I was reading some old childbirth books from the 1980′s. I was surprised to see that homebirth was addressed positively in each, and the extent to which it was addressed. More so, I was surprised to read the statistic that 1% of babies had been homebirthed at the beginning of the 1980′s.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
This statistic is staggering to me. While I had heard that to be the current homebirth rate, research indicates that 1% is not the current homebirth rate at all, it is only the out-of-hospital birth rate, and includes free-standing birth centers. The actual current rate of homebirth is 0.65%
That’s right, despite all our education and the spread of information on the internet, our homebirth rate has decreased!
I have to admit, I feel helpless. I wonder where we went wrong. I wonder if all of us aren’t just preaching to the choir. I fear the medical system has so entrenched itself into our legal system that true freedom is impossible.
Is this what we’re headed for again?
Your turn!
Are we fighting a losing battle? What will it take to win?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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I'm Jeannie. I've been advocating for healthy birth since 2001 when I had my first empowered birth experience, the unassisted waterbirth of my second child. Unassisted birth may not be best for you, but empowered birth is. I'll help get you there.
*shudder*