

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/03/2022 20:47

My DD was born when I was completely alone. I remember her being born, doctors and nurses rushing in.... and thats it. That was in a hospital... not in UK.

I don't understand why anyone would chose that.

Robotdott · 05/03/2022 20:49

Nah its not for me, the only people I know who technically did this was just as they didn't get to hospital in time, but it wasn't a conscious choice and baby and mum got checked out afterwards by midwives. I think there are a lot of issues in the world of maternity care here and can see why some are keen to avoid it altogether, but the risks for me are too high. There is also as you mention no guarantee for an ambulance to arrive within a safe time even for absolute emergencies. I can see the appeal of having a doula present for support during a home birth or indeed a hospital one, but alone they aren't medically trained and it feels way too much like relying on luck.

vipersnest1 · 05/03/2022 20:57

I'm interested to know why you are asking for opinions when you claim you have no interest in being pregnant or planning to be...
If you are carrying out research, say so.

florianfortescue · 05/03/2022 20:58

It's my worst nightmare. Giving birth is daunting enough without separating yourself and your baby from the medical professionals, drugs and equipment that could save your lives. I'm 41 weeks along at the moment, second pregnancy, and my biggest concern is not being able to get to the hospital in time!

Lottle · 05/03/2022 21:02

I think free birth is rejecting all medical stuff during pregnancy too eg scans, blood tests. I assume they follow medical advice eg folic acid but I don't actually know. I don't get it personally.

TravellingFrom · 05/03/2022 21:09

Having talked to women who did free birth, they are often women who just cannot get the support they want the way they want it from the NHS.
So they go free birth instead because somehow the risk is worth taking vs having to go to hospital because the home birth was denied.
These are women who would have been happy to have just a doula for example but as it’s not legally acceptable, they just go without.

I also know some people who refused most MW checks, scans etc… but again the women I know who did that had a very different approach to life/knew they would refuse any termination etc../genuinely thought it was bad for the baby to have too many scans etc….

AnotherVice · 05/03/2022 21:10

I freebirthed by choice. Essentially I considered the risk of being interfered with higher than the risk of a true obstetric emergency (cord prolapse, shoulder dystocia, pph). It was my fourth baby. I had all antenatal care. Previous two were homebirths attended by midwives. Their very presence meant I was on a timer to give birth in their strict parameters (so many hours from rupture of membranes etc....) I know these exist for a reason but the goalposts kept moving based on no evidence (12hrs or 24hrs or even 48hrs depending who answered the phone) The midwife only served to heighten my stress and slow my labour. I have also worked in varying capacities in obstetric theatre, labour ward and the ambulance service and seen the very worst outcomes, rarely. I also know it takes several minutes to prepare the theatre staff for a crash section in the event of obstetric emergency so could have been at hospital in that time frame anyway. It was a risk, I accepted that and it paid off. You risk your life and that of your baby just by getting pregnant. I won't be drawn into a debate but I wanted to answer OP's questions as there aren't many of us who have done it or will admit to it.

TravellingFrom · 05/03/2022 21:12

Fwiw all the women I know who chose free birthing all did it for a third/subsequent births.
I think they all were very confident in their own body ability to handle birth but also very aware of the legality of it and therefore very careful not to put someone in a place where they could be legally liable iyswim (eg a partner)

Wingingitsince2018 · 05/03/2022 21:13

We were getting ready to leave for hospital with contractions around 6 minutes apart. Then my waters broke and she was so low, she was imminent. 12 minutes later she was here!

There was aterrifying moment when the person on dispatch said not to push as DH could see the cord, but my body had other ideas and thankfully everything was fine.

Yes the paramedics said they aren't trained much in births and we're relived to hear DD's cries when they arrived as it meant she was here and breathing! I was taken in to deliver placenta and for checks etc as no community midwife was available.

TravellingFrom · 05/03/2022 21:13

@AnotherVice, your story seems to be very similar to the women I’ve met.