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Birth is a natural, normal and healthy human experience.
Women's bodies are created to conceive, nurture the
development of babies, and birth. Their bodies are
not flawed and destined to malfunction. In the absence
of any special circumstances, healthy women and their
healthy babies deserve to be attended in a nurturing
manner consistent with the status of their health. |
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In the absence of special circumstances, families
wishing to experience natural, unmedicated births should
be supported in their decision and encouraged through
care and information to view birth as a positive, natural
and joyous experience. |
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Healthy women preparing for birth should be spared
fear-provoking and intimidating discussions of abnormalities
and dangers in the absence of any medical indication
of such. |
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Women, their partners, and their babies should be
recognised as the principal players in this most significant
experience. They deserve to be listened to and acknowledged
as an integral part of the birthing team. |
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Normal, uncomplicated birth should be allowed to
naturally unfold in its own time without undue chemical,
chronological or emotional manipulation. |
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Whenever circumstances allow, one or the other parent
should participate in 'receiving' their baby at birth
if that is their wish. |
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Pregnant couples should be encouraged to ask questions
and express their wishes or concerns. They deserve
to receive answers from their care providers that enhance
their confidence and esteem as parents. Threats, sarcasm
or intimidatio have no place in a nuturing care provider-family
relationship. |
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Evidence shows that pre-born and newborn babies are
sensitive and aware feeling human beings who are participants
in pregnancy and birth. Caregivers should make every
effort to accommodate their need for safety and comfort
and respect the importance of the parent-mother-baby
relationship. |
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Care during birthing should be based solely on the
well-being and needs of the mother and baby and not
upon time constraints or personal needs of caregivers
or facility administration. |
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Routine non-evidence based procedures, testing and
drugs should be avoided during the pregnancies and
birthings of healthy women unless there is specific,
scientific indication for their use. |
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Pregnant families need to be able to trust that information
provided by their caregivers is truthful and dispensed
only after full consideration of the particular woman's
prognosis and the benefits-to-risk factor. |
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Women's bodies and, in particular, their vaginas,
are as sacrosanct during pregnancy and birth as they
are at any other time. Routine and unnecessary prodding
and manipulation should be avoided in the absence of
medical urgency. |
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Families who are considere key players in their own
births and who are afforded an opportunity to establish
rapport and a trusting relationship with the caregiver
who will attend them during birth are least likely
to leave thier birthings in anger or a feeling of betrayal. |
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Caregivers who are supportive of families wishing
to have natural births deserve to be addressed in a
spirit of mutual cooperation and trust. They have the
right to know that should a special circumstance occur,
their advice and opinions will be respected and acted
upon. |
