natural childbirth

When I was pregnant with my son, almost eleven years ago, the internet was more of a nerdy luxury than anything else. Now pregnant women or women who are thinking of becoming pregnant can access virtually anything - including a new quiz that will tell them whether a midwife or ob-gyn is best for them!

Midwives have always placed a great deal of importance on the physical space for childbirth, the personal relationships of those who attend the birth, and the metaphysics of the birth spaces to which women will consciously or unconsciously respond. A new book details, for providers, just how critical these elements are to an optimal birth experience - and how most birthing women currently don't have these options.

When some women are literally begging their midwife not to transfer them to a hospital because they can't afford to pay the costs associated with a hospital birth, or women must spend part of their pregnancy searching for ways to pay for prenatal care instead of actually getting the care they need, we're talking about a crisis of coverage in this country.

The "perils of home birth"? How about "the perils of mainstream media coverage of home birth"? The Today Show mangles its portrayal of midwifery and out-of-hospital birth as excellent maternity care options.

A new study uncovers more reasons for women to consider their childbirth options and to fight for their right to thorough, unbiased and accurate information when thinking about what kind of birth for which they'd like to plan.