What You Should Know: Unassisted Childbirth/Freebirth

The term has been floating around recently and many moms are confused. What is an unassisted childbirth? Why is it called freebirth? Is it dangerous? Why would someone elect to have a UC (as it's often called)? Do they get prenatal care? What happens if something goes wrong?

All these questions and more will be answered in this article.

Unassisted childbirth is the act of having your baby without the presence of a doctor or midwife. Typically it's in your own home but some women birth in secluded areas like their back yard or a field, the woods, or somewhere else quiet and private.

Why would someone choose to have a UC?

There are several philosophies that a woman wanting a UC typically has. One is that childbirth is much like conception, in that the only people that should be there are the people who made the baby in the first place. The second is that childbirth is a completely natural process that every woman is prepared to handle. She has confidence in herself, her body, and her baby, and she feels that intervention is risky. Another is the very real fear that her birth will be hampered or even ruined by attendants, no matter how understanding they are of her wishes. Some women view birth as a spiritual or empowering experience and the presence of strangers...even if it's someone you've screened and hired, can adversely affect your birth, in their opinion.

Why is it called freebirth?

Because the woman births free of restrictions placed on her by others who can't tap into her instincts or birth her baby.

Is it dangerous?

There are no statistics kept on unassisted childbirth, as many of the women who have one consider it a private event and therefore they report to no authority on how the birth went, if there were any complications, etc. However, there are many stories of women having safe and wonderful UC births all over the internet.

Do they get prenatal care?