On International Women’s Day on 8 March

“Natural birth is a world cultural heritage of humanity!” – A rejection of mechanization, scheduling and traumatization in modern obstetrics

Würzburg/Murnau. On International Women's Day, women have been demanding their rights for over 100 years. Whereas it was once about having a say in politics, today they are demanding in particular the fundamental right to self-determination over their bodies and over the way in which they are allowed to give birth in the modern world. "The way births take place today says nothing about the nature of birth, but everything about the mentality of a society," says Kristina Rumpel , family policy expert and co-initiator of FlowBirthing. Birth has become a mechanized process and a high-risk business that involves fear. "The miracle of birth, this unique experience for women, is increasingly being rationalized away. Women are being stripped of their strength. But it is by no means irrelevant for the rest of their lives how children are born and how women feel about it," Rumpel continues.

Preserving and reviving female wisdom

There is a lot wrong with obstetrics at the moment: rising caesarean section rates, more and more traumatised women giving birth who do not want a second child, the threat of a professional ban for midwives and the restricted right to choose the place of birth due to the requirements of the insurance industry in Germany. Kristina Rumpel: "We urgently need a rethink in obstetrics if we want to save natural birth, a world cultural heritage of humanity, and the wisdom of generations of women associated with it." Only seven percent of births take place without external intervention, and knowledge of natural births is gradually being lost. The simplest connections between calm, trust and a positive approach to birth are already no longer clear to many women, but also to an increasing number of people working in obstetrics. "The call on International Women's Day must therefore be to preserve female wisdom and to secure the strength of women - those giving birth and their companions - in the here and now and for the future," demands Rumpel.

Join forces and join forces

The question of self-determined, powerful births is not just about the personal, wonderful birth experience, but also about the importance society gives to the feminine, the natural, the uncontrollable, the knowledge of the heart in our world. There are many people who want a better world; natural experiences that empower women are a key to this world. Rumpel: “We can bring about change if we present a lived alternative to the public; it is important that we join forces, pool our forces and show that there are already many women and men who long for a new birth culture for the benefit of all and are committed to it. Strong together for natural and powerful births in freedom, love and joy - that is what the FlowBirthing project, initiated in 2015, stands for.

Already over 200 providers in the FlowBirthing network

The internet portal www.flowbirthing.de informs pregnant women about the potential that a natural birth offers every woman and shows ways to make this possible. At the same time, the portal connects providers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland with services/courses that support and empower women. Registration for the online portal is free; the aim is to make a variety of offers for pregnant women and women giving birth visible and to support women in their desire for a natural, powerful birth experience. The portal is unique in this form and was awarded the Health Media Award 2015 for outstanding and sustainable communication in the area of ​​women's health.

Book tip:
Kristina Marita Rumpel: FlowBirthing - Born from a wave of joy. Mankau Verlag 2015, 1st edition April 30, 2015, paperback, full color, 16.5 x 23.5 cm, 158 pages, 18.90 euros (D) / 19.50 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-234-8.

Link recommendations:

• To the internet portal flowbirthing.de
• More about the book "FlowBirthing"
• Reading sample in PDF format
• More about the author Kristina Rumpel
• Internet forum with Kristina Rumpel