During a bright morning in August 2024, Sarah Essiambre, who was 13 days past her due date, experienced contractions.
Having faced high-risk pregnancies including a previous C-section delivery, Essiambre was told by the obstetrician who conducted the caesarean that vaginal childbirth was not an option for her. Disappointed and traumatized by the hyper-medicalization of her previous births, she was determined to have her third baby at her home on Vancouver Island.
Encouraged by freebirthing influencers and podcasts advocating for personal empowerment and choice in childbirth, Essiambre decided to pursue freebirthing, which involves giving birth without medical assistance or intervention, including prenatal testing and fetal monitoring. While the exact number of unassisted births in Canada is not tracked, indications from infant mortality data, challenges in accessing maternal care in rural areas like British Columbia, and the increasing online community supporting freebirthing suggest a growing trend. Some physicians express concerns about the associated risks but also acknowledge that it reflects a failure of the medical system to listen to expectant mothers.
Feeling unheard in her desire for a vaginal birth after a C-section, which typically requires a lengthy recovery period, Essiambre expressed that she would have opted for freebirthing if she hadn’t found a supportive midwife for her home birth.
Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, the national president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, noted a common fear among new patients who increasingly decline medical interventions during pregnancy and childbirth, potentially influenced by a growing interest in freebirthing.
However, due to limited data availability, the extent of this trend and how to address it remain unclear.
An investigation by The Guardian revealed numerous baby deaths worldwide, including in Canada, associated with the Free Birth Society, or FBS. Journalist Sirin Kale discusses the multi-million dollar business run by influencers promoting unassisted childbirth.
With over two decades of experience as an obstetrician, Dr. Murphy-Kaulbeck advocates for the presence of registered midwives or physicians during pregnancy and childbirth, emphasizing the potential complexities that may arise necessitating immediate medical attention.
Expressing the importance of trust in the doctor-patient relationship,
