Preserving Wild Human Birth

Truth bears repeating, so I will be posting some articles and interviews from years past.

In this interview with the brilliant ecological philospopher Derrick Jensen, we discuss the truth that humans are animals, mammals to be exact. As mammals, the females of our species gestate our young in our bodies, give birth, and produce milk to feed our offspring. Like all other mammals, this reproductive process is designed to help our species, not to harm us.

Human birth is a well designed rite of passage for both mothers and infants. We all understand the basic truth that a baby bird needs to go through the arduous undertaking of pecking itself out of the shell. Baby birds do not fare well when we “help” them through this struggle, even when it may seem like a kindness to do so. Similarly, the physical stress of labor is important for preparing a human child for life outside the womb. Undisturbed human birth awakens ancient and powerful instincts in mothers. These maternal instincts have kept our entire species alive since the dawn of humanity.

The move to industrialized birth practices have resulted in a culture of instinct injured mothers. While most modern Americans are quick to defend the benefits of medically over-managed pregnancy and birth, few are willing to discuss the costs. What has it done to us as a species to now have multiple generations raised by mothers who believe that without authoritarian technological intervention, their bodies would have killed both themselves and their children?

I hope you enjoy this conversation on why a return to wild human birth as the norm (rather than a miniscule minority of women and babies) is essential for preserving humanity itself.