The Free Birth Society Scam: A Complete Timeline and Breakdown
The Free Birth Society rose to prominence by selling a vision of complete liberation in birth.
What began as incredible and inspiring conversations about freebirth, sovereignty, and trusting the body as told though the stories in the Free Birth Society Podcast, quickly grew into a multimillion-dollar business offering online courses, such as the Complete Guide to FreeBirth, Radical BirthKeeper School and MatriBirth Midwifery Institute. These Free Birth Society programs attracted thousands of women seeking alternatives to hospital birth, but many later described feeling misled by the ideology, unprepared by the education, and harmed by the outcomes.
This resource brings together the major investigative reporting, personal testimonies, and documented patterns to further understand how the movement grew, where it went wrong, and what lessons we can carry forward.
Birth choices are deeply personal, and the idea of freebirth resonates with many women seeking sovereignty, especially after previous difficult experiences. However, the Free Birth Society story reveals how a movement rooted in empowerment can shift into something that discourages critical thinking, discourages skilled support when needed, and leaves women with incomplete or misleading information.
This blog post compiles the full timeline, key investigations, ex-member testimonies, and documented patterns into a central resource - so anyone new to this conversation can see the bigger picture and make more informed decisions.
Free Birth Society - The Facebook Group
The early growth of Free Birth Society was fueled by its private Facebook group which quickly became one of the most active and influential spaces in the freebirth world. Many women joined believing they had found genuine community and support for sovereignty and undisturbed birth. What many from that original group didn’t realize was how tightly curated and controlled this group actually was.
Critical questions or responses to seek medical help in dangerous situations were frequently deleted or hidden from view. In late 2018, this dynamic played out tragically with the death of an infant named Journey Moon after a ‘wild pregnancy’ and prolonged unassisted labor. Journey’s mother later shared in The Guardian’s The Birth Keeperspodcast that she never saw the warnings - messages from several women urging her to seek medical care were removed or suppressed.
The facebook group was eventually shut down amid the backlash. Around this same time, Free Birth Society began prominently displaying media badges on their website - “As Seen In” BuzzFeed, Daily Beast, Newsweek, and other major outlets - in a way that made the coverage appear like positive features or endorsements. In reality, most of these articles were critical or cautionary, raising serious concerns about the movement’s risks and group dynamic. This selective presentation was one of the earliest examples of how the organization carefully shaped its public image while internal patterns of control, ideology, and bad information continued to deepen.
Key pieces from that period include:
Newsweek (Nov 6, 2018): Coverage of the backlash against Journey Moon’s mother in the group
Daily Beast (mothers interview, early November 2018)
Maryn Green’s Honest Truth
The next public rift in the Free Birth Society story surfaced in December 2019, Radical midwife Maryn Green of Indie Birth released an episode on her Taking Back Birth podcast titled“The Honest Truth About Freebirth.” Drawing from her many years of hands-on midwifery practice and her own experience with freebirth, Maryn offered a thoughtful, nuanced critique. She spoke about the role of trauma in birth choices, the importance of realistic emergency preparedness, and the idea that freebirth and skilled midwifery support do not have to be at war with each other.
Just one week later, Free Birth Society released a roundtable response episode that directly addressed - and pushed back against - Maryn’s points. What began as a philosophical disagreement quickly hardened into a deeper divide: one side calling for balance and preparation, the other doubling down on a more absolute vision of sovereignty. This exchange set the tone for years of tension that followed.
Taking Back Birth Podcast - December 2019 Episode Titled, The Honest Truth About Free Birth
Quieter Times
After the initial public exchanges in 2018/2019 the Free Birth Society continued expanding its programs and influence with relatively little mainstream scrutiny for several years. Behind the scenes, however, tension was building. Inner-circle turnover, quiet ex-member stories, and growing concerns from other workers in the birth community.
An Overlooked Warning: Emilie Alexina’s Podcast Episode
Even before the launch of the MatriBirth Midwifery Institute, there were some early public voices raising concerns within the birth community. In 2024, birth worker Emily Alexina released a podcast episode in which she openly detailed red flags she had observed in the Free Birth Society community and its training programs. She spoke candidly about patterns of dogmatic thinking, the discouragement of skilled midwifery support, inadequate preparation for real-world complications, and the pressure to reject any form of “interference” in favor of absolute sovereignty.
At the time, her episode did not receive widespread attention or go viral - many in the broader birth community, including myself, did not encounter it until after the larger wave of testimonies and investigations in 2025. In retrospect, it stands as one of the earlier documented public attempts to highlight potential issues with the ideology and training model before they became more widely discussed and scrutinized.
“Recovering Our Instincts”: Challenging the Movement
The first big public critique emerged in early 2025 through the Whose Body Is It? podcast hosted by Isabella Malbin. On February 26, 2025 Isabella released an episode with former inner-circle member Serendipiti Day discussing red flags in women’s spiritual and birth communities. This was a key piece, but then, in the early hours of March 23, 2025 Isabella hit publish on an episode that would truly shake the freebirth community - it was a conversation with midwife and activist Mary Lou Singleton titled “Recovering Our Instincts: Freebirth in the Age of Undue Influence(s).”
This discussion examined how influencer-driven movements could distort traditional midwifery wisdom and push dogmatic ideology over balanced, experienced care. For those of us inside MatriBirth Midwifery Institute at the time, this episode felt seismic. Students were listening, sharing it in group chats, and wanting to discuss it. Emilee and Yolande appeared noticeably unsettled by the growing conversation, as it challenged the very foundation of the programs they were actively promoting and selling.
Most students had not yet discovered the growing Reddit community, but as we listened to Isabella’s interviews and began sharing them in group chats, the Reddit threads started surfacing as well. It was a quiet but pivotal turing point - the moment when cracks in the ideology began to show for a growing number of women.
This period was also marked by a profound tragedy within our MatriBirth Midwifery Institute cohort. We had just completed the section on pregnancy and infant loss when one woman in the group experienced the heartbreaking death of her baby. Many classmates felt a strong desire to reach out and offer support, but Emilee and Yolande explicitly instructed the group not to contact her. The video the mother had shared in the FBS private network - showing her baby in distress - was the same one that was sent to Guardian journalist Sirin Kale. It became one of the pivotal pieces that launched the larger investigation into Free Birth Society. For those of us in the program at the time, this confluence of events - the loss, the directive not to offer support, and the growing external scrutiny - created a deeply unsettling atmosphere and marked a significant turning point in how many of us viewed the organization.
Reddit Page - r/FreeBirthSocietyScam
Emilee Saldaya appears on the Birthing Instincts Podcast: Timing, Backlash, and their Decision to Keep it Up
Just days after Isabella’s Whose Body Is It? episodes with Serendipiti Day and Mary Lou Singleton gained traction - and right as the first Reddit threads on r/FreeBirthSocietyScam began circulating - Emilee Saldaya appeared on the popular Birthing Instincts podcast with Dr. Stu Fishbein and Midwife Blyss. Episode 406 aired in late March 2025, at the exact moment when public scrutiny was starting to intensify.
After this episode was released there was some major backlash and many sent messages to Dr. Stu and Blyss in hopes of having the episode removed. Rather than pulling the episode in response to growing criticism, Dr. Stu and Blyss chose to keep the full conversation available and even released an Instagram reel defending their decision on free speech grounds, stating they do not support censorship. For many of us still inside MatriBirth Midwifery Institute, this moment felt like a flashpoint. It highlighted the widening divide between those calling for accountability and those defending the movement. Meanwhile the Reddit community continued to grow with more ex-member stories surfacing each day.
Instagram Short from Birthing Instincts Episode #406
Blyss and Dr. Stu respond to demands that they remove episode #406 - Since the airing of this episode, we have been made aware of a Reddit post sharing a number of allegations against the practices and character of our guest. We are aware of the situation and encourage everyone to be diligent when seeking out resources/support
Behind the scenes, Emilee shows her true colors about Blyss - clip from the Reddit.
Behind the scenes, Emilee shows her true colors about Dr. Stu - from the Reddit
Full Reddit Page - r/FreeBirthSocietyScam
The Reddit Conversation
One of the most significant spaces for public discussion, documentation, and support originallly started in theReddit community r/FreeBirthSocietyScam. Created as a place for former members, affected families, and concerned birth workers to share their experiences, the subreddit quickly became an important archive of first-hand accounts, timelines, screenshots, internal comunications, and recurring patterns that were difficult to see from inside the organization. Over time, it grew into a vital resource where people could connect with others who had gone through similar experiences, warn potential newcomers, and begin processing the emotional, financial, and ideological impact of their involvement.
While not every post is verified, the volume, consistency, and corroboration of many stories shared there provided crucial context and validation for countless women who previously felt isolated in their concerns. The subreddit played a key role in amplifying ex-member voices and contributing to the larger wave of awareness that eventually led to broader investigations and public scrutiny.
The Growing Wave of Independent Voices - Key Episodes and Conversations
As winter turned to spring 2025, the conversation around Free Birth Society moved beyond Reddit threads and small private groups into the wider birth community. A growing number of prominent voices - midwives, doctors, doulas, educators, and former participants - began sharing their experiences and raising concerns through podcasts, YouTube videos, and public posts. These independent contributions helped many people see patterns that had previously stayed hidden. What had begun as scattered criticism and a snarky reddit page was becoming a more visible and coordinated wave of awareness. Below are some of the most notable episodes and conversations from this period that helped bring the issues to a broader audience.
Maryn Green - Midwives Gone Wild, videos available on Rumble
Radical midwife Maryn Green of Indie Birth has been one of the most consistent and thoughtful voices addressing these issues for years through her podcast Taking BackBirth. Her episodes cover a wide range of important topics including trauma, emergency preparedness, the nuances of freebirth, and the risks of dogmatic thinking in the birth community. Of particular note during this 2025 time period is her Midwives Gone Wild April 5, 2025 episode titled “Social Media and the Rise of the Overnight Midwife”, in which she examines how social media has enabled people with minimal training to quickly brand themselves as midwives and offer services with little real experience. I highly recommend exploring more expisodes from her podcast Taking Back Birth and also the Midwives Gone Wild episodes available on Rumble. Maryn offers a grounded, experienced perspective as a long-time practicing midwife who continues to advocate for balance, preparation, and real skill alongside the powerful idea of undisturbed birth.
Midwives Gone Wild: Social Media and the Rise of the Overnight Midwife Released April 25, 2025
Midwives Gone Wild - Rumble Page
Nathan Riley, OBGYN
As the Reddit discussions gained momentum and more ex-member stories began circulating in spring 2025, another significant voice entered the conversation at a crucial moment - Dr. Nathan Riley, a board-certified OB-GYN known for his holistic and thoughtful approach to birth. On April 6, 2025 he appeared on The Peaceful Birth Podcast i n a powerful episode discussing his opinions on this topic. On April 9, 2025 he hosted a live YouTube session directlly addressing the unfolding Free Birth Society situation. These appearances provided one of the first calm, grounded perspectives during a time of intense confusion and emotional reactivity.
For many of us still processing what we were seeing/saw inside Matribirth Midwifery Institute, and other Free Birth Society circles - and for countless others trying to make sense of the growing revelations - Dr. Riley’s balanced take served as a much-needed anchor.
His willingness to speak publicly at that moment helped bridge the gap between medical reality and ideological extremes, offering clarity when it was most needed.
Dr. Nathan Riley also hosts his own podcast called Born Free Method: The Podcast, he also has a private membership community co-hosted with midwife Sara Rosser, that have both become invaluable resources for many women seeking balanced, informed perspectives on birth. His work offers practical guidance that bridges the gap between hospital care and true autonomy, helping families make truly informed decisions without falling into extremes.
Free Birth Discussion with Nathan Riley, MD, FACOG on YouTube (released April 9, 2025)
Born Free Method: The Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Born Free Method: The Podcast on Spotify
Whapio and the Matrona Community
Just days after Dr. Nathan Riley’s live YouTube session in early April 2025, something powerful unfolded in this year-long Birth Keeper cohort I had joined back in February (2025) with Whapio and the Matrona. Whapio was scheduled to teach a live class on a different topic, but she ended up rescheduling that talk and dedicating an entire class to directly addressing what was happening with the Free Birth Society, and spent over four hours holding space for those that felt affected by it - she spoke candidly about the idea of freebirth versus the ideology that had grown around it, the real consequences we were witnessing, and how to navigate the confusion with clarity and integrity.
For me personally, the timing could not have been more meaningful. I had withdrawn from MatriBirth Midwifery Institute at the end of March after realizing how deeply misaligned it felt, and I had staretd Whapio’s program back in February. Stepping into this new community - one grounded in deep traditional wisdom, rigorous understanding of physiological birth, and genuine respect for the full spectrum of birth - was incredibly healing and stabilizing. It gave me the space to process what I had experienced, continue growing as a birth worker, and move forward without being held back or defined by the previous chapter - which was huge for me. Fortunately, I was never that deep into the Free Birth Society ideologies, so this was a mostly easeful transition. That class, and the larger container of other women studying Whapio’s teaching’s, helped many of us integrate the hard lessons and find a much - much - healthier, more balanced path ahead.
Learn more about Whapio and the Matrona
Healing Birth
Around this same time, in the begining of May 2025, the Healing Birth podcast released a powerful episode featuring a former Free Birth Society follower sharing her freebirth transfer story. This stood in stark contrast to the Free Birth Society podcast itself, which has long maintained a policy of never sharing freebirth transfer stories, often stating that listeners only want “positive” birth stories. Yet the same platform has had no. hesitation in framing certain “sovereign death” stories as empowering and beautiful.
This selective storytelling reveals a deeply deceptive and manipulative pattern: any intervention or help from the medical system is portrayed as abuse or failure, while tragic outcomes are reframed as triumphant acts of sovereignty. The Healing Birth podcast has released many other excellent episodes over the years that offer a more balanced and honest look a the full spectrum of birth experiences - including transfers, complications, and loss - and I highly recommend exploring Diana’s catalog. The April 2025 episode in particular served as an important counterpoint during a critical moment when many of us were beginning to question the one-sided narrative being promoted.
Healing Birth episode - A Free Birth That Didn’t Go As Planned (released April 6, 2025)
In looking for links to the above mentioned episode, I also found several earlier episodes put out on the Healing Birth podcast featuring more than one member of the early Free Birth Society inner circle and an interesting interview with Emilee Saldaya herself, linked below.
Healing Birth episode - Transmuting Trauma into Power with Emilee Saldaya ( released 5/13/2020)
Additionally, there were some women who shared their personal stories in ther/FreeBirthSocietyScam Reddit and referenced their episode on the Healing Birth podcast, I’m going to link those here also.
Healing Birth episode -
Adelaide Meadow
Another important voice that helped many of us process what was unfolding was Adelaide Meadow. In a YouTube video released April 14, 2025 - Adelaide Meadow is joined by licensed midwife and prenatal bodyworker Mandy Verghese , together they offered thoughtful perspectives, and a nuanced breakdown on ethics in service.
One thing that I really appreciated them touching on was the concept of “midwifery sabotage” - a phrase that was often weaponized in Free Birth Society spaces to describe any midwife who offered guidance, intervention or even basic support during birth. This video provided a much needed reframing: while harm from care providers does occasionally occur, the vast majority of midwives are not showing up with malicious intent.
Adelaide’s nuanced perspective helped may women decompress from the rigid, black-and-white thinking promoted by Free Birth Society. Adelaide’s calm, experienced approach served as another valuable piece in the larger puzzle of moving forward with clearer eyes and less dogma, reminding us that understanding the full spectrum of care - both the failures and the genuine support - is essential for true healing and discernment.
Find more about Adelaide at FaithintheBody.com
Moms off the Record
On May 16, 2025 the Moms Off the Record podcast released an episode titled “Rediscovering Nuance in Birth: Recalibrating the Swinging Pendulum” (episode78). This conversation stood out as a clear and balanced reflection during the intense period of growing awareness around Free Birth Society. The hosts thoughtfully examined how real hospital trauma had legitimately driven many women toward freebirth, while also acknowledging how the pendulum had swung too far in the opposite direction - into rigid ideology that often discouraged preparation, skilled support when truly needed, and critical thinking. It helped reframe the conversation away from extremes and toward a more nuanced understanding: that both over-medicalization in hospitals and dogmatic “just trust birth” approaches carry real risks, and that true autonomy requires discernment, accurate information, and the freedom to choose appropriate support. It was another important piece that helped many women begin to decompress from the black and white thinking promoted by Free Birth Society.
Peaceful Home Birth Podcast
Also in May of 2025, the Peaceful Home Birth podccast released Episode 210 featuring Nya, a former Free Birth Society insider and employee. This conversation provided a detailed and honest looks at the inner workings of the organization from someone who had been deeply involved. Nya shared her personal experiences, the high staff turnover, the financial motivations behind the programs, the culture of mockery and disorganization behind the public “love women and babies” image, and the cognitive dissonance she experienced while working there. For many of us who had been in MatriBirth Midwifery Institute, hearing Nya’s account felt validating and clarifying. It helped illuminate the gap between the marketed vision of radical empowerment and the reality of how the organization actually operated. The episode contributed to the broader wave of awareness that summer.
The Midwife of Healing
Another inspiring and grounded voice that emerged during this period of growing awareness was midwife Catalina Clark. Catalina started her podcast called the Midwife of Healing and it quickly became a valuable resource for many women trying to navigate the ideological influence, or the confusion left in the wake of Free Birth Society. Across her episodes, Catalina shares her personal evolution with honesty and depth - from her early attraction to freebirth, through her engagement with Free Birth Society materials, to her current practice as a licensed midwife who continues to deeply value undisturbed birth. Her work offers a balanced, informed perspective that honors true sovereignty while emphasizing the importance of preparation, siilled support when needed, and some basic discernment. For many processing the FBS experiences, Catalina’s podcast served as a hopeful model of integration - showing how it’s possible to hold the empowering idea of freebirth without being trapped by rigid ideology.
The Midwife of Healing Podcast on Apple
The Midwife of Healing Podcast on Spotify
At Her Feet
One of the most profound and valuable resources I’ve personally turned to throughout this entire journey has been Blyss Young’s podcast At Her Feet. Through her gentle, reverent interviews with elder midwives, Blyss has preserved the living history and wisdom of traditional midwifery - from the grassroots, community-based practices of the 1970s, and 80s, through the battles over licensure and professionalization, to the complex realities we face today. Listening to these episodes has taught me SO much - not just about birth, but also about integrity and what it truly means to serve women. For me personally, At Her Feet became essential medicine. It helped me unpack not only the Free Birth Society dynamics I had witnessed, but also from what unfolded at my daughter’s birth in 2019. Discovering this amazing resource was a big deal for me, unpacking my daughter’s birth was a big reason why I started the MyMaine Birth podcast - and in many ways, the podcast At Her Feet helped me so much in understanding my own experiences.
At Her Feet remains an essential listen for anyone seeking grounded wisdom, historical context, and a deeper understanding of midwifery’s roots.
One particularly valuable perspective came from elder midwife Adele Rose who was featured in season one of the At Her Feet podcast and also appeared on the Birthing Instincts podcast on Jan 7, 2026 where she openly shared her experience joining the Radical Birth Keeper School, and reflected on what she observed there, offering another layer of insight into how the ideology intersected with traditional midwifery paths. Her honest account provided a grounded, experienced voice from someone who had walked both the traditional midwifery path and briefly engaged with the Free Birth Society training model.
For many listeners, including myself, this episode offered a rare and clarifying look at the gap between the promised power and the reality of the ideology in practice. This episode reinforced the value of deep apprenticeship, and true discernment in midwifery.
At Her Feet Podcast on Apple Podcasts
At Her Feet Podcast on Spotify
MyMaine Birth, August 2025
In August of 2025 - during what was supposed to be the final week of the first MatriBirth Midwifery Institute cohort - I released five episodes sharing the experience of women who had been through the Radical Birth Keeper School and/or the MatriBirth Midwifery Institute programs. At this time, Free Birth Society was acting very arrogant, they were enrolling for the next round under the rebranded name this time - MatriBirth Mentor Institute - and had just released an episode on their own podcast titled “The Fruits of Cancel Culture and Mob Mentality: A Tell-All with Yolande Norris-Clark", which completely dismissed growing concerns. At the end of that week, Nya - whose episode was part of the series - asked me to hold her story. We later learned this was connected to Emilee experiencing a stillbirth. Shortly afterward, despite her loss, Free Birth Society continued business as usual, including releasing a class called G.R.I.F.T. that appeared to mock those raising legitimate concerns. Nya then agreed to release her episode around that time. Notably, the rebranded MatriBirth Mentor Institute’s second cohort - allegedly attracted only three students, which would be a sharp contrast to earlier enrollment numbers. These August episodes became a public collection of ex-member testimonies and helped people to see the broader patterns.
131. MyMaine Birth: The Free Birth Society Scam, Nya's Story
The Guardian Articles
The most comprehensive public accounting came from The Guardian in late 2025. Journalists Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne led a year-long investigation that resulted in a major feature article published on November 22, 2025, titled “Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births - now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world.” This was followed by several additional pieces, including expert critiques of the organization’s medical claims and case studies such as the death of an Irish mother. The reporting examined the business model, the content of the programs, the patterns of harm, and the gap between the public “empowerment” messaging and private realities. What made the investigation especially powerful was the courage and vulnerability of the many women - former participants, affected mothers, and ex-insiders - who spoke with the Guardian often sharing deeply painful and personal stories in the hope that others might be spared similar harm. The articles did not broadly condemn freebirth as a personal choice. Instead, they focused on specific patters within Free Birth Society: aggressive marketing of expensive programs with limited clinical depth, the discouragement of timely medical care, dangerous or mis-leading medical claims, high staff turnover, and the gap between the public image and the outcomes for families. These pieces, along with the accompanying six-part The Birth Keepers podcast series, provided a level of documentation and context that helped countless women begin to make sense of their experiences and see the full scope of what had been unfolding.
Interview - Birth Keepers with Sirin Kale presented by Deborah Frances-White on YouTube
The Birth Keepers - The Guardian Investigates Podcast
Accompanying the Guardian’s written investigation was a powerful six-part podcast series titled The Birth Keepers, hosted by Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne and released in December 2025. These episodes took listeners deeper into the human stories behind the reporting, featuring intimate conversations with affected mothers, former insiders, and experts. The series explored the personal toll of the ideology, the internal dynamics of the organization, the financial model, and the patterns of harm that had unfolded over years. The courage and vulnerability of the women who participated gave the podcast significant emotional weight. For many still processing their experiences with Free Birth Society, the Birth Keepers provided a level of context, validation, and clarity that felt long overdue. It helped illuminate not just the scale of the issues, but also the very real human cost behind the marketing of freebirth in this particular way.
Podcast The Birth Keepers: how the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Birthing Instincts - Response to the Guardian Articles
In the wake of the Guardian investigation, Birthing Instincts with Dr. Stu Fishbein and Blyss Young - widely regarded as one of the most respected and balanced podcasts in the birth world - became a key platform for processing the aftermath of this report. They had previously hosted Emilee Saldaya in March of 2025 (episode 406) and chose to keep the full episode available despite growing criticism, publicly defending their decision on free speech grounds.
After the first Guardian article came out, they continued the conversation with a thoughtful episode featuring traditional birth attendant Joni Edelman and doula Ivy Joeva. Their discussion offered grounded, experienced perspectives that acknowledged legitimate concerns about hospital care while also calling out the dangers of unchecked dogma and inadequate training. For many listeners seeking a balanced take amid the intense public discourse, Birthing Instinctsserved as a trusted anchor - the place people turned to for real, up-to-date insight when the birth world felt especially chaotic.
#443: Delusional Optimism: A Discussion of Recent Article On the Freebirth Society
Birth The Middle Way
In this same window of growing awareness, the newly created Birth the Middle Way podcast - hosted by Emma Cardinal and Sammy Love who was also a student in Whapio’s year long birthkeeper cohort last year - offered another thoughtful exploration of the unfolding situation. Emma, who had been involved in Free Birth Society circles, shared her personal story with remarkable candor in The Guardian’s investigation. The episodes on Birth the Middle Way podcast examine the real harms of both over-medicalized hospital birth and the rigid ideology promoted by Free Birth Society, advocating instead for a true “middle way” - one that honors the empowering idea of freebirth and undisturbed birth while recognizing the value of skilled, respectful support when truly needed. This podcast is truly a grounded and hopeful resource.
Of particular note was their January 29, 2026 episode titled “Reflections and Announcement re: My Experience With the Guardian’s Investigation into FBS” In which Emma offered honest reflections on her involvement and the personal impact of the investigation. Emma’s openness in The Guardian reporting added significant weight and humanity to the larger conversation, helping illuminate the personal cost of the movement from someone who had lived it.
From The Ashes - Maryn Green’s 2026 Summer Circle
As the dust begins to settle on this whole saga, to me - one of the clear and inspiring voices leading the way forward is radical midwife Maryn Green. In her recent Taking Back Birth episode titled “The Free Birth Cult Has Collapsed”, she declared with refreshing honesty what so many of us already knew deep down. Maryn spoke with clarity and conviction about what so many of us have witnessed firsthand: the extreme, dogmatic elements of the movement have indeed crumbled under the weight of their own contradictions, misinformation, and real harm. The evidence is now out there for anyone searching for it - and for anyone considering investing time or money in their programs. This exposure has been a big deal, and it truly has collapsed the cult-like aspects that once held so much sway. Rather than leaving people stuck in the aftermath, Maryn has created a free summer group called “From The Ashes: Transforming Freebirth Ideology Into Change” to help people process their experiences, integrate the lessons, and move forward with greater clarity, wisdom, and balance.
Maryn’s work is a beautiful reminder that we can honor the valid desire for undisturbed birth and sovereignty while choosing preparation, and healthy community support. We are moving forward - and there is real hope, healing, and freedom on the other side.
Taking Back Birth - episode released April 17, 2026 titled “The Freebirth Cult Has Collapsed”
Join Maryn’s Free Group this Summer - From The Ashes - Transforming Freebirth Ideology into Change
Pain Free Birth
In one of the more recent and relevant contributions to this conversation, the Pain Free Birth podcast (hosted by Karen Welton) released an episode focused on freebirth, medical emergencies, and the concept of radical responsibility. What stood out most was the thoughtful reframing of “radical responsibility” - moving away from the often dogmatic interpretation promoted in the free birth society circles, and toward a more grounded understanding that true responsibility means fully educating yourself, learning critical skills like neonatal resuscitation, and making truly informed decisions rather than relying on ideology alone. The episode acknowledged that while birth usually works beautifully when left undisturbed, it is not infallible, and preparation and discernment are essential. For many women navigating the aftermath of Free Birth Society teachings or trying to reconcile hospital trauma with the desire for autonomy, this perspective offers a healthier, more balanced path forward - one that honors the powerful idea of freebirth while rejecting blind trust or manipulation.
MyMaine Birth - The Free Birth Society Scam - Series #2
In my own podcast, episodes 151 through 161 I continue to explore the Free Birth Society story more in depth. Through personal experience, conversations with former insiders, and major investigative reporting, I’ve been piecing together what the “scam” actually looks like: not a single dramatic event, but a pattern of incomplete teachings, aggressive marketing of freebirth ideology, expensive programs with very limited real training, and a culture that discouraged critical thinking and timely medical help when necessary. My podcast episodes dive deeper into these stories, offering first-hand accounts from women who were inside the programs, reflections from midwives and birth workers, and expert perspectives on hospital trauma, autonomy, and the line between power and dogma. Together, along with this blog post pulling everyone’s articles together - I’ve formed a comprehensive resource for anyone trying to understand what happened, why it mattered, and how we can move forward with clearer eyes and better information.
MyMaine Birth 151: How We Birth Matters, Angela’s Story
MyMaine Birth 152: How We Birth Matters, Katelyn’s First Home Birth Story
MyMaine Birth 155: The Free Birth Society Scam, Keely returns to share her sixth birth story
MyMaine Birth 156: Katie’s planned homebirth turned cesarean followed by two freebirths
Moving Forward
The Free Birth Society began rooted in genuine desires many women share - a longing for autonomy, healing from hospital trauma, and the freedom to trust their bodies in birth. What started as empowering conversations about sovereignty and undisturbed birth, however, evolved into something far more rigid and consequential. The teachings were incomplete, often dangerously misleading leaving women who paid significant money unprepared for the realities that can arise during birth. The black-and-white thinking, the lack of humility, and the cult-like atmosphere created ongoing harm that continues to ripple through communities today. Integrity would have meant accepting criticism and feedback; instead, concerns were dismissed, moderated, or attacked.
There is no space for ego in birth. If there is one thing I hope women take away from the recent exposure of Free Birth Society is that its ok to seek help when your intuition calls for it - going to the hospital or accepting support is not failure or “outsourcing” - it’s wisdom. Free birth itself should never be illegal, and providers who support a woman’s right to choose should also respect her right to free birth. The big problem was never free birth as a personal decision - it was the incomplete teachings, the dogmatic ideology, and the manipulative community dynamics that left so many women vulnerable.
At this point, through all of the reporting that has been done regarding Free Birth Society - the full picture has now been laid bare. The evidence is out there for anyone searching. The cult-like elements have collapsed, and in that collapse lies an opportunity: to reclaim the powerful idea of free birth without the harmful ideology, to choose with clearer eyes, fuller information, and true respect for birth’s power. Birth is not something to worship blindly or control completely - it is something to approach with humility, preparation, and deep, deep respect. We are moving forward, and there is real hope, healing, and freedom on the other side.
As a final thought, I’d like to link what is currently the most recent episode on Birth the Middle Way Podcast, featuring Whapio. In it, she shares profound wisdom, historical context, and a deeply compassionate perspective on birth, midwifery, and the human experience. Her words cut through the noise with clarity and heart, reminding us that true sovereignty comes with responsibility, that birth is powerful and vulnerable, and that the path forward lies in discernment rather than dogma. It is a perfect note to end on - a call to hold the empowering idea of freebirth with open hands, while choosing preparation, integrity, and respect for the full spectrum of what birth can be. I highly recommend listening to the full episode here: Birth the Middle Way episode 26: The Way of the Matrona: a conversation with elder, midwife, and teacher Whapio.
The evidence is out there. The stories have been told. Now it is up to each of us to listen, reflect, and choose our own path forward with clearer eyes and fuller hearts.
