Sanctity of Birth

12/18/09 The sanctity of birth –have you ever thought of what birth is all about and is it being robbed of its sanctity?  The definition of sanctity is basically the “holy, pure state, void of corruption, sacred and divine”   Therefore consider birth being sanctified or having sanctity?  To birth in a pure, uncorrupted holy state, what does that mean?

Consider that over 90% of babies born in the United States are born with intervention “for the sake of safety and health” Are these babies birthed in sanctity? Are the pure and are they safe? I think all of those health care providers would argue that they are, but I have to really wonder are they.

I  ponder on the concept of birth sanctity and question do I even allow birth to be uncorrupted with the rules and regulations we must follow to allow for a safe birth setting?  I even wonder about the setting being West Africa where water is a scarcity, there are no hospitals, Cesarean sections, medications  or rather maybe here at home in the hospitals or birth center where medications, surgeries  and even running water are all available. 

Are we as birth attendants allowing birth to be sanctified?  Maybe we think we are but really we are paying allegiance to the regulatory bodies.  What about thinking we know best,  we know that natural birth in any setting is best while sacrificing safety to women and babies in unsafe practices in the hospital, birth centers and homes.  I can only hope that we as birth attendants are not victims of our own society and power succumbing to unsafe practice rather we are promoters of the sanctity of birth. Aiding families in successful birth of their babies while encouraging birth sanctity to thrive and grow across women globally.