A Natural Birth Manifesto

Birth is mostly safe-

Women innately know how to give birth- 

Women can benefit from support from other women through pregnancy and birth so that they can access wisdom passed through generations-

Breastfeeding is the best and most natural way to feed our young-

Newborns are programmed to love their mothers-

Mothers are programmed to love their babies and have a fierce attachment for them-

The birthing process is designed to create attachment, euphoria, pain, and pleasure.  All these things combine to both slow the mother down long enough to recover and care for her young and make her excited to repeat the process-

Birth is safest when left alone most of the time-

Nutrition has a mighty impact on the health of the mother and her child and their birth experience-

Danger, anger, negativity, and disrespect deeply impact the laboring women and her birth experience.  These things are INTERVENTIONS, though this is often unrecognized-

Women are happier with their birth experience when they are treated with kindness and respect, regardless of if the birth is at home, in a hospital, or if the birth includes medications or not-

The baby and mother benefit from a natural third stage of labor and cord blood passing to the baby-

An obstetric system based on a deeply held belief in female malfunction and pathology colors and damages the model of care that modern women receive and makes them more likely to "need" medical interventions-

Women and babies sometimes DO benefit from obstetric interventions and surgeries-

Modern women are capable of natural vaginal delivery safely and can do so more than two thirds of the time-

Obstetrics benefits monetarily from a pathological model of birth.  This model of birth is a self fulfilling prophesy- if we believe it will go wrong most of the time, it probably will-

Medicating the pregnant and laboring woman deeply impacts the birth and the baby-

Mobility, safety, trust, good health, and kindness will benefit the safe birth of a baby and the safety of the mother-

Babies and mothers benefit from immediate contact and constant contact after the birth-

Most of us don't even really know what natural birth even is any more, but we can remember-