In a previous post I had mentioned briefly that I would be updating everyone on my "unassisted pregnancy". With all life has given me this last 6 months it completely slipped my mind!
This is an important topic for me so today I am going to explain what unassisted pregnancy is, why women would choose this route, what it can consist of, and why I chose this for myself. I hope that by the end of this article, you walk away with a basic understanding of what this is and maybe a little insight to why women (including myself) would choose to have an unassisted pregnancy.
So Unassisted Pregnancy... What exactly is it and why would women choose this route?
Unassisted pregnancy is exactly as it sounds. And it's not. Going unassisted through pregnancy means that you choose not to participate in mainstream medical "prenatal care". Or any medicalized "preventative" care.
That's the simplest explaination, but there are many different ways of doing so & each experience is unique to the individual who chooses this route.
There are many reasons why a woman might choose to go unassisted. She may have had negative past experiences with mainstream medical care. Or she may simply trust the process and choose not to subscribe to the overwhelming fear we have been programmed with in today's society. She may have religious beliefs that lead her down this road, or she may just find this to be the most practical approach. Like I said, each experience is unique to the individual.
I personally have 2 reasons I chose this for myself this pregnancy. #1 being that I trust the process. I trust myself and I trust nature. This being my 3rd pregnancy, I can look back and realize that I've got this. I've been through this before and made it out alive. So have millions of women before me! This is the basis for many of the decisions I make and stick to in many areas of my life. I simply trust and have faith in myself, biology, and nature.
My second reasoning & what spurred me to grow in this direction is the fact that I have had negative experiences with mainstream medical prenatal care. The bullying, fear mongering, poking & prodding, lack of necessity, and the negative stress that all induces within myself, to me, is not even close to worth it. Not knowing what I know now.
Having an unassisted pregnancy does not necessarily mean you do not seek out medical care when necessary. Some women do choose to let nature take its course to the fullest extent, (or God's will, however you want to look at it) but most simply trust their intuition and go from there. If I, personally, felt something was wrong - I absolutely would seek out help wherever & however I needed to.
Going unassisted also does not mean 0 prenatal care. For those new to the concept, you may see it that way. In today's society not going to the doctor for routine check ups is unthinkable. Even negligent. What we need to understand is that this is the way things have always been done. I generally do not use that phrase as it has been misused so much, but the point here is that nature knows what it's doing. Until birth became medicalized (actually fairly recent in history) women did not go to the doctor for routine check ups and tons of testing.
Many will say, "Yeah but before that tons of babies and mothers DIED! We do this for a reason!"
You're not entirely wrong but your modern understanding of things is off due to societal conditioning... We take the "peril" we see pregnant women in today & equate it with the past or even in many cases we exaggerate it in our minds. And the modern medical field/society only confirms that idea. This is a distortion of the truth and reality because of our conditioning.
Yes, mothers and babies used to die due to lack of medical care. I will not deny that the medical industry has a very important place in the world and even in pregnancy. BUT... In the process we have put full responsibility of our health and our baby's health into the hands of those we deem more capable than ourselves...
The over medicalization of pregnancy and birth has brought forth a society of women who truly believe that they are not capable. Women who are not educated, supported, and confident in themselves. A people who do not even know what a physiological pregnancy looks like anymore. We have become deeply afraid of a process that is completely normal... We could delve into the "why's" of that, but I think I'll save that for another post.
What we need to remember is this : We were literally made to do this. This is a completely normal biological process and when unhindered, our bodies know exactly what to do.
So what does prenatal care during an unassisted pregnancy look like?
For a woman who chooses unassisted pregnancy, prenatal care looks a lot like normal self care. Some choose to partake in some medical aspects whether doing so themselves or going in to see a professional for specific reasons like a test they want done or an ultrasound to reassure themselves. Some go to a chiropractor. Some choose to DIY some medical care into their own care routine. That's what you'll see on the outside anyways. Prenatal care for those who are more "aware", like women who choose natural birth, homebirth, or unassisted pregnancy & birth has a lot more to do with what goes on inside one's self. There is a lot of education, self growth, and mental/emotional/spiritual change going on. I will elaborate a bit on that aspect in a future post.
Choosing to go with unassisted pregnancy is more or less choosing to take responsibility rather than handing it over to someone else. It's choosing to trust yourself, your baby, and the biologically normal process called pregnancy.
Pregnancy & birth are both a very personal journey and for me, going "unassisted" suits me best. So far this has been an extremely empowering experience. I have nursed my toddler throughout and experienced the ups and downs of that. I have found my own groove for "prenatal care". I don't have to worry about keeping track of doctors visits, arguing with the doctor, having to stand up for my rights every step of the way, getting sick after every visit, ect. I have simply been able to focus on my life and enjoy this experience. Even being very much pregnant at this point & having keenly felt the highs and lows of pregnancy, I have to say this has been an overall relaxing experience. That may be the wrong word as life while pregnant with 2 other kids, one of which being an almost 2yr old who is also still nursing isn't exactly "relaxing" but it's the only word I can think of to explain. This has just been an extremely beautiful, joy filled, empowering, amazing time in my life and I wouldn't have it any other way!
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