Mallory Chooses Freebirth

My decision to free birth came after accidentally free birthing my first two children, before I knew that it was legal or that people did it intentionally.

When I found out I was pregnant this time, I knew I wanted to birth at home. With my previous birth, the hospital stay afterwards was terrible, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like this time during COVID.

I knew I wanted to have a home birth, but I did NOT want assistance. Originally, I wanted a midwife to come by after the birth to offer support and sign off on the birth certificate, but months went by and I couldn't find one who didn't require seeing me throughout my entire birth.

Finally, I made one last call to a midwife, and I was shocked when she told me, "You don't really need me."

And she was right! She referred me to the Free Birth Society, and I felt excitement and shock course through my body.

I purchased the Complete Guide to Free Birth and the books that were recommended as well. By the end of it, I was confident I could birth my baby without assistance, this time intentionally.

After about a week of uncomfortable sensations and about four days of light fluid leaking, I went into my OB's office to see if what I was feeling were in fact sensations or if I was just anxious.

Sure enough, my OB tested my water and showed it was amniotic fluid leaking. I sat up immediately and said, "Oh no, I need to go home!"

She strongly advised me to stay, which I declined. She then asked if I wanted to know if I was dilated at all. I said yes, and when she checked me, I was at 6 cm. I really needed to get home!

She spent quite a bit of time trying to convince me to go up to labor and delivery. I was GBS positive and my baby could develop sepsis and die. I declined her offer--I had delivered my first baby at home after having tested positive for GBS with zero complications.

Finally, I decided to lie to her so I could get home and told her I was having a midwife assisted birth who would give me antibiotics. She seemed to accept this, and I went home.

This birth was completely different than my first two!

The first two's sensations were swift and consistent, but these ones were longer, and less consistent. I was doubting that I was in labor at all. My husband had set up the birth pool and GoPro while I was at the hospital, and after a while, I told him to turn off the GoPro, because this baby is not coming today.

As soon as I said that, moments later, I told my husband to turn it back on--I felt a gush of water come out and the baby dropped into my pelvis--I knew it was close! I stood up in the bathtub and held onto the shower rod for support. After a moment where everything seemed to stop, I had one strong sensation and I pushed with it.

I cried with relief because, for a moment, I second guessed myself and the process that I chose, but I remembered the affirmations from the Complete Guide: "My body opens like a flower," and "I'm okay, you're okay, we're okay."

My husband held his hands under me as my daughter emerged, and she came out easily with the second push. I caught her myself, moving my hands above my husbands and guiding her out.

She cried immediately, and I rubbed her back, turning her over. I softly sucked some fluid out of her nose and she continued to cry. My husband cried out, "It's a girl!" We kissed and I said over and over, "We did it!"

I felt the placenta coming out and I shouted, "Babe, catch my placenta!" He caught it just in time and placed it in our "placenta bowl." I transitioned to our couch with the placenta in a bowl, my daughter Noemi in my arms and watched a movie with my husband and little boys.

We had prayed for a healthy little girl and can't believe we were blessed with her. I trusted in God and myself, and had an amazing resource who directed me to an empowering platform, and I had am amazing birth!

This was the most euphoric, relaxing birth I have ever experienced. I can't wait to freebirth my next baby and experience that blessing again!

-Mallory