Freebirthers are often delusional.
According to Dictionary.com, delusional means:
characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument.
Their delusions include:
The ahistorical delusion that childbirth in nature was often unassisted. In reality midwives exist in EVERY time, place and culture.
The bizarre delusion that childbirth is inherently safe. In reality, childbirth is —in EVERY time, place and culture — a leading cause of death of young women and THE leading cause of death of babies.
The racist delusion that when a privileged white women willingly gives birth without medical assistance she is emulating her sisters of color who UNWILLINGLY give birth without medical assistance.
But my personal favorite of the many delusions cherished by freebirthers is their delusion they that they curated the birth for social media not out of a selfish desire for attention but — get this — because they selflessly wish to help others.
Benni Cornelius, the partner of ocean freebirther Josy Peukart gives us a master class in this delusion.
Cornelius, apparently stung by my characterization of freebirth as remarkably narcissistic, had this to say in response:
Have you ever thought that it makes sense to show a natural birth to encourage other women. What is happening in hospitals is not good and the mothers-to-be are only important to make money.
I don’t have to explain to you that it is important to listen to the female body.
Incidentally, most complications occur in hospitals and not during free births…
It’s such a shame that people are so torn and full of fear that only the hospital counts and anyone who does it differently is judged.
Sure, it looks like they selfishly risked their baby’s life out of a desperate need for attention and validation, but actually they selflessly did it to educate US!!
Can you imagine that there are more reasons than our alleged narcissism to show a natural birth?!
Basically, it’s about encouraging women not to always let outsiders tell you what’s good for you.
If that’s not a delusion — grandiose and self-serving — I don’t know what is!
