What Are Birth Values—And Why Do They Matter?
It all begins with an idea.
Most parents don’t realize they have birth values until those values are tested.
Maybe it’s the provider who brushes off your questions.
Maybe it’s being offered an intervention you didn’t plan for.
Maybe it’s feeling like you have to ask permission to exist in your own birth space.
That’s when it clicks: Wait, this doesn’t sit right with me.
And underneath that feeling? A value. A belief about what should matter in birth.
Let’s talk about what birth values are, why they matter, and how to define yours—so you’re not just reacting in the moment, but grounding your experience in clarity from the start.
What Are Birth Values?
Birth values are your personal beliefs and priorities about how you want to give birth. They’re the invisible threads guiding what feels good, safe, respectful, or non-negotiable in your birth experience.
Think of them as your compass.
They're not about birth plans or preferences alone—those are tools. Your values are deeper. They influence how you respond to unexpected shifts, how you communicate with your care team, and how you reflect on your birth afterward.
They’re about more than the outcome. They’re about how you’re treated along the way.
Common Examples of Birth Values
Everyone’s birth values are different, but here are a few that come up often in my work with clients:
Autonomy – The ability to make your own decisions, without pressure or coercion. Having your “yes” and your “no” honored.
Informed Choice – Being given real options, true risks and benefits, and time to decide. Not just being told what’s “normal.”
Privacy – Wanting a quiet, intimate space. Not feeling like you're on display.
Continuity of Care – Wanting a trusted provider or support team that knows you, not strangers rotating through shifts.
Physiologic Birth – Valuing birth as a natural body process when medically safe, and seeking to avoid unnecessary interventions.
Cultural Respect – Wanting your language, rituals, or traditions acknowledged and honored.
Safety – For some, that means proximity to medical help. For others, it’s being in a space where their trauma, identity, or past experiences are seen.
No value is “right” or “wrong”—but knowing yours helps you make aligned choices.
How to Clarify Your Own Birth Values
Here are a few ways to uncover what matters most to you:
1. Reflect on past experiences.
Think about any medical or caregiving experience that left you feeling empowered—or the opposite. What made the difference?
2. Consider how you want to feel during birth.
Safe? Seen? Powerful? Undisturbed? The feelings you want to protect can point you toward your values.
3. Journal on what you fear—or hope for.
Sometimes our fears show us what we’re trying to avoid. And our hopes reveal what we long for.
4. Talk it out.
Discuss with your partner, doula, or provider: What matters most to me in this experience? Notice what comes up in the conversation.
When your values are clear, you can advocate from a place of strength—not stress. You can build a team that supports you. And most importantly, you can look back on your birth and know: That was mine. I made choices that reflected who I am and what I believe.
Even if the path winds or looks different than planned, your values are what keep you grounded.
They are the foundation for informed, respectful, connected birth.
Blog Post Title Two
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Blog Post Title Three
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Blog Post Title Four
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.