Your Path to an Empowered Birth

"Photo by Rebekah Vos on Unsplash

A birth is one of the most intense experiences life has to offer. It is a moment that will change you and your life forever. A moment that requires strength, courage, and dedication. A moment that holds both beauty and challenge. That's why it is so important for this moment to unfold exactly as you envision it - in complete self-determination.

In our society, birth is often portrayed as a medical emergency that must be strictly controlled and managed. But I believe in a different truth. I believe that birth is a natural, powerful process that leads us women to the depths of our femininity. I believe that every woman has the right to shape her birth as she sees fit. And I believe that all of us, whether as individuals or as a society, would benefit from more self-determination in childbirth.

What is a self-determined birth? A self-determined birth is one where the mother actively makes decisions about her birth process, including the location, the presence of medical personnel, pain management, and other aspects. It is based on trust in the natural birth process and the belief that every woman has the right and ability to determine her own birth experience.

In this post, we will show you the benefits of a self-determined birth and how you can design it.

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Self-determined Birth: What Exactly Is It?

A self-determined birth is more than just a term. It is a philosophy, a way of life, and a strong desire for autonomy and self-determination. But what exactly does this mean in practice? Let's dive deeper into this definition.

The Right to Make Decisions

A self-determined birth means above all that you have the right to make decisions about your body and your birth experience. You can decide where and how you want to give birth to your child and who should support you in doing so. Whether in a hospital, a birth center or at home; whether with medical assistance or in a natural way; whether with a doctor, a midwife or alone – the decision is yours.

Trust in the Natural Birth Process

A central aspect of a self-determined birth is the trust in the natural birth process. This does not mean that medical interventions are rejected per se, but that they are only used when they are truly necessary. It means viewing the birth process as something natural and powerful that should not be controlled, but supported and respected.

Active Participation

A self-determined birth also means to actively participate in your birth, rather than experiencing it passively. It means viewing your birth as an event where you play the leading role – not as a spectator, but as an active creator of your own story. You decide which positions you prefer, when certain aids are used, and whom you want to have by your side during the birth. Decisions during the birth are actively made by you, not by your surroundings.

The Benefits of a Self-determined Birth

A self-determined birth can have many benefits. Studies have shown that women who give birth self-determinedly often have a more positive birth experience and feel physically and emotionally better after birth. They report a greater sense of control, less fear and stress, a stronger bond with their baby, and improved self-esteem.

But perhaps the greatest advantage of a self-determined birth is that it gives you the freedom to write your own story. It allows you to go your own way, make your own decisions, and discover your own strength. And that is the greatest gift you can give to yourself.

How Do I Design My Self-determined Birth?

Designing a self-determined birth is an intense and fulfilling process that requires a lot of courage, openness, and self-reflection. However, there are some steps that can help you successfully shape this process.

Educate Yourself

Knowledge is power, and this is especially true for birth preparation. The more you know about the birth process and the various possibilities for birth design, the better informed decisions you can make. Read books, attend workshops, talk to other mothers and experts. Use all the information sources available to you until you have found an answer to every open question.

Consciously Choose Your Birthplace and Attendants

The place where you give birth and the people who accompany you can have a major impact on your birth experience. Whether it's a hospital, birth center, or home birth; whether it's a doctor, midwife, or doula – the choice is yours. Consider where you feel the most comfortable and safe. While the constant presence of doctors and birth attendants can cause stress for some mothers, it can provide security for others.

Develop a Birth Plan

A birth plan is a document that records your wishes and ideas for the birth. It helps to communicate clearly with your midwife, medical staff, and your partner about what is important to you. This ensures that your needs are considered as best as possible. At the same time, your plan should remain flexible, as every birth is individual and unexpected situations can arise.

These points can be included in your birth plan:

• Birthplace – Hospital, birth center, or home birth?
• Attendees – Who should support you during the birth?
• Atmosphere – Music, dimmed lights, or specific relaxation techniques?
• Pain management – Natural methods or medicinal support?
• Birth positions – Do you want to try different positions?
• Handling interventions – When do you want to be informed or asked?
• First hours with the baby – Bonding, breastfeeding, skin contact immediately after birth?
• Cutting the umbilical cord – Who should do it, and when should it happen?
• Feeding preference – Breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or both combined?
• Handling unexpected situations – Cesarean section, emergency measures, or specific medical wishes?

Your birth plan should serve as your personal guide – a support to ensure your birth is as self-determined as possible.

Currently, almost a third of births in Germany are by cesarean section (Source: Statistisches Bundesamt). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), however, only ten percent of cesarean sections are medically necessary (Source: Statista). Cesarean sections can save lives but should only be used in emergencies. A birth plan can help you stick to your plan during the birth.

Practice Mindfulness and Self-care

Mindfulness and self-care can help you prepare for childbirth and make it a positive experience. Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques can assist you in connecting with your body and your baby, letting go of fears and worries, and building confidence in your abilities. Hypnobirthing is also being integrated into more and more births, allowing you to enter a trance-like state during birth, reducing anxiety and pain, while enabling you to experience the birth more consciously. Attend courses or watch YouTube videos to gain insights into the various methods. This way, you can find out what suits you best.

Designing a self-determined birth means taking responsibility for your own well-being and that of your baby. It is a journey of empowerment, trust, and love. And it is a journey worth taking. Because in the end, the greatest gift awaits you: the experience of bringing your child into the world in your own, unique way.

Photo by Alex Hockett on Unsplash

Contents of a Self-determined Birth – What Can I Decide?

When we talk about self-determined birth, many immediately think of choosing the birthplace or deciding for or against a medical intervention. But there are many other aspects you can decide on that can have a significant impact on your birth experience. Here are some of them:

Choice of Birthplace and Birth Team

As already mentioned, the choice of birthplace and the people who accompany you during the birth is an important decision. You can decide whether you want to give birth in a hospital, a birth center, or at home. You can also choose who should accompany you – a doctor, a midwife, a doula, or a loved one. Many believe that giving birth outside the hospital is risky. In fact, statistically, giving birth in a birth center is just as safe as in a hospital.

Birth Positions

You can also decide in which position you want to give birth. In films, we often only know the supine position. However, there are many different birth positions, from the traditional lying position to sitting, kneeling, or standing positions. Each position has its advantages and disadvantages. Each position can be tried during the birth and can influence your birth experience in various ways.

Pain Management and Medical Interventions in Clinics

Medical interventions can be appropriate and necessary. However, the decision on how your birth should proceed is initially yours. It is therefore reasonable to distinguish between necessary and dispensable interventions.

Medical interventions during birth and the cesarean section rate have increased significantly over the past decades. Nowadays, almost a third of children in Germany are born via cesarean section, although the WHO considers cesarean necessary in only one-tenth of births.

The reasons are varied. There are incentives for hospitals to intervene in natural births and even prefer cesarean sections. Factors include cost efficiency and the often prevalent staff shortages. In addition, clinics attempt to minimize their liability risks. Another reason is intervention cascades, where an initial medical measure or intervention can trigger a series of further procedures that were not originally planned or intended (Source: Disruption of physiological labour; Universität Bielefeld).

You have control over how you want to deal with labor pain and interventions. You can opt for medical pain relief like a PDA or epidural anesthesia, or for natural pain management techniques such as breathing exercises, hypnobirthing, warmth, water, massage, and much more. As long as there is no real medical necessity, it is also up to you whether there should be medicinal induction or not.

Bonding After Birth

It is in your hands to decide how the first moments and hours after birth are shaped. You can, for instance, wish for skin-to-skin contact with your baby immediately after birth, begin breastfeeding right away, allow the umbilical cord to pulse out, and either perform the first cut of the umbilical cord yourself or have it done by a loved one.

In particular, skin-to-skin contact can play a crucial role in parent-child bonding in the first days and weeks. Research also shows that skin-to-skin contact in the first hour after birth reduces posttraumatic stress in women with difficult birth experiences, lowers the risk of postnatal depression, and alleviates parents' anxiety (Source: Skin-to-skin contact after birth).

Feeding and Care of the Baby

You can make decisions regarding your baby's feeding and care, such as choosing between breastfeeding and bottle feeding, using cloth diapers or disposable diapers, the type of baby care, and much more.

It is important to understand that self-determined birth is not about making the "right" decisions, but those that are best for you and your baby. Every woman and every birth is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. It is about trusting your own intuition and finding your own path. And in this lies the true power of self-determined birth.

Photo by @isabelplett

Self-determined Even After Birth

The fact that you decide for yourself and your baby does not end with the birth. You alone determine under what conditions and in what environment your baby grows up. One of the many decisions you have to make is choosing the right diapers. And this is where we come into play!

We at Judes have made it our mission to make diapering simple, healthy and sustainable at the same time. More precisely, we have developed a cloth diaper that is at least as easy to use as a disposable diaper. Our diapers are designed to fit perfectly to your child's body shape. This means they are comfortable and absolutely leak-proof. The Judes system is particularly simple because it consists of a cuddly soft and absorbent inner diaper made of organic cotton and a waterproof outer cover.

Judes parents are also convinced:

"The inner diapers are super easy to put on like regular diapers. The Velcro allows them to fit perfectly to the child. The sewn-in inserts are very absorbent."
(Sophia Thanner)

"Super easy to use. I searched for a long time for the most suitable cloth diaper system for us and kept coming back to Judes. The service and advice are incredibly great. The trial offer is great and so we took no risk. We've been using the diapers since the umbilical cord fell off and are now 100% convinced."
(Anonymous)

But why should you choose cloth diapers?

Environmental Friendliness

Cloth diapers are reusable and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Disposable diapers have a significant environmental impact, as they take hundreds of years to decompose. On our blog, you can find an article about the sustainability of cloth diapers compared to disposable diapers.

Cost Savings

Although the initial costs may be higher, you can save money in the long run with cloth diapers, as they can be used repeatedly. Disposable diapers are a constant expense as long as your baby needs them.

Health and Comfort

Our cloth diapers are made of natural materials like cotton, which are gentler on sensitive baby skin. This can reduce skin irritations and diaper dermatitis. Additionally, they allow the skin to breathe better, which can be especially beneficial in warmer climates. That's not all, as the health benefits of cloth diapers are manifold.

Earlier Cleanliness Training

Some studies suggest that children who wear cloth diapers tend to become toilet trained earlier. This is because children feel the wetness more strongly and thus develop the desire to go to the toilet sooner. Our study on earlier toilet training with cloth diapers comes to the same conclusion.

Do you have questions about our diapers or want to learn more? On our blog, you will find a wealth of information about cloth diapers. With our Cloth Diaper Set Finder, you can determine if our diapers fit your needs and which set is suitable for your start.