•Unassisted Birth•

•Freebirth•

•Wild Birth •

This type of birthing goes by many names and depends on the person's personal preference or culture. It makes sense that it is held by many names because this practice is completely and wholey unregulated. Unregulated by the system, society, and any governing body besides the body birthing the baby.

It's important to note that not all unassisted birth is planned. An unplanned unassisted birth happens all the time! We've seen the viral stories that go around where the mother birthed their baby in a gas station bathroom, or more commonly their car! Birth can truly happen anywhere, and sometimes unexpectedly. Birth varies so much with each pregnancy, so it's possible to have a 40hr labor with your first baby but then have a 2hr labor the second time. Birth itself is highly unregulatable without strong medicines.

Planned freebirth:

A planned freebirth is a birthing option where you choose to birth outside the medical system, or even out of the system in general.

What iT looks like-

trimesters 1-3:

You notice your flow hasn't come, and you decide to see how things progress, or take a pregnancy test. From this point you can decide how you Invision your pregnancy and birth. Some choose to plan for chiropractic care, birthkeeper services, monitrice services, or traditional attendants to assist with certain aspects of pregnancy and birth. Services include support, ultrasound, comfort, guidance, mostly unrelated to standard western medicine practices. Because freebirth is unregulated and completely individualized, you can choose any or none. You can simply be. It's all up to you.

Often times self study can be valuable for those planning an unassisted birth. If you hire a birthkeeper or traditional attendant, they often walk you through the details and answer any questions that may come up. They often have resources and guidance on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Or simply choose to read suggested reading for freebirth and homebirth, while going inward to decide what you will need to prepare for this journey.

Labor & Birth:

When labor begins, is a great time to begin setting up any last minute things in your birth space, being thoughtful about your surroundings and how to enhance your comfort. If you hire a birthkeeper or birth attendant, they will gladly help with setting up a birth pool and any other birth space arrangements and preparations such as towels, herbs, lighting, comfort and more. There is no rush to time contractions, or rush off to the hospital. If all feels well, you can just relax and flow with your birth experience without expectations of anyone else. There is no timeline in this space. Just trust and awareness.

As the birth of your baby begins it's important to stay aware of your body and the strong intuition. Trust your instincts. If all feels well, your baby will be birthed when they are ready with your help. Instinctually it is common for birth to happen in upright positions like on hands and knees, squatting, standing, or side lying. Time to catch/receive/pick up your baby, attached to their cord the baby will come earthside and it is normal for this to be in your arms, in the soft birthing pool floor, into the hands on a chosen person, or gently to the bed or floor to be cradled by you when you are ready.

Postpartum:

In immediate postpartum your hormones are adjusting rapidly with your baby and your instincts are still heightened. As you wait for the placenta to release, you can choose to use herbs for cramping or bleeding depending. This is the golden hour, where you and baby meet eye to eye and skin to skin to connect in this new life. Breastfeeding will come instinctually and baby will help guide you to their needs. The placenta will release and you can choose to cut the cord (or burn) or keep it intact for a lotus birth. One of the many choices to be made in your own home and the comfort of your timeline. If you hired a birthkeeper or attendant they may help with cord ceremony or cutting. This is the time when many will weigh their baby or doing any other checks for documentation or memory. The choice is yours in an unregulated birth.

In postpartum it's important to have support, and the more the better. If you hired a birthkeeper or attendant they will have visits with you in your postpartum so help you heal, comfort techniques, guidance or to give any support needed. It's important to have family or friends assist when they can with other life chores while you adjust in your fourth trimester. The trimester after birth.

If you choose to get a birth certificate for baby, you can do so! Even with an unassisted birth. Check with the vital records department in your area for details. Or ask your birthkeeper for guidance.

Questions

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to reach out for a free consultation!

Written by: Hayley Grow (Raising Flowers)