Giving birth without midwives or doctors present. Have you ever considered doing an unassisted birth? Why would a woman do this?
We had a baby 2 weeks ago, without a doctor or a midwife present. The story of our unassisted birth was featured on ABC News. Jeff Barnard, an AP reporter who came to our house seven days after the birth of our baby daughter, wrote it. Newspapers across the United States syndicated his article after it came out.
Birth without midwives
When Jennifer Margulis went into labor with her fourth child, she sent her husband off to take the kids to school, then waited at home for her body to do what she felt confident it had evolved over millions of years to do on its own.
There was no rushing to the hospital, no midwife, no EMTs. Just Jennifer and her husband, home alone, giving birth.
“I think a lot of people think a woman who would want to have an unassisted birth would be a little bit crazy,” said Margulis, who holds a Ph.D. in literature, and is a contributing editor for Mothering Magazine.
Not risky if you do your homework
“I think I may have had that reaction as well. I am definitely not a crazy person. I’m a very educated, thoughtful and caring person. I am not a person who takes a lot of unnecessary risks. The whole point is it is not risky if you do your homework.”
Nationwide, 90 percent of births still take place in hospitals with doctors attending, said Oregon State University medical anthropologist and midwife Melissa Cheney. Another 8 to 10 percent are with midwives in hospitals or birthing centers. And 1 to 2 percent are at home.
The numbers of at-home births that are unattended are impossible to track, Cheney said.
The Missoulian still has the full text of the article on women giving birth without midwives or doctors. Click here to read it.
The third installment of a 3-part series I wrote about our unassisted birth, warts and moans and all, can be found on the Mothering.com website. The name of the article is “A Baby Born on Wednesday.”
Published: November 19, 2009
Last update: March 28, 2023
What a great article!
What a great story.
I’m a freelance writer in Eugene. I’ve heard you on the radio and read many of your articles over the years in Mothering and elsewhere, and I’ve been very inspired by your career.
It was also exciting to see so many quotes by Missy Cheyney in the story. She was my fabulous midwife for my son’s birth last year.
Congratulations to you and your family!
Jennifer! I wandered over here from FLX and had no idea that you were into birth and babies and all that. Congratulations! My last three children were both born with midwives; the last 2 at my state’s first birth center. Home birth and free birth defintiely appeal to me.
Did you see/hear about the live birth online a few weeks ago? Started some interesting conversations on Twitter.
Jenny
love the ABC story. great photos too. u all look great.
Thanks very much for stopping by Abby. I’m glad to know you’ve felt inspired. Missy Cheyney sounds like a very wonderful midwife. I was particularly grateful that the article was so even-handed and did not spout a lot of mainstream fear but rather presented our stories (and other people’s opinions) in a fair and unbiased way.
Jennifer, I didn’t see/hear about that live birth. I need to get onto Twitter but I haven’t managed to do that yet (even all this blogging is relatively new to me and I’ve been on a sharp learning curve). I’d love to know more about it!
I had one unassisted birth 22 years ago. We had looked for a midwife to assist us with our 2nd home birth, but could not find one that didn’t want to take over our birth plans. So there you go. We had two of my friends and my mother who watched the other children. I was 40 when I gave birth to my last baby,
My wife is pregnant with our 4th and we are planning to do exactly that. As our ancestors intended. Free birth!
My wife is pregnant with our 4th and we are planning to do exactly this. Our last two were home births and we are confident to deliver our baby ourself. I am grateful for your article.
Today is my 64th date of birth.. I have been Blessed with 5 children.. I had my first 2 births in hospitals with a practicing physician, I was 18 and 21 with their births..
I then had the other 3 children at home with my significant other as the attendant to their births.. I was 40, 41 and 43 for their births.. I am very grateful for the experience both ways, however I would have preferred All Home Births.. Most people were not supportive, wasn’t a worry or issue for us.. after all.. All was in Our Creators Hands