Exploring Freebirth: An Interview with Jeannine Parvati Author of Prenatal Yoga & Natural Childbirth (the first book published in the West on prenatal yoga), Midwife, Mother of 6 children (4 freebirths), Medicine Woman An interview by Ashisha at Mothering Magazine, April 2004 ***Note from Mary Ceallaigh:   Also called "Unassisted Childbirth" or "Couple's Birth," Jeannine coined the term Freebirth to convey the "Inner Midwife Principle" of birth as Yoga).  Freebirth is a reality in the spectrum of empowering women's birthing experiences that needs to be a part of any full-spectrum informed choice prenatal education curriculum, with the additional benefit that it tends to then make other drug-free birthing options truer realities, and even more accessible to the discerning woman.  Contrary to common misperceptions, many modern women who choose planned Freebirth (I've personally known several myself) tend to be better informed, and highly responsible people, often well-educated.  Freebirth is also a realm where the sexuality of birth is most directly accessed, and embraced, facilitating many physiological benefits.  A realm where birth is held to be a dialogue of love - within the laboring woman's relationship to herself, her baby, and her partner as lover. Q: What are the true and common considerations that you have about suggesting a couple choose Freebirth? The TRUE considerations -- I extend the invitation to Freebirth to anyone for whom the idea has heart and meaning. Many are called yet few are chosen for it requires a deep trust in oneself and nature. The standard advice is that Freebirth is not for everyone. It is for "low risk" families -- yet, in the words of Artemis, "Birth is as safe as life gets". The COMMON considerations -- I suggest Freebirth for families who are in love with life and one another and who are healthy, faithful, knowledgeable about perinatal possibilities and can respond fully (be responsible) for their own experience. Caveat emptor?  Not really - for in Freebirth there is nothing to buy. Q:  What are the elements that you look for in choosing good candidates for this birth choice? I do not seek nor judge "good candidates" for Freebirth.  Families are drawn to it for as many reasons as there are births. However, with that said, if a family is attracted to Freebirth as a way to avoid a recurrence of birth disappointment at the hands of a perinatal professional, I invite them to rather heal that and find a positive motive to Freebirth. As the bumper sticker states, what we resist, persists. The common draw to Freebirth is the realization that if conception can be spontaneous, without assistance or support by others than the original lovers, so can childbirth: We can birth as we conceive. Q:  How do you specifically work and coach this family? I listen with my third ear (intuition) to their hopes and fears.  I ask questions to draw out their natural knowing.  I provide an immense amount of information and new perspectives to widen their lens into the mystery so that they see a fuller picture of their own strengths and limitations.  I confess, and do not prescribe, based on my Freebirth journeys as a mother of six spontaneously born babies and grandmother of a freeborn baby in my home. Q: What do you emphasize about prenatal care? I emphasize that the baby will guide the family into caring appropriately to his or her needs if they learn to listen. Read the stories and learn from those who have had Freebirths.   ...Meditate  ...Dream  ...Surrender to love and mystery  ...Worship in the church of gratitude! Live as close to the Earth as possible - fresh clean air and water, fresh organic food (including herbs), lots of singing, dancing, and loving touch is the best prenatal care for the family.  Giving birth naturally is best grounded in making the world a better place each day. Q:  Could you supply a resource list of books, websites, organizations, professionals, videos, etc. for those women who would make this choice? (This list is by no means extensive yet is the best place to begin. Most are available online). FILMS A Clear Road to Birth VHS by Judy Seaman (lots of quality, freebirth footage, interviews) BOOKS Conscious Conception by Jeannine Parvati Baker Prenatal Yoga & Natural Childbirth by Jeannine Parvati Baker Birth & The Dialogue of Love by Marilyn Moran Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley Unassisted Homebirth by Lynn Griesemer The Farmer and the Obstetrican by Michel Odent Hygieia: A Woman's Herbal by Jeannine Parvati Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun Weed The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth by Laurie Morgan MAGAZINES New Nativity II - Unassisted Childbirth Newsletter Edited by Valerie Nordstrom vnordstrom@comcast.net 4820 69th Ave. No., Brooklyn Center, MN 55429-1673 The Compleat Mother Edited by Jody McLaughlin jody@minot.com Box 209 Minot ND 58702 The Mother Edited by Veronika Robinson mothermagazine@hotmail.com The Cottage, Glasonby Near Penrith, Cumbria, UK   CA 10 1DU Midwifery Today Edited by Jan Tritten inquiries@midwiferytoday.com PO Box 2672 Eugene OR 97402