So I’m covering an interesting topic in class this week, and it intrigued me so I thought I’d bring it here. (This will probably get long, sorry in advance 😂)

There seems to be this accepted mentality among midwives and doulas currently, and I feel like it’s gone from where, as a group, instead of advocating for proper education and informed consent surrounding birth and a woman’s right to choose her own birth story like we’re supposed to do... we’re pushing “natural” birth as the only acceptable way to birth, and kinda pushing out women who make other choices during their labor and delivery than the ones we would make ourselves.

It’s like... you can choose, but only as long as you choose what WE would choose for you. And honestly that’s exactly what we’re fighting against doctors for doing in the first place; taking away the woman’s right to truly choose!

(And PS- if you’ve ever been shamed or made to feel like you did something wrong just because you didn’t have a non-medicated vaginal birth... I’m sincerely sorry. Know that there are some of us working very hard to change how your birth is perceived and talked about. Your birth was beautiful and deserves to be treated as equal, not “less than” anyone else’s birth)

So now that I’ve ranted, here’s the topic 😂

Verbiage during birth.

Is there, in your opinion, a set definition of when birth can be considered “natural”?

At what point is a birth no longer considered “natural”?

What is a birth considered if it’s not “natural”?

Is it damaging to label one set birth story as “natural” or is it empowering?

Do you believe every woman should try for a “natural” birth unless medically indicated?

Do you believe you were given unbiased, up to date information regarding the risks and benefits of your choices before and during birth?

What, if any, experience have you had with others judging you for your birth choices?

Feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, stories, etc.

Edited to add an additional question:

Do you think birth professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, etc) should ever use the term natural when talking about a specific type of birth?