Birth Manifesto
Birth is a normal physiological process.
Childbirth is a transformative event in a woman’s life.
We have the right to birth in the location of our choice, surrounded only by those we have chosen to be present, in a supportive, trusting atmosphere, where the birthing woman is the only authority.
When birth left the home and entered the hospital the process of medicalization began; we stopped trusting our brilliant physiology and surrendered trust to a patriarchal institution, which treats pregnancy as it treats illness.
Pregnancy is not an illness.
Birth is not a process from which we must be *delivered*.
Choice does not exist within a vacuum. We are influenced by the dominant culture we reside in.
Women are brilliant, intuitive, and want what is best for their babies and their families.
We are each the highest authority on what we personally need.