Unassisted birth, also known as freebirthing, is a natural childbirth method where the mother delivers without medical assistance. Proponents believe in trusting the body and taking charge of the labor, but opponents argue it can pose safety risks. Regular prenatal care is encouraged, and experienced birth attendants are recommended for most home births.
Unattended birth is a birth in which the laboring mother is not assisted by a birth attendant such as a doctor, nurse or midwife. This approach to childbirth is part of the natural childbirth movement, which advocates a return to more traditional childbirth methods and a rejection of medicalized childbirth, such as hospital births or births that involve surgery. Most unattended births take place at home or in other private places. This is not the same as an accidental unassisted birth, where a woman gives birth without medical assistance due to an emergency situation, rather than because she planned to.
Proponents of unassisted birth believe that the laboring mother should trust her body and take charge of her labor. In an unattended birth, she makes the decisions about how and when to deliver and does not make directions for an attendant or observer. In some cases, women work alone in a solo birth, while others may work with their partners in a couples birth, or welcome many friends and family members to the birth, with the understanding that they remain in charge.
For a woman with a healthy pregnancy, home birth can be very safe, and in fact home births are actively encouraged for women with healthy pregnancies in many regions of the world. However, giving birth without medical attention of any kind can be dangerous. In most home births, an experienced birth attendant is available to intervene if a problem develops, and a woman can be evacuated to the hospital if it becomes apparent that she or the baby is in danger. In an unassisted birth, there is no safety net, which can make the process dangerous.
Proponents of unassisted birth, also known as freebirthing, have different approaches to the practice. Some believe that women should have regular prenatal care from a doctor, nurse, physician assistant, or midwife. Antenatal care can identify problems and complications that may indicate that an unattended birth would not be safe and will allow women to pursue care with an assisted home birth or hospital birth if needed. Others believe that women can inform themselves about antenatal care and childbirth, or that women should pick and choose antenatal care services to meet their needs.
Many professional organizations of birthing professionals such as obstetricians and midwifery nurses oppose unattended birth, arguing that it can pose safety risks to mother and child. Midwives and home birth advocates can be more supportive, with some caveats such as a commitment to prenatal care and a willingness to transfer to hospital if needed. Unassisted birth education is provided in a variety of places, including books on the practice, workshops led by childbirth educators and people who have experienced unassisted births, and on websites and forums where people can share information and stories .
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