Philosophy
It is our philosophy that the birth experience is a vital part of a women's life and that how she perceives and values this experience is important.
- We believe that all women are integral to the birth process and should be honored and validated for the central role they play. They should be free from physical and emotional abuse and treated as intelligent and autonomous beings in their birth.
- We believe that all women are unique and have unique needs for their birth experiences.
- We believe that all women deserve access to evidence based options and should be completely informed in them.
- We believe that while scientific evidence points to optimal options that those options might not be what's best for each woman as an individual. Women should be afforded the opportunity to make informed choices over what's best for her as a person and for her family.
- We support a woman's right to say no to anything she is uncomfortable with as it pertains to the integrity of her body and her birth.
- We believe that all women deserve respect in their birth and should be afforded the space to process and heal from their births both emotionally and physically without judgment or pressure.
- We acknowledge that birth trauma is not limited to the mother, that birth partners and professionals also experience birth from an outsider's perspective. The birth experience also affects those who care for the mother, independent of her experience.
- We also acknowledge that birth experience takes many forms, including but not limited to: infertility, abortion, adoption, surrogacy, miscarriage, still birth, etc. We support all women in their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journeys.
- We extend these beliefs from pregnancy into the postpartum period, support for women in their reproductive lives is not exclusive to birth itself.
Purpose
Our purpose in the community is to provide the space and a place of safety for women to emotionally heal from their birth experiences. We wish to offer a circle of support that is in alignment with our philosophy and is validating to the mothers within the group and outside the group. We wish to bring the group the tools and support needed so they may come to a place of acceptance and peace.
We also wish to promote positive birth within our community. "A positive birth means a birth in which a woman feels she has freedom of choice, access to accurate information, and that she is in control, powerful and respected...A positive birth does not have to be ‘natural’ or ‘drug free’ – it simply has to be from a place of positivity as opposed to fear...You can birth with positivity in hospital or at home, with or without medical intervention. You can have a positive caesarean, or a positive home water birth. Positive Birth is about approaching birth realistically, having genuine choice, and feeling empowered by your experience." -http://www.positivebirthmovement.org/what-is-positive-birth.html
We also wish to promote positive birth within our community. "A positive birth means a birth in which a woman feels she has freedom of choice, access to accurate information, and that she is in control, powerful and respected...A positive birth does not have to be ‘natural’ or ‘drug free’ – it simply has to be from a place of positivity as opposed to fear...You can birth with positivity in hospital or at home, with or without medical intervention. You can have a positive caesarean, or a positive home water birth. Positive Birth is about approaching birth realistically, having genuine choice, and feeling empowered by your experience." -http://www.positivebirthmovement.org/what-is-positive-birth.html
Policy
We expect our members to maintain conduct that is in alignment with our philosophy. While we respect the fact that all people come from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and convictions and we cannot control your thoughts and feelings we also maintain that these differences in opinion do not give license for anyone to be hateful towards one another. All group members will give and be met with tolerance, empathy, kindness, and compassion. Aggressive judgment, harassment, or bullying of any kind will not be tolerated.
We expect the group to be a safe place where all members maintain a level of discretion as it pertains to group discussions and activities. Many sensitive and emotional topics and experiences might be shared in this group and everyone has a right to privacy. Gossip will not be tolerated.
We expect the group to remain free of marketing. If you know of or are a resource that can further our philosophy and provide support to other women in their birth related experience you may share but do so with objectivity and neutrality. Sales will not be tolerated.
We expect the group to be a safe place where all members maintain a level of discretion as it pertains to group discussions and activities. Many sensitive and emotional topics and experiences might be shared in this group and everyone has a right to privacy. Gossip will not be tolerated.
We expect the group to remain free of marketing. If you know of or are a resource that can further our philosophy and provide support to other women in their birth related experience you may share but do so with objectivity and neutrality. Sales will not be tolerated.
