Freebirthing in the UK: The Good Mother Concept and the presentation of results via narrative and arts-based research.
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Nursing and Midwifery School Office
Abstract
This research builds on the Freebirth Study, which explored women's experiences of freebirthing in the UK (i.e. intentionally giving birth without doctors or midwives present). The proposed work includes the following aims:
1. Research exploring obstetric violence in the home. Obstetric violence is abuse carried out on women by health care professionals while they labour or birth. This could include, for example, a nonconsensual vaginal examination. In this aspect of the research, I will present examples from my doctoral study of women's experiences of this occurring in their own homes, whilst contextualising these in terms of how scholars have previously understood the phenomenon. Through archival research, I will
demonstrate how such violence has been documented for hundreds of years and how it is not limited to hospital or medical facilities.
2. Exploration of how society creates standards of behaviour that pregnant women are expected to meet. Our society has created various perceived standards of behaviour that pregnant women are expected to meet. This includes for example, the type of food they should eat, the activities they should (and shouldn't) be involved in and where they should source their pregnancy advice. When women do not meet these standards, they can be subjected to social opprobrium, stigma, condemnation
and even punishment. My research on women's experiences of freebirthing in the UK highlighted how this so-called 'Good Mother' concept often played a role when women declined aspects of maternity care or did not defer to medical advice. Although women are legally entitled to make such decisions, they often had to fight to retain their autonomy and bodily integrity. Through reviewing the published literature, this aspect of the research will explore how scholars have presented the social standards of good mothering and how they impact pregnant women's lives today.
3. Methodological research on the 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey.' The 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey' have been recognised as narrative arcs that authors throughout time have used to present their stories. Scholars have noted that these narratives appear in well-known
myths and fairy tales and are an established part of Western storytelling. I will demonstrate how the 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey' can be used as a novel and interesting way to present research findings.
4. Public engagement via a crochet arts installation. Compared to knitting, crochet is a relatively new craft that has historically been carried out by women. Further, the crochet hook reflects an obstetric tool named the amnihook. In recent years crochet has been used as a form of protest through activities such as 'yarn bombing' and craftivism. One goal of the research is to work with crocheters to produce an art installation that reflects my findings from the Freebirth Study and to present this in an
exhibition people can visit both physically and online.
5. An online conference accessible to people inside and outside of academia. Birth and the connected rights of women and birthing people are areas in which many people are engaged, including midwives, doctors, lawyers, historians, sociologists, doulas and of course members of the public who may have been or currently are pregnant. This online conference will bring together people from a range of academic disciplines as well as non-academics to discuss reproductive rights with a view to exchanging
knowledge and promoting collaborations.
1. Research exploring obstetric violence in the home. Obstetric violence is abuse carried out on women by health care professionals while they labour or birth. This could include, for example, a nonconsensual vaginal examination. In this aspect of the research, I will present examples from my doctoral study of women's experiences of this occurring in their own homes, whilst contextualising these in terms of how scholars have previously understood the phenomenon. Through archival research, I will
demonstrate how such violence has been documented for hundreds of years and how it is not limited to hospital or medical facilities.
2. Exploration of how society creates standards of behaviour that pregnant women are expected to meet. Our society has created various perceived standards of behaviour that pregnant women are expected to meet. This includes for example, the type of food they should eat, the activities they should (and shouldn't) be involved in and where they should source their pregnancy advice. When women do not meet these standards, they can be subjected to social opprobrium, stigma, condemnation
and even punishment. My research on women's experiences of freebirthing in the UK highlighted how this so-called 'Good Mother' concept often played a role when women declined aspects of maternity care or did not defer to medical advice. Although women are legally entitled to make such decisions, they often had to fight to retain their autonomy and bodily integrity. Through reviewing the published literature, this aspect of the research will explore how scholars have presented the social standards of good mothering and how they impact pregnant women's lives today.
3. Methodological research on the 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey.' The 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey' have been recognised as narrative arcs that authors throughout time have used to present their stories. Scholars have noted that these narratives appear in well-known
myths and fairy tales and are an established part of Western storytelling. I will demonstrate how the 'quest narrative' and the 'heroine's journey' can be used as a novel and interesting way to present research findings.
4. Public engagement via a crochet arts installation. Compared to knitting, crochet is a relatively new craft that has historically been carried out by women. Further, the crochet hook reflects an obstetric tool named the amnihook. In recent years crochet has been used as a form of protest through activities such as 'yarn bombing' and craftivism. One goal of the research is to work with crocheters to produce an art installation that reflects my findings from the Freebirth Study and to present this in an
exhibition people can visit both physically and online.
5. An online conference accessible to people inside and outside of academia. Birth and the connected rights of women and birthing people are areas in which many people are engaged, including midwives, doctors, lawyers, historians, sociologists, doulas and of course members of the public who may have been or currently are pregnant. This online conference will bring together people from a range of academic disciplines as well as non-academics to discuss reproductive rights with a view to exchanging
knowledge and promoting collaborations.
