Labor and Birth

What Went Wrong With Kate’s Homebirth

September 29, 2013

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We're Maryn + Margo

We are mamas and birth workers who decided to do birth differently– and bring others along with us. We are kind, fun to work with, and great at (lovingly) calling people on their bullshit. With 12 children and 20 years of midwifery between us, we’ve learned a thing or two along the way, and Indie Birth is our space to share it all with you.

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Today I want to tell you the story of a woman named Kate.

Kate’s story, unfortunately, is not unlike the stories of millions of women all across the country.

Kate was interested in a home birth, and was investigating her options for having her first baby at home.

But without a solid understanding of the various choices she had for choosing a midwife, and without developing a solid set of her own beliefs about birth, Kate didn’t really have a good foundation on which to make her decisions.

And so her search for a midwife began.

Eventually, she interviewed a team of “medical” midwives. These midwives carry drugs, they consult with doctors. They clearly feel that birth is medical. This team promised Kate the birth she thought she wanted.

Although Kate began her journey clearly walking in the direction of a homebirth, after speaking with her midwife, she decided she would pursue her birth in a birth center.

“The best of both worlds really…” she thought to herself.

At the time, Kate had no idea that she was making a decision that would put her wishes of a “homebirth” at risk. She didn’t realize that the true world of home birth and the world of medicine do not coexist. In fact, those two worlds are often completely at odds with each other.

But Kate did not know.

Kate was not aware of the rules, regulations and state oversight that she had willingly invited into her life and the life of her child by hiring her midwife.

At the time, Kate did not realize that her decisions would in fact increase her chances of giving birth in a hospital.

In the end, Kate’s “normal” birth became a hospital transport and c-section.

There was nothing wrong with Kate. There was nothing wrong with her baby.

What was wrong was the information inside Kate’s head.

Kate had not noticed the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Kate had not noticed the long arm of the state that she had invited into this most sacred of events.

Kate did not realize that her birth WOULD BE a medical event simply by those she had willingly invited to participate.

Birth IS a medical event for those who are not informed about the TRUTH.

Today, Kate is expecting her second child.

And now she is faced with searching for a midwife who can attend her VBAC – a condition that midwives in Kate’s area are forbidden to deal with.

It is for the millions of mothers just like Kate that we created our online course, “How to Have an Indie Birth.”

With the information in that course, Kate would have been told the truth.

She would have received the information she needed to truly understand the consequences of her decisions.

At this point, the best chance for Kate is to take control of her life and her future birth.

“How to Have an Indie Birth” was made for Kate.

It was made for her and for the millions of women like her.

Those that have been disappointed, discouraged, dismayed by their birth experiences.

We will change this… and we will do it one woman at a time.

This course is for the women that are READY to admit what they didn’t know, what they MUST know this time, and what their bodies have always known.

It is packed with information, support and education so that women like Kate can finally OWN their births, and everything that comes with birth.

If you give up your power, your control, your consent and your willingness to honor what your body knows, your journey towards a homebirth may end just like Kate’s did.

Prior surgical birth leads to zero options “in the system.”

If you are on a journey like Kate’s or know someone who is, How to Have an Indie Birth can change your future.

The course includes 5 pre-recorded classes that you can listen to on your own time frame, tons of handouts, a workbook, suggested videos, a community forum for connection with other mamas, and email access to both me and Margo for questions.

The future of birth depends on all of us. Register or share this class in the next 48 hours and receive 15% off.

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Meet the duo behind Indie Birth

We are mamas and midwives who decided to do birth differently– and bring others along with us. We are radical, fun to work with, and great at (lovingly) calling people on their bullshit to help move us all towards a new more beautiful world. With 12 children and over two decades of midwifery between us, we’ve learned a thing or two along the way, and Indie Birth is our space to share it all with you.

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