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In a groundbreaking investigation, the Guardian has revealed how the Free Birth Society (FBS), a multimillion-dollar enterprise promoting unassisted childbirth, has been linked to infant deaths and serious maternal harm worldwide.
Led by former doulas Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris-Clark, who possess no formal medical or midwifery training, the organization has amassed a global following through its podcast, Instagram presence, private online community, and virtual schools.
Despite their lack of medical credentials, both women claim to have extensive experience from attending other women’s births, positioning themselves as authorities in the “freebirth” movement that rejects medical intervention during childbirth.
When approached for comment, FBS did not respond. However, after the Guardian published its investigation, Saldaya posted on Instagram characterizing the reporting as “propaganda” and framing criticism as an attempt to “discredit” and “silence” her work as a “disruptor.”
The organization’s disclaimer, published in May, states that its content is for “educational and informational” purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent medical conditions related to pregnancy or birth.
Medical experts consulted by the Guardian expressed grave concerns about various claims made by FBS leaders. Professor Soo Downe, a midwife and academic at the University of Lancashire, described as “very dangerous” Norris-Clark’s assertion that using unsterilized instruments to cut umbilical cords poses no infection risk. Downe noted that numerous infants in developing countries die annually from sepsis after having their cords cut with non-sterile implements.
Similarly troubling is Saldaya’s guidance on handling retained placenta fragments. When asked what to do if a woman developed a fever days after birth with placenta remnants still inside her, Saldaya suggested having a husband or friend remove them rather than seeking hospital care. Texas-based home birth midwife Mary Littlefield called this advice dangerous, emphasizing that manual removal requires professional skill and carries risks of infection, perforation, and hemorrhage.
The investigation also highlighted concerning claims about newborn breathing. Saldaya has told podcast listeners that some babies take 5-15 minutes to begin breathing after birth. Professor Downe countered that babies not breathing within one minute require immediate resuscitation, with those still not breathing after five minutes facing high risk of permanent neurological damage.
In her 2023 book “Portal,” Norris-Clark described medical resuscitation as a “form of sabotage,” while Saldaya stated on another podcast that she would never resuscitate a baby when attending a birth, calling such intervention “cuckoo bananas.” Dr. Michelle Telfer, an associate professor at Yale specializing in midwifery, explained that while less than 1% of newborns need extensive resuscitation, up to 15% require some assistance to breathe independently—interventions she described as life-saving and “brain sparing.”
Other dangerous guidance uncovered includes Saldaya’s rejection of antibiotics during pregnancy even for urinary tract or kidney infections, advice to deliver premature babies as early as 33 weeks at home, and the false claim that “a blue baby is an oxygenated baby.” Lead obstetrician Kenga Sivarajah from London’s King’s College Hospital clarified that a blue baby often indicates oxygen deprivation requiring immediate medical intervention.
Perhaps most alarmingly, Saldaya has advised mothers experiencing postpartum hemorrhage to place a piece of the umbilical cord in their mouths to “staunch the bleeding”—advice experts dismissed as having no scientific basis whatsoever.
The Guardian’s podcast series “The Birth Keepers,” investigating the Free Birth Society in depth, is scheduled for release in December.
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12 Comments
This is a serious wake-up call about the dangers of the ‘freebirth’ movement. Reputable medical experts are right to condemn the FBS for their harmful misinformation campaign that has led to infant deaths and maternal harm.
You’re completely right. The FBS has no place promoting such a reckless and life-threatening ideology. Their actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the health and safety of mothers and babies.
This is a very troubling story. Spreading medical misinformation that puts lives at risk is completely irresponsible. The FBS should be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused through their dangerous ideology.
Absolutely. Promoting unassisted childbirth as a viable option, when it clearly puts mothers and babies in grave danger, is unethical and unconscionable. This ‘movement’ needs to be shut down.
The FBS is putting profits before people by exploiting vulnerable pregnant women. Childbirth is a delicate medical process that requires expert care, not the dangerous ideology of this organization.
You’re right, this is all about money for the FBS, not the wellbeing of mothers and infants. They should face serious consequences for the harm they’ve caused through their reckless misinformation campaign.
What the FBS is doing is the height of irresponsibility. Childbirth is a complex medical event that requires skilled professionals, not self-proclaimed ‘experts’ peddling misinformation for profit.
Absolutely. The FBS is putting lives at risk by spreading dangerous lies about unassisted childbirth. Their actions are unconscionable and they should face strict legal and regulatory consequences.
Condemning the FBS is the right thing to do. Unassisted childbirth is an extremely risky practice that no reputable medical organization would ever endorse. This ‘movement’ is built on falsehoods that put lives at stake.
Agreed. The FBS leaders’ lack of medical training makes their promotion of freebirth all the more unacceptable. They are exploiting vulnerable women with dangerous pseudoscience that has deadly consequences.
Unassisted childbirth is an extremely dangerous practice that should not be promoted, especially by those with no medical training. Serious harm and infant deaths are unacceptable consequences of this ‘freebirth’ movement.
I agree, the lack of medical oversight and credentials of the FBS leaders is very concerning. Childbirth should be handled by qualified professionals to ensure the safety of the mother and child.