Building From Carla’s Foundation

We believe that it’s important to properly (re)introduce The Trust Birth. In order to do that we must recognize what came before this current re-energization.  Trust Birth was founded by Carla Hartley in 2005 on the belief that we are born to trust birth. Carla spent over thirty years in birth work as childbirth educator, midwife, author, speaker, and midwifery educator. Saying that she was a wise woman is an understatement to say the least. As we set out to reestablish her mission with this organization it may look a little different - we are different people. However, our mission remains the same: to teach only truths regarding birth. We seek to ensure the legacy Carla left behind lives on through qualified facilitators hosting safe, informative meetings in their communities, removing the fear from birth.

10 Core Beliefs:

1. The decisions that families make concerning birth should be based on the truth rather than fear bred from corersion and misconception.
2. Parents are entitled to all information involved in their choices and should be made aware of all of their options regarding childbirth.
3. We encourage families to maintain and remain cognizant of their ultimate authority and to recognize their midwives, doulas, doctors, and childbirth educators as paid consultants. We believe that birth belongs to parents and not to their birth attendant.
4. Birth is not normally a medical event and rarely needs any medical interference.
5. Interfering with normal birth increases the risks regardless of where the birth takes place or who is in attendance.
6. Obstetrical abuse in the name of “safety” can take place in any setting and happens far too often. Over monitoring has led to rising intervention rates which has led to a large number of unnecessary and unwanted surgical births. Birth often does not need meddling or managing.
7. We support a family’s right to choose their birth location and attendant or no attendant at all. 
8. Natural and normal does not equate to easy and painless. We acknowledge birth is painful for almost every woman, but we have seen first hand the resilience and strength birth can bring out in women. Pain of childbirth is not without purpose and chemical means of avoiding the pain of childbirth holds many potential risks for the baby and the birth process. Families are entitled to know all risks and benefits regarding pain management, just like any other intervention.
9. Birth, much like life, is not always without risk. While there are a lot of things more risky than birth, families should be made aware of all risks involved with their choices before making them. This includes decisions regarding location, birthing attendant, and all chemical interventions whether they are medial, herbal, or homeopathic.
10. Birth belongs to anyone who gives birth. The Trust Birth Initiative seeks to be inclusive to all families regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or family structure. While we realize that our current and future facilitators have the right to their own views, all Trust Birth meetings should remain a safe place for any growing family seeking this community regardless of any differences they may have.