Please help me understand-how do u know?

**onemummmy** · 13-04-2008 18:12

Hi I am just wondering, freebirthers, how do u know, if it happens, that something is wrong? How do u know when u need hospital or the ambulance? As silly as it sounds sometimes I have little fantasies of just giving birth by myself, & even if I was in hospital I would want 2 run & hide & do it myself. Not that its an issue for me right now LOL but u never know in the future I guess. The thing that scares me is something going wrong & not realising fast enough. So how do u know? Can u still have an unassisted birth if u just have a midwife quietly in the corner 'in case'?
thanks

**onemummmy** · 13-04-2008 20:20

anyone?

**Shanaynay** · 13-04-2008 20:27

I think you need to be in tune with your body, and listen to your instincts.

But you may not always know if there is something wrong. Just like in a hospital, not everything is picked up.

I think also deciding to freebirth carries a few responsibilites - things like knowing infant resuscitation, knowing methods to prevent PPH and bleeding etc.... so that if something does go wrong, you're in a position to minismise the risk or damage.

You could have a midwife sitting in the corner just incase.

**SassyMummy** · 13-04-2008 20:27

I don't know the ins and outs of freebirth, but I would say that, even with a midwife handy you could have an unassisted birth. Who cares about labels? It may not technically be a freebirth, but so what?

**Mamalicious** · 13-04-2008 20:28

I don't know the answer, it's a question that goes round in my head too.

**reAllytee** · 13-04-2008 20:31

Originally Posted by phineas

I think you need to be in tune with your body, and listen to your instincts.

But you may not always know if there is something wrong. Just like in a hospital, not everything is picked up.

I think also deciding to freebirth carries a few responsibilites - things like knowing infant resuscitation, knowing methods to prevent PPH and bleeding etc.... so that if something does go wrong, you're in a position to minismise the risk or damage.

You could have a midwife sitting in the corner just incase.

Things are often overlooked in hospital anyways so there are always risks !

Hopefully the lovely demeter will be around to give you all the details you are asking for otherwise you can check out her blog as that may have details ! It also has her freebirth which is just an amazing story !

**~Emmylou~** · 13-04-2008 21:01

I think women who freebirth have a few things in common.

They're very in touch with their instincts, and they trust them implicitly. This is basically their touchstone - it's their vaginal exam, their electronic fetal monitor...it's all the "scientific" things that others rely on giving birth.

They have deep faith in their bodies and their babies.

They have excellent theoretical understanding of the "ins and outs" of normal birth and are extremely well informed. They put in hours and hours researching and talking to others.

They have strong support - the people who are going to be with them as they birth - usually partners - take it as seriously as they do and are very committed and put in the preparation they need to as well (obviously this one doesn't apply to those really rare women who do it 100% alone!)

And finally... they are women who are prepared to take full responsibility for themselves, their babies and their choices and believe that responsibility rightfully belongs with them, as the mother of that baby.

That sounds like a freebirth 101 but my point is that when women have all of those things happening, their instincts - whose purpose IS to tell them when something is wrong (or not) - are optimal and work at their best.

**bAaM** · 13-04-2008 21:09

Originally Posted by allyoo

Things are often overlooked in hospital anyways so there are always risks !

Hopefully the lovely demeter will be around to give you all the details you are asking for otherwise you can check out her blog as that may have details ! It also has her freebirth which is just an amazing story !

When u birth in a hospital alot of the time u are pushed into drugs and uncalled for intervention.

But if u want to freebirth homebirth ect i think that you need to be 100% sure its what u want so u are relaxed.

**onemummmy** · 13-04-2008 21:12

oh well I know I wont be doing that then, I dont think im that in touch with my instincts. I know I CAN give birth, but thats different. I had midwives there so yeah..

**bubs_and_us** · 13-04-2008 21:17

freebirth may not be your cup of tea (not mine either), but a homebirth might be? you have the reasssurance of a midwife without the danger* of the hospital

*it is my opinion that hospitals are dangerous places for healthy ladies labouring and delivering babies