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Unassisted Birth... A Good Option for Some Women

For some women, the best option is to have an unassisted birth. This means they are deciding to give birth without the aid of a doctor or midwife. While not the ideal birth for everyone, for the women who choose to do so, this is the only way to have a baby.

Women are motivated to birth unassisted for many reasons. Some are ready to accept full responsibility for their own prenatal care and for giving birth. Our bodies were designed to reproduce, after all. Others have had negative experiences with doctors or midwives and feel they will have the best birth for their baby and themselves by birthing alone.

While I haven't had an unassisted birth myself, I have seriously considered it. I have had an unassisted late miscarriage that included a full-blown labor. While not quite the same, I can understand why a woman would choose to birth on her own.

Being able to have a natural birth without any interventions to disrupt the flow of birthing hormones is something every woman should be able to experience if she chooses. These hormones help prepare the baby for life outside the womb and help prepare a woman to mother that child.

On her site, unassisted birth advocate Laura Shanley says of her own experiences birthing alone: "I enjoy giving birth. I find it exhilarating and exciting, sexual and spiritual, magical and miraculous! It is POWER in its purest form, and for me, it is the ultimate creative act."

Her words express the sentiment of many women who have opted for a birth without official attendants. Some also choose an unassisted pregnancy, doing any prenatal care needed on their own. In the minds of many of these women, this is the only way to get a natural birth.

This beautiful artwork is by Toni Rakestraw. You can see more of her wonderful art at Zazzle.com

Medical Disclaimer

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