One Thing You DON'T Have to do in Labor

Last week I attended a birth as a doula and during her 4 hour labor, the midwife asked to check my client's cervix twice. My client declined both checks. The baby was born without a single finger ever in the vagina.

As someone who sees a lot of heavily managed hospital births, this was amazingly refreshing to me. It was wonderful to see the body do it's thing without a doctor's hands. I wish more births were like this, but unfortunately we live in a cervix-obsessed birth culture.

Despite what you may be led to believe, in most cases, there is no medical reason for cervical exams.

You don't ever have to have your cervix checked.

Not while pregnant.

Not in labor.

Babies can be born without anyone's fingers in your vagina.