birthing person

Birthing person - a person who is carrying a baby; in labour; giving birth. A pretty straightforward way to make the way you communicate about birth accessible to more than just women.

So I’m expanding my language when addressing a wider audience. I’ll be referring to birth partners as exactly that, as birth partners. It’s not always ‘Dad’ who is by the birthing person’s side. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about chest- and breastfeeding babies; we can use both of these terms, one doesn’t replace the other. Or maybe you’ll choose to use the word bodyfeeding. There are so many reasons why using the word ‘breast’ might feel uncomfortable to some people - not limited to transmen, parents using a supplementary nursing system and survivors of abuse who may all prefer to use chest.

This is something we can all do, with relative ease, to make the birthworld a safer, more welcoming space for all pregnant people and their families: we can expand our language. I am not talking about replacing the words mother, woman or breast. And I never will be. When I know what language applies to you, that is exactly the language I will use to talk to you about pregnancy, birth & parenthood.

However, when I am speaking to everyone, I will use language which includes everyone. And all of us are people are we not?

We cannot claim to be inclusive, or to be feminist, if our words to everyone only serve women.