In a birth culture increasingly dominated by protocols, liability fears, and rigid risk categorizations, Kristine Laurie, CPM, LM, offers a powerful counter-narrative. With over 33 years of experience, including two decades working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in some of the world's most medically austere environments, Kristine brings unparalleled wisdom to the conversation about what’s possible in birth when autonomy, respect, and physiological trust are prioritized.
High-Risk Birth in Low-Resource Settings: Lessons Beyond the Guidelines
For many midwives in the U.S., “high-risk” often signals a transfer of care. But in Kristine Laurie’s world, high-risk is the norm—and not a deterrent to physiologic birth. Working in places like South Sudan, Indonesia, and Afghanistan, she regularly attends births involving breech presentations, twins, triplets, and even placenta previa. Without access to routine cesareans, Kristine and her colleagues focus on preserving maternal life and adapting to each situation with skill, not fear.
“I’ve seen a woman with a placenta so low I could feel it on vaginal exam birth vaginally and walk out the next day totally fine,” Kristine shared. “These experiences have profoundly expanded my understanding of what’s possible.”
This lived experience dismantles many Western assumptions about risk. It also reminds us that “risk” is often a function of geography and system design more than inherent danger
Autonomy First: Practicing Midwifery Without Compromise
Kristine’s deep commitment to autonomy is not theoretical—it’s the foundation of her entire career. From practicing illegally for 17 years in multiple U.S. states before midwifery licensure was accessible, to attending her own unassisted birth alone in Guatemala, Kristine exemplifies what it means to trust birth and the people giving birth.
“I work for the birthing person, not the state,” she asserted unapologetically. “That principle has guided me across every border and circumstance.”
Her decision to avoid traditional midwifery practice in the U.S. today isn’t about burnout alone—it’s about resistance. Resistance to restrictive scopes of practice. Resistance to systems that prioritize compliance over connection. And resistance to the creeping medicalization that undermines midwives’ sacred role.
Breech, Twins, and the Disappearing Art of Complex Birth
In a culture that has nearly eliminated vaginal breech birth, Kristine’s numbers are staggering: over 500 breech births, nearly 400 sets of twins, and seven sets of triplets—all outside of the hospital. Far from being anomalies, these experiences were routine in her early days attending births in the Amish community, where transport was rare and physiologic birth was simply the norm.
“I didn’t even realize that breech and twins were considered high risk in the hospital,” she laughed. “Where I started, they were just birth.”
This depth of experience makes her a sought-after teacher. She now trains midwives in breech and twin skills through Breech Without Borders and the Midwifery Wisdom Collective, sharing both the technical tools and the mindset needed to meet complexity without fear.
Global Midwifery Wisdom and the Sacredness of Birth
Even in refugee camps and post-disaster settings, Kristine insists on honoring traditional birthing practices. From hanging birthing ropes to family presence, she ensures the sacredness of birth remains intact, even in medicalized and under-resourced environments.
“They may not have candles or playlists,” she said, “but their way of giving birth has dignity. My job is to protect that, not replace it.”
Her model of care transcends regulations, and her reverence for birth—whether in a Guatemalan village or a South Sudanese field hospital—is a potent reminder of midwifery’s core truth: Birth is not a condition to be managed. It’s a force to be respected.
Reclaiming Responsibility and Redefining Normal
Perhaps most inspiring is Kristine’s challenge to the current midwifery culture in the U.S.—where client autonomy is too often undermined by fear of litigation and loss of licensure.
“When I started, families took responsibility for their choices. That’s changed. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.”
Born Wild Midwifery and its community of listeners share this ethos. The goal isn’t to deny risk, but to understand it in context—and to return decision-making power to the people giving birth.
Want More?
This conversation with Kristine Laurie dives even deeper into the tension between institutional regulation and midwifery freedom. It’s a must-listen for any birth worker ready to expand their perspective and reclaim birth as a sacred, autonomous event.
