Unassisted Birth: Prenatal Care

We get a lot of questions about how prenatal care is handled when birthing without assistance, and I realized it's something I didn't mention in our last post about Luna's birth day, so I wanted to take the time to address that topic now. Choosing a freebirth really does give you just that... freedom! To pick and choose every step and action along the way that resonates with your intuition and spirit. Some women choose to see an ob/gyn or midwife and some choose to do their own prenatal care. Some choose to participate in ultrasounds and tests, while others don't. The field of obstetrics has created an in-depth system for monitoring women and their womb during gestation, and many people take comfort in this type of care, still choosing to receive some or all of it. Others may choose an entirely uninterrupted pregnancy and birth, relying solely on their own intuition and connection to their babies and bodies to detect any problems; ideally developing the peace of mind that all is well and meant to be in the course of pregnancy.

This journey has consisted of both realms for us. When we had planned to birth at a center close to our home, our prenatal care was being handled there. I went for the initial blood-work/full health history checkup, one standard measure-your-belly-and-blood-pressure checkup, and received one ultrasound at the twenty-week mark. Although I am happy for the choices we made at the time, both Oscar and I agree it's not something we would choose again in the future, since we have fully come to the side of wanting to connect with this process in its most natural form. Our now at-home prenatal care consists of a healthy diet, lots of walking and yoga, meditation, sleeping whenever needed, and just generally loving on the mind/body/spirit in all the ways we can! I've checked my blood pressure twice at the grocery store, but that was mostly for fun/myself and not something I felt necessary for Luna's wellbeing.

It has been such a special opportunity to rely on our faith during this time, connecting with the Divine and our Little Moon in ways we never thought possible. The road has definitely been one of perseverance and trust, worth every step of growth along the way. And now, in just a few short weeks, Luna will be joining us! The earth is truly alive with magic and light!