With the birth of our first child due in August, birthing issues are very much at the forefront of my mind these days. I would like to share some of the amazing information that I've come across that speaks to my innate knowledge as a woman of how childbirth should be. I have worked in a hospital for many years and been present at many hospital births. They are not a pleasant or spiritual experience. Birth is a completely natural process and one which our bodies are specifically designed for. Why then has it become a medical emergency requiring a team of doctors and nurses and monitors and blood tests and technology? All of this only contributes to the stress of the birth which increases adrenaline and slows and prolongs labour. I've seen horses, cows and cats all give birth with no assistance, no drugs, and what appears to be very little discomfort. Their offspring are on their feet and feeding on their own in no time. These animals are all mammals just like us, why should our births be so much more difficult, more dangerous and the birth so much more traumatic to our offspring?

I suggest you read, research, question and keep an open mind to all the possibilities when you are thinking about giving birth to your own babies. We all want the best of everything for our children, why not start with the best birth experience possible? Research shows that a home birth with a midwife is far safer and much better for all concerned, so much so that the World Health Organization is encouraging the United States to return to midwife supervised births. Check out the link below, also check out www. gentlebirth.org for lots more information on the facts and fallacies of childbirth.

Pamela Frank, BSc (Hons), Licensed Naturopathic Doctor
Forces of Nature Naturopathic Clinic
2443 1/2 Yonge St. Toronto ON Canada M4P 2E7
www.ForcesofNature.ca

href="http://gentlebirth.org/nwnm.org/Out_of_the_Womb.htm">Out of the Womb, into the Fire