Hellobee Boards

WHAT?! I don't think I can watch this! I can barely watch A Birth Story on TLC!

EEK!!! This gives me anxiety!

Omg!

Is it weird that I'm not all that shocked by it? I have a few friends who are pretty deeply involved in the world of unassisted childbirth. Its not for me, but I don't judge them for doing so.

I'm really unsure why someone would do this. I'm all for homebirths but I'm not sure why someone would choose an unassisted birth in this day and age?

@grizz: I'm not phased by it either. I've been hearing "free birth" stories for years.

I actually find the idea of birthing unassisted very attractive, but I would want a midwife in the next room, within shouting distance, in case of emergency, so it wouldn't be a true "free birth" technically.
That might be what I do next time, in fact. I personally wouldn't consider doing it without the back-up of a medical provider (and their bag of emergency equipment), though.

@birdofafeather: I don't think most people who free birth do it to commune with nature, I think the outdoor setting in these particular births is just because it's peaceful and calming. Most free birthers do it in their homes.

I do think the film crew is an odd choice, but to each their own.

@birdofafeather: I've never asked Its not my thing, so we've never had that conversation.

@Arden: the peace and calm is also something I think would be gone with a filming crew there!

I guess I've read/seen photos of so many homebirths with midwives there to assist that looked amazingly calm that I have a hard time understanding why someone would choose this. But I'm not them and they have nothing to prove to me! I hope for good outcomes for all the moms and babies of the show!

@birdofafeather: I think some women who choose free birth have had a hard time finding a provider that works for them (maybe their state doesn't allow midwives to attend VBAC's, or maybe the local midwives are very religious and so they don't feel comfortable with them, or maybe they had a traumatic experience with a medical provider in the past, etc).

I don't know all the motivations though, it's a relatively big and diverse group of people.