What I mean when I say "Birth Neoterist" and how it is related to Reproductive Justice

You've heard the term...what is it all about?

You are here, reading The Birth Neoterist Newsletter. You may have heard me drop the term. But what am I really talking about here?

I get asked to comment on doulas a lot. But, if I’m being honest, I’m really tired of talking about the statistics. I’m really tired of explaining what a doula does and why it’s important. Like, we’ve been here, telling you what we do, telling you the system is broken, and telling you that doulas serve an important role. But they are a bandaid for a broken system that refuses to see the birthing person holistically…the statistics showing that doulas help are true, but they help because they fill a void that has been created because the typical system does not slow down, does not allow for connection, for seeing multiple sides of the scenario - it’s all one track minded, policy, & profit driven.

In an effort to shift the conversations I’m engaged in to more, I started to search for a term that represented the conversation past the numbers. A term that represented future thinking, innovation, and action. Yes, we know the numbers, now what are we going to DO about it.

So, the term Birth Neoterist was born.

Let me be clear. This isn’t a term that reflects something new, necessarily. This is work that people are doing. Reproductive Justice advocates are fighting for change. Midwives are combatting licensure red tape, doulas are in conversation with insurance companies to expand access, advocacy for birth center and home births continues to increase. These are actions being taken.

But Birth Neoterist - this phrase highlights this work, and it adds important layers.

A layer of self-accountability. Of trauma-healing. Of the work that we need to do as individuals to better effect change.

What is a Birth Neoterist, what do we believe in and why are we here?

Expanded from Neoterist:  ​​”a person who is keen on innovation and novelty.” Source

A Birth Neoterist: a person who is forward-focused and dedicated to innovation and sustainability to create a pathway to a new reality for birth

• Understands the reproductive justice framework as the foundation and the path to collective liberation

• Utilizes history as a way of supporting forward-focused thinking and creation of the future of birth

• Supports the full spectrum of reproductive experiences and the variation of people having those experiences

• prioritizes an ongoing personal trauma healing practice for the well being of themselves and their community

• Designs and implements innovative and sustainable systems to create a better future for all birthing people

You can continue this work and expand your impact by looking inward and holding yourself accountable. Register for my final event offering of the year:

Learning your Algorithm, held on December 3rd from 12-2pm ET on zoom. In this session, we’ll talk about the importance of returning to ourselves and learning our unique algorithms. We will discuss strategies and practices for connecting to your algorithm, what it means to be embodied and how to define liberation for yourself and for the collective.

We will close this session with a space for accountability practices and community healing.

Thank you for engaging in this work, joining the community discussion, and committing to change.

Become a paid member of this community, or like, comment, or share - any level of engagement is appreciated!