freebirth

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English

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Etymology

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Compound of free +‎ birth. Coined by American yogini, herbalist, and shamanic midwife Jeannine Parvati Baker.[1]

Noun

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freebirth (plural freebirths)

  1. A childbirth delivered without medical assistance or the attendance of a midwife.
    • 2020 February 21, Brandy Zadrozny, “She wanted a 'freebirth' with no doctors. Online groups convinced her it would be OK.”, NBC News:
      Instead, Judith wanted to be with only her husband and her closest friend, a plan known as freebirth, or unassisted birth, by the tiny subculture of women who practice it.

Translations

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Verb

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freebirth (third-person singular simple present freebirths, present participle freebirthing, simple past and past participle freebirthed)

  1. To give birth to a child without medical assistance or the attendance of a midwife.
    • 2017 August 30, Josie Taylor, Rebecca Armitage, “The rise of freebirthing: 'If there was a death of my baby ... I was capable of grieving'”, in ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation:
      Figures on the number of women choosing to freebirth are not collated, but researchers and midwives believe it's on the rise.
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References

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  1. ^ Jeannine Parvati Baker (2001) Prenatal Yoga & Natural Childbirth, North Atlantic Books, page 98:I would support this inner trust and had found the best way to express this in coining the word ‘freebirth.’