The Birth Keepers

The Free Birth Society [FBS] is a US-headquartered business which promotes a radical version of freebirth, meaning giving birth without any medical assistance. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 Many women find FBS after searching online for birth options, and discovering its slick Instagram account, with 132,000 followers, and its hugely popular podcast, which has been downloaded 5m times. Led by ex-doula Emilee Saldaya, with support from her business partner, fellow ex-doula Yolande Norris-Clark, FBS promotes wild pregnancy, meaning pregnancy without any prenatal care, dismisses serious pregnancy and labour conditions as ‘variations of normal’, and suggests that resuscitating newborn babies can be a form of ‘sabotage’. Our reporting indicates that FBS has generated revenues in excess of $13m to date. A year-long investigation by investigative reporters Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne identified 48 cases of baby deaths or serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants who appear to be linked to FBS. In 18 of these cases, evidence suggests that FBS played a significant role in decision-making that led to potentially avoidable tragedies. You can listen to our six-episode podcast series The Birth Keepers on the Guardian app or by subscribing to the Guardian Investigates wherever you get your podcasts ► https://ift.tt/vJQBe3W The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://ift.tt/vACoqaT Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► https://ift.tt/jOI2P5E Website ► https://ift.tt/CqrGk8t Facebook ► https://ift.tt/2yqRC4W Bluesky ► https://ift.tt/mfv2ekQ Instagram ► https://ift.tt/w8suV9x The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianaustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianlive