Because history left unaddressed becomes the present

[maynardsong]

Mods, can we have tags for birth, reproductive justice, and/or midwifery? Also, I thought this was incredibly on-point, and does a fantastic job addressing the racism and classism behind "choosing" a "natural" birth. I actually think this can be extended to breastfeeding and living eco-friendly.This was a quote from my eighth grade history class,

Comments

[ionracas]

I don't really follow the reasoning here. Homebirth is expensive because it is not supported by the healthcare system in the US, there is no conspiracy on the part of homebirthing mothers. Any status it imbues is as a result of the high cost due to lack of resources from mainstream hospitals and insurance costs for midwives. Where I live, homebirth is an option that is covered under the same social insurance that pays for hospital births, and homebirths aren't a status symbol, just a choice.

This whole article feels bitter and mean spirited. "To be different, better and above everyone else, women who can afford it “choose” homebirth, and look down on the masses-the rest of us who cannot afford midwifery care-as unenlightened and less deserving." That's complete bullshit and projection. The author seems to have made up their mind about what kind of women have homebirths, and their stereotyping is ridiculous and unfair.

Women deserve to have choice and control during pregnancy and childbirth. All women, even rich white women.

[seasontoseason]

this. While it is a fact-- imo-- that many women in the US who can afford homebirth look down to some degree on others who don't have homebirths, I don't think that should be allowed to define homebirth in some way

[sadistnation]

I completely agree with this. I also found this line very concerning:

"This is part of why I’m leaving this fight. My heart is not in helping people with more than their fair share of the world’s power have empowered births, though I do feel everyone deserves an empowered birth."

Aside from the fact that you pointed out which is that all women deserve to have choices during their pregnancy and births, I feel like the author is placing all of the blame on women themselves rather than the real problem which is the healthcare system.

I'm lucky to live in an area where medicaid covers homebirths, and I'm planning one in December. I think the author should be putting more emphasis on the states and insurance companies that don't allow women to choose rather than attacking women who are able to.

[mahsox_mahsox]

The hospital cares for everyone, not as well as the individualized care offered by midwives, maybe, or the spa treatments and supports offered by doulas, but cares for everyone nonetheless. Except of course for the women who distinguish themselves from the masses by “choosing” home birth. To be different, better and above everyone else, women who can afford it “choose” homebirth, and look down on the masses-the rest of us who cannot afford midwifery care-as unenlightened and less deserving.All through the later half of the twentieth century and up to the present day, wealthy women in Australia have used expensive private hospitals which are quite clearly a different standard of luxury to the usual public hospitals everyone else uses. And yet... we have somewhat of a return to homebirth and midwifery care here too. Obviously the change is unlikely to be motivated by making a distinction that was already being made very effectively indeed. If there is a bit of snobbery by rich white women over the choice I suspect it is aimed more at

TLDR

[maynardsong]

I mean, it's a fact that in the US hospital system, unnecessary interventions are common, and pose their own set of risks. This needs to change. Fact. Infant formula *is* nutritionally inferior to human milk. It's the next best thing when breast milk isn't an option, but it is absolutely false to claim that the two are in any way "equal". They're not. Fact. There's nothing "romanticised" about the fact that pregnancy isn't inherently pathological or about the fact that "breast is best". Now how people go about addressing that...that's the question

Re: TLDR

[maynardsong]

edit: Unnecessary interventions are common and pose their own sets of risk is a fact. That it needs to change is my opinion.

Re: TLDR

[seasontoseason]

i agree.