Reclaiming Birth – Details, episodes & analysis

Summary

In this conversation, Evony discusses the concept of free birth, emphasising the importance of personal choice and the narratives surrounding birth experiences. She critiques the medical model of birth, highlighting the need for support and integrity in the birthing process. Evony advocates for creating safe spaces for discussions about birth, encouraging individuals to trust their intuition and make informed choices about their birthing experiences.

Key Takeaways

• Free birth is defined by personal choice and autonomy.
• Many people choose free birth to avoid trauma from previous experiences.
• The medical model often fails to respect physiological birth.
• Support from midwives and birth keepers is crucial.
• There is a need for more education on physiological birth.
• Integrity and transparency are essential in birth support.
• Respect for diverse birth experiences is necessary.
• Creating safe spaces for birth discussions fosters growth.
• Pregnancy and birth should be viewed as beautiful experiences.
• Access to medical support varies, but is a privilege in the UK.

Keywords

free birth, birth choices, medical model, birth support, physiological birth, birth narratives, home birth, birth trauma, birth integrity, birth community

In this episode, I share my transformative journey into witnessing undisturbed birth as I tell the story of my experience attending my first homebirth in Spain. I discuss the challenge of the medical system there, how Michel Odent won my heart and why being in another room is a great place for midwives AND doulas to be!

Interested in becoming a birthkeeper or doula? Check out my low cost ⁠Sacred Foundations Online Introductory Course⁠

Get my⁠ free guide to becoming a birthkeeper: ⁠

Find me at ⁠Sacred Womancraft⁠

She is not afraid to stand up for normal physiological birth in an age where the right to birth this way is being eroded. vilified and denigrated.

She has been an important role model to me through some tough times in my career, taking time to respond to students and midwives and still fights tirelessly for midwifery and birth at age 67.

Most people are birthing within our maternity system but 

• what if no one is teaching and supporting the midwives around physiological birth?
• And what is at the root of the increasing medicalisation?

I am so happy to share with you this important conversation around birth. 

Sheena Byrom is a practising midwife of 40 years, having worked in the NHS for most of that time. Sheena was one of the UK’s first consultant midwives, and as head of midwifery successfully helped to lead the development of three birth centres in East Lancashire. As well as being an international speaker, Sheena provides workshops and consultancy services on respectful maternity care. With her midwife daughter Anna is the proud joint owner of The Practising Midwife journal, and an exciting learning online platform All4Maternity.com

Sheena’s midwifery memoirs, Catching Babies, is a Sunday Times bestseller, and her seminal book, The Roar Behind the Silence: why kindness, compassion and respect matter in maternity care jointly edited with Soo Downe, is being used as a resource to improve maternity care throughout the world.  In 2019 Sheena and Soo edited their second book, ‘Squaring the Circle: researching normal childbirth in a technological world’.

Sheena was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to midwifery and was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Midwives in 2015. In 2016 and 2018, Sheena received Honorary Doctorates from Bournemouth University and the University of Central Lancashire, and in 2017 she was made a Visiting Fellow at Bournemouth University.

Sheena is committed to the humanisation of childbirth, to maximising normal physiological birth processes, and for all women to experience a positive birth.

Check out the links we spoke about:

Low Risk Birth Workshop - online 18th March 2023

All4Maternity

One Thought

Supporting Physiological Birth Choices in Midwifery Practice by Claire Feeley

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Birth is being Reclaimed!  Following several local births where a group of women have made conscious choices about their pregnancies and births, we are seeing first hand the intersection of the medical model and the those choosing undisturbed physiological birth. Making choices that do not align with guidelines and expectations around 'safe' birth may create anxiety and potential friction. But does it really need to be this way?

Join me and experienced birthkeeper Julie as we share what we are witnessing and experiencing as birthkeepers down here in West Cornwall and consider how we create bridges for everyone.

Resources to explore:

Supporting Physiological Birth Choices in Midwifery Practice by Claire Feeley

Dr Sara Wickham - Freebirth

Enjoyed this podcast?

DOWNLOAD MY FREE GUIDE - Reclaiming Birth: A Birthkeeper's Handbook

AND follow my birth insights on Instagram @wayofthebirthkeeper

Last year I realised that I had explored as far as I wanted to go in my career as a registered midwife. From birth units to job in the risk management department and ending in private midwifery. Leaving an MSc halfway through to going it alone as a 'birthkeeper', I still believe midwives in the system need to know how to support physiology and my personal journey shouldn't compromise that.

But also that another way of birthing is happening outside of the system.

You can find me on Instagram @evony.lynch

Want to learn more? Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribepage.io/evonylynch

Read more: https://www.all4maternity.com/optimising-normal-birth-tips-from-a-midwife/

A midwife who hates the sight of blood?!  In this episode I reflect on my own journey with blood and placentas from a place of trust, into fear and then home again. I give you an insight into how our experiences shape us and the importance of honest, regular reflection to ensure we are recognising any fears or issues that may impact on our work as midwives, birthkeepers and doulas. I regularly run placenta birth workshops online which can be found via my website or Instagram. 

You can find me @wayofthebirthkeeper  

Want to learn more? Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/birthkeeperguide 

Read more: https://www.all4maternity.com/optimising-normal-birth-tips-from-a-midwife/

Freebirth! Loved diving into freebirth with Leonie. She has freebirthed all three of her babies - all in different circumstances and with different experiences. 

From the first one where she slowly declined midwifery antenatal care and had an amazing birth under the stars in her bell tent; to a brief referral to social services. She now supports other choosing to freebirth, to understand their rights, practicalities and how to navigate the health and social services. Whether you're a midwife, student, doula or planning to have a baby then recognising that birth without a registered health professional is a valid choice, is important I believe. 

Come and join me as we explore birthing free together. 

You can find out more @birthwise.withleonie for her Navigating Officaldom online workshop

And you can find me @wayofthebirthkeeper on Instagram

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Find my online and inperson birthkeeper courses at Sacred Womancraft

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The medicalisation of birth is not new. 20 years in midwifery and birth truths are slipping away. It's time we reclaim them.

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Join me and Joy Horner, fellow deregistered midwife and birthkeeper in our free online community below.

the-wise-woman-collective.mn.co/

Cat Price, student midwife turned birthkeeper following her own freebirth. We talk about the lack of evidence behind vaginal examinations, the truth about being a student midwife whilst observing the trauma being created within the maternity system, and her decision to walk away. If you are being called to midwifery yet your soul is questioning whether that is the right path for you, this will be great listen. 

Find her on instagram - catherine.n.price - birthkeeper, circles, rituals. rites and ceremonies.

Find me on art.of.midwifery on instagram and www.artofmidwifery.org

The opportunity to experience an  empowering physiological birth with the presence of an authentic midwife  is a choice we should have as women and birthing people.

It’s time to reclaim the art of midwifery.

A few thoughts from me about how I have made peace with working inside the system. I've danced in and out of NHS midwifery and it has been very challenging at times. For me, understanding and coming to terms with why the system works the way it does has enabled me to stay in it this time for longer, along with working for a pretty progressive NHS Trust. I will always be a bit more radical than most midwives in the way I think about birth but sometimes we have to be realistic; finances and responsibilities mean some people need to stay working this way, and also the 700,000 births a year need midwives who care and can work in a holistic way, optimising empowered physiological birth from the inside out.