Sarah Essiambre was determined to give birth to her third baby at home. But, she said doctors told her she’d never have a vaginal birth after her first C-section. She decided to ignore their advice and instead went online to get information. 

She’s not alone. Doctors and midwives are reporting an increased interest in giving birth with little to no medical help at all. Some even choose freebirth which means there are no prenatal tests or licensed practitioners at the birth. But doctors say giving birth alone is like flying a plane after reading a manual and warn it’s a terrible idea.