This remarkable breech twin freebirth photo was taken by Brianna Hill of Breezy Photography. You will definitely want her services if she covers your area. Thank you to her and the beautiful family who has offered for me to share it.

Q: What is freebirth, and how do you support mothers who choose this option?
A: Freebirth is a conscious decision to give birth outside of a medical setting, without the assistance of a healthcare provider. While I did attend births as a midwife over two decades, I am not your healthcare provider during a fully autonomous freebirths. The decision to freebirth is deeply personal, often rooted in a desire for autonomy, privacy, and trust in the body’s natural process. I offer virtual support to freebirthing mothers, helping you make the safest, most informed choices by providing guidance, resources, and emotional support throughout your pregnancy and birth process. In some states, I also offer in-person emotional and physical support and consultation, as well as birth attendance, to ensure you feel empowered, prepared, and confident.

Q: How can you help me if I choose freebirth?
A: My role is to support you in creating a safe and informed birth experience, offering both emotional and practical guidance. I provide:

• Virtual consultations to discuss your plans, assess your health, and ensure you’re making the best decisions based on your unique circumstances.
• Access to evidence-based resources to help you understand your choices and options, whether that’s regarding nutrition, positioning, or the steps to take in case of an emergency.
• Emotional support to help you feel empowered and confident in your choice, addressing any fears or concerns you may have leading up to your birth.
• Physical support and hands-on consultation in select states, including comfort measures, hands-on guidance, and in-person emotional support.

Q: Is freebirth safe?
A: Freebirth can be a safe option for some women, particularly those who have had previous positive birth experiences and are well-prepared. However, it’s important to understand the risks and be informed about what may happen during labor and delivery. My goal is not to help you assess whether freebirth is the best choice for you, but you should make this decision taking into account your health, the health of your baby, and any potential risks. I am not your provider in a freebirth scenario. But I am able to support you, educate you, and empower you in your decision process.

Q: What do I need to prepare for a freebirth?
A: Preparation is key to ensuring your safety and confidence. Here’s what we will focus on:

• Physical Preparation: We will discuss what supplies you might need, such as clean towels, birthing pool (if desired), sterile gloves, and any tools that might help with comfort or emergencies.
• Emergency Plans: Although freebirth is about trusting the body, it’s crucial to have a contingency plan in case of complications, because let’s face it…life doesn’t always go exactly as we pray for it to, but it goes exactly as it is meant to. We’ll go over the nearest hospitals, ideas how to handle emergencies, and signs to watch for during labor. It isn’t possible to be completely prepared for every birth scenario that can arise, but I can help you prepare for some of the most common scenarios that come up. Freebirth is, in many ways, a journey of faith…faith that everything is happening as it is meant to and that you are strong enough to handle whatever comes your way.
• Education: I’ll do my best to provide you with the latest, evidence-based information to help guide your decisions during labor. This includes understanding your body’s signals, positioning techniques, and how to support both yourself and your baby. I do not, however, have a crystal ball, and I can therefore not predict your outcome. I can only give you information to help encourage the best outcome possible, and you must be comfortable with the limitations of birthing out of a hospital.
• Emotional and Mental Preparation: Freebirth can be an emotional journey, as well as a wildly liberating journey full of empowerment. I’ll provide emotional support, tools to manage anxiety, and help foster your growing confidence in your ability to birth without medical intervention.

Q: Will you be present at my birth?
A: Depending on your location and the legalities in your state, I may be able to provide in-home emotional and physical support during your freebirth. If I cannot attend in person, I offer continuous virtual support, providing reassurance and guidance via video or phone throughout your labor. Whether virtually or in person, I’m committed to ensuring you feel supported and prepared for your experience.

Q: What won’t you do during a freebirth you are supporting?
A: I am unable to do anything that constitutes practicing medicine without a license. I will not catch you baby, but you can! I will not administer medications, but you are welcome to have herbs on hand and learn how to use them. I will not take your blood pressure, but you can do this as often as you wish, or not…it’s your journey. I can not make any decisions in your care whatsoever, but I will empower you to connect with resources and information to make your own decisions in your care, and whenever possible I will supply you with evidenced based information. As a good samaritan, if I see someone in need of life saving maneuvers, I would offer the same level of care support I’d offer to a person down on the street, such as calling emergency services or providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, without any equipment. While this is unlikely, babies need at least light resuscitation 10% of the time and extensive resuscitation 1% of the time. I won’t suture you, but I haven’t hardly needed to suture women over the years as a midwife. I can advise you on natural ways to help small second degree tears to heal, and let you know if there is good reason to seek assistance in that area. I will not listen to your baby with a doppler, but you are welcome to use mine to do this yourself or buy or borrow one to use. I will not perform labwork, but I’m happy to connect you with options for diagnostic testing if you wish to do labwork or ultrasound. These are just some examples for clarification, but this is not an exhaustive list.

Q: What supplies will I need?
A: A list of supplies most women prefer is available, and you may purchase an “Autonomous Birth Kit” here. You may add on items or remove items per your preference. Add ons may need you to search for them, including a LARGE generic pool liner, waterbirth hose, faucet adaptor, and vitamin K if you wish to administer that to your baby. Other supplies that families typically gather before week 36 include 7-8 large towels, 6-8 receiving square blankets for baby, a couple of kitchen trashbags, paper towels, natural electrolyte drinks, heating pad (plug in), protein rich food for postpartum, and fruit or other carbs for labor. I highly recommend that you have the baby car seat installed and some cash on hand in case your find a need to transport. Some may prefer to have a small hospital bag packed. Not much is needed, except an outfit for mom for after birth that is breastfeeding friendly and phone chargers, as well as insurance cards and birth wishes. One newborn outfit with feet and baby blanket is also wise.

Q: Can you help me if I change my mind during labor and decide to transfer to the hospital?
A: Absolutely. Birth plans can evolve, and it’s important to have the flexibility to change your approach if needed. I’m here to support you regardless of the decisions you make during labor. If you choose to transfer to a hospital or seek medical assistance, I will help you make that transition smoothly while respecting your birth preferences. I will also give guidance on ways you can advocate for the outcome you seek. There are typical struggles in recent years with declining Vitamin K and the Newborn Screening Program participation. I highly encourage families to reserve legal support services prior to birthing from Heritage Defense as it is now somewhat common for homebirth transports to be threatened with DCYF involvement when making any decision that goes again the normal hospital policy. It’s a sad reality that has become a growing trend over the last 5-10 years. There are reasons to consider both procedures, but there are also reasons to consider avoiding them, and you cannot count on hospital pediatricians to be willing to see the other wide of the research, so it is ideal to be prepared for to have support in exercising your autonomy and right to decide what care and procedures you want for your baby.

Q: What if something goes wrong during my freebirth?
A: Although serious complications are rare, it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected. We will work together to create a contingency plan, including clear steps to take if you experience signs of distress or need medical attention. I will support you in making your own decisions for you and your baby in any situation.

Q: What if I’m unsure whether freebirth is the right choice for me?
A: If you’re uncertain, I’m here to help you weigh the pros and cons of freebirth in a non-judgmental space, but I do feel strongly that people choosing to birth in sovereign fashion should feel a deep personal level for accountability for their birth. This, however, doesn’t mean that if something goes differently than you expect, you should feel guilty or feel blame. Life and death is in God’s hands, no matter how much the medical community believes otherwise. Only you can decide if you are a good candidate for freebirthing, as it is not right for every family. If you are hiring me to support you in freebirthing, I will not make any decisions for you. I can serve as a resource for information and ideas, but you are in charge of your experience, and to some degree of your outcome also. Even the best laid plans are not guaranteed a particular outcome. You must accept that when freebirthing. Together, we can explore your goals, any potential risks, and how you feel about labor and birth. I provide you with the tools and resources you need to make an informed, empowered decision that feels right for you and your baby. Whether you choose freebirth or opt for a different type of birth plan, my goal is to support you in making the choice that aligns with your needs, values, and safety.

Q: How can I get started with your support for freebirth?
A: First let us connect to see if working together is a good mutual fit. You can reach out to me via the contact page to schedule an initial consultation, either virtually or in-person (depending on your location). During this consultation, we will discuss your birth preferences, your health, and what you need to begin preparing for your freebirth. I will work closely with you to help you feel confident, prepared, and empowered every step of the way.