Self-directed birth vs free birthing
Natural childbirth is undergoing a renaissance of sorts as a growing number of women are electing to have normal, physiological birth, free of interventions. While most women who wants to have a physiologic birth still choose to give birth in a hospital or birthing center, some women choose a homebirth midwife to shepherd them through the pregnancy and birth. Women choose homebirth because home is the only place where they have the chance of having a completely undisturbed, normal, physiological birthin a calm, quiet birthing space with no medical management.
When we understand that we are mammals too, it becomes obvious that disturbance in birth—or any situation where the laboring woman does not feel private, safe, and unobserved—will interfere to some extent with the processes of labor.Disturbances during labor, or even prior to the onset of labor, such as shifting from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar environment can slow or even stop labor by disrupting our labor hormones. Labor disturbances elevate adrenaline and noradrenaline, our “fight or flight” hormones, not only slowing labor, but also re-routing blood from the uterus and baby to the muscles, heart, and lungs in preparation for action.
