A Missouri woman is causing a stir online over her views on pregnancy and prenatal care. TikToker Kaytlynn Green is not new to controversy. She posts on the platform under the handle @the_herbalmama, and she shares her thoughts on things like free birthing, nontoxic living, and veganism.
In November, Green posted a video of "controversial things I do during pregnancy that upset people." The list includes no prenatal care, ultrasounds, or tests. She also says she uses marijuana during pregnancy, although she clarifies that she does not smoke. Green also claims to eat a high raw vegan diet. Many think she is putting her unborn child in danger and have been pretty vocal about it, but that doesn't seem to bother Green.
Green is pregnant with her third child.
Green is very open on her TikTok page about her thoughts on pregnancy and how she intends to birth her third baby. As a stay-at-home mom of two children, the 23-year-old is very clear about how things will go because she is taking full control. She announced her pregnancy in mid-February and says she has no plans to see a doctor.
In an earlier TikTok, she spoke about ultrasounds and how they are flawed and dangerous. She had scans with her first two children but found them unnecessary. With her son, she wanted to know his gender, but when he "hid" during the ultrasound, she refused to go back, claiming she knew from the second she got pregnant that he was a boy.
"For me, the risks are too high vs the benefits. US can be wrong and miss things or give false birth information, so in most cases they are pointless," she wrote.
This birth will be what she calls a 'free birth.'
In another video, Green claims that a midwife once ruined her perfect birth experience, and she will not go through that again.
Text on the video reads, "Free birth is one of the most normal things a woman can do. Whats not normal is having someone interfere, especially someone that was supposed to support you. I tried a birth with trained medical professional and they did not allow me to have physiological birth that I wanted and deserved."
This time, she will give birth to her baby at home in her kitchen with her husband and children to support her.
Green is adamant that doctors and hospitals are the enemies.
She is quick to blame hospitals and medical professionals for trauma during birth. She thinks having a baby in a hospital is riskier than having a free birth.
Green claims that moms-to-be need to know their rights if they give birth in a hospital. According to her, even if it is against "hospital policy," a woman should be able to dictate what happens during the birth. Green says if you are an informed mother in a hospital, you "call the shots."
It's not just her takes on pregnancy and birth that raise eyebrows.
Many do not agree with her parenting techniques. Her kids do not go to school, are not vaccinated, do not see doctors, and eat a strictly vegan diet. She also does not restrict breastfeeding and allows her children to self-wean.
"I practice what's called holistic and respectful parenting. However, people have told me I'm abusive for not allowing them to eat certain foods and tell me I don't deserve to have children," Green told media agency Caters earlier this year.
Despite the critics, many other 'crunchy' moms believe in what she is saying.
Plenty of other moms plan to have home births and to raise their children like Green raises hers. She has 9,000 followers on TikTok, which is not too shabby. Many moms have come to her defense about free birth and the idea that a doctor, nurse, or midwife is not necessary.
"We don't need help making the baby. We def don't need help bringing the baby earth side," one supporter wrote.
"I had a horrible experience with my homebirth midwife as a FTM. this 2nd baby is coming earthside with family only," another person agreed.
"Yes love it!!" someone else extolled.
Green says that getting educated is the most critical part of preparing for a home birth. Write down your fears about birth and educate yourself on the possibility of complications happening and what to do if those scenarios arises, she suggests.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
