Let Birth Gently Unfold.

A poem. Or piece of spoken word.

You can watch me speak it HERE

YOU have the power YOU make the choices YOU call the shots

So - I'm here to share all the things THEY don't tell you

It should ALL be common knowledge

And yet, it's hidden - in full-view

My target - To slay?

The "routine stretch and sweep"

A maternity service that makes MY skin creep

Separating the membranes of the uterine sac

And widening your cervix as you lay on your back

Telling your body - "These fingers will help you"

Mammals don't need THAT, not pets, livestock or zoo!

A standard practice conducted without medical cause

When you hear "RISKS & CONSEQUENCES"

Take a Step Back - Breathe - Pause!

THINK of your body's innate capacity

For conception and growing and birthing - IN SAFETY

Ask..

"WHY Intervention?"

"Why RISK"

"Why INTRUDE"

Because a baby is 'LATE'?

How rude!

Late? They are not. They are ALWAYS on time

Like Gandalf

And Big Ben

And birds that fly south ~

Grant BABIES capacity to define FULL-TERM growth

Some will take 40

Others 42 weeks

Some wont be ready for 308 sleeps

The message we send them

And us in the process..

Of putting fingers in vaginas and inviting the propress

is..

We know better than you do

You're broken - Need help!

Shush now - Let us sweep you

Shush now - Don't yelp!

It's sinister in reality - I'm not just making it so

The procedure is outdated - Lacks evidence - MUST GO!

Ofcourse - except on occasions medical intervention is called for

But that's NOT where we started and THAT'S NOT what I'm here for

I'm here to share some of the things they don't tell you

With healthy mothers and babies

To call for change.

THIS we CAN do!

In order to perform this procedure of theirs, YOUR LABOUR must have already started!

You see - You cant stretch a cervix that's not effaced and at least a BIT parted.

"Only 1 or 2 cm" -- ???

Your baby is on it's way!!!

To a natural, gentle, physiological birth - YAY!

So why intervene, when it's already happenin'

REST. REALX. Ready!

You babe IS soon arrivin'

Did you know that those fingers carry risk of infection?

Break Potective Waters?

Cascade Intervention?

Were you asked for permission?

Informed of the risks?

For ALL medical practice - The very basics are THIS

And if they haven't?

They can't so so.

YES! You're catching my drift.

You CAN say no to 'that' midwife

No stretching THIS shift.

MY baby is comfy

MY baby is SAFE

bringing her earthside is not some egg and spoon race?!

They're not ALL ready in unison - cooked right the way through

Only 4% of babies arrives the day they were due!

So, the chances of hurting the mum and her babe

Increase every. Single. Time. We. Invade.

A plethora of interventions ride this cascade!

Not simply infection and waters that break

But others and worse are the chances we take

When we HOP ON THAT bed - and DO AS WE'RE TOLD

Intrude on a process MILLENIA old

I say:

"Back OFF from MY cervix - Let MY birth gently UNFOLD!"