6: Unpacking Birth Certificates with Veda Ray

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Free Birth Society

Emilee Saldaya

314 episodes

2 days ago

The Free Birth Society Podcast features honest, gripping, inspiring, and transformative freebirth stories hosted by the founder Emilee Saldaya in conversation with wild women worldwide. In the vast tapestry of childbirth experiences, a thread runs undisturbed, unmedicated, and true to its ancestral roots: freebirth. This differs from your usual home birth with doulas or midwives in attendance. Freebirth stands apart, where birthing is solely in the hands of the birthing woman, accompanied only by her intuition, rhythms of nature, witnessed by her family. The Free Birth Podcast invites you to a unique corner of the universe where we dive deep into the raw essence of birth, untamed and unassisted. Pushing against the tides of modern obstetrics and its violent approach, we venture into stories of women who've boldly chosen to claim this primal rite of passage. Here, we're not merely sharing tales; we're challenging the status quo and redefining the very narrative of childbirth. As we unravel discussions on rights in childbirth, dissect varied care models, and amplify the unfiltered voices of freebirthing women from around the planet, our purpose remains clear: to spotlight the distinction and significance of wild birth. This isn't an argument against the myriad ways women choose to birth, but rather an affirmation that freebirth has its revered space in the continuum of birth choices. Join us in celebrating a movement that underscores the powerful message and has changed the lives of thousands: Birth, in its purest form, is not a medical event but a profoundly personal journey. The Free Birth Society Podcast is your compass to navigate and rediscover that journey. *Freebirth = Birthing in the absence of any hired professionals, away from medical institutions or their agents. Also known as family birth, unassisted birth, wild birth. *Sovereign birth = Birthing outside of the medical paradigm, inclusive of births with authentic midwives and doulas. We include many stories on the show where women birthed outside of the medical system with doulas and radical birth keepers. While these births are not freebirths, they are certainly sovereign births!

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Self-Improvement

Education

6: Unpacking Birth Certificates with Veda Ray

Free Birth Society

1 hour 14 minutes 12 seconds

2 months ago

6: Unpacking Birth Certificates with Veda Ray

What if the birth certificate was never for your baby—but a tool of control used by the state?

In this episode, I sit down with Veda Ray, a freebirthing mother of two, who chose to walk a path most women never even consider: birthing and raising her second child completely outside the system. No pregnancy test. No monitoring. No birth certificate. No social security number.

After her first birth at a birth center, Veda knew she wanted something different. This time, she listened deeply—to her body, to her baby, and to her own intuition—and what she heard was clear: this child was to be born free.

We go deep into the realities of living outside the system, including how she navigated the legal terrain to secure a passport without government-issued ID, why she believes the birth certificate is a jurisdictional trap, and the spiritual responsibility of saying no to the state’s contracts.

Inside this episode:

What really happens when you don’t get a birth certificate or Social Security number for your child
The process Veda used to get a passport without a state-issued ID
Why a “family Bible” can hold legal weight in proving lineage and identity
How the social security number binds your child into the U.S. corporate system
The link between freebirth and reclaiming jurisdiction over your body and family
What it’s like to raise a child who has never been registered by the state
The unseen cost of outsourcing authority—and what you reclaim when you stop

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:01] Choosing radical self-trust after rejecting the medical model

[09:21] Learning to sit in the unknown and trust yourself through freebirth

[22:54] Rethinking the birth certificate as a contract with the state and choosing a sovereign path instead

[26:08] Creating private records to get a passport without a birth certificate

[36:47] Using private trusts and EINs as alternatives to social security numbers and state contracts

[52:44] Facing fear, claiming trust, and birthing in full sovereignty with family by your side

Resources Mentioned:

The Business of Being Born | Movie

If you want to connect with Veda, you can find her website here, and follow her @veda.revival.

Find more from Emilee on Instagram, YouTube and the Free Birth Society website.

Disclaimer: Free Birth Society, LLC of North Carolina shares personal and educational stories and experiences related to freebirth and holistic care. This content is not medical advice, and we are not a licensed midwifery practice. Testimonials reflect individual experiences; results may vary. For services or scheduling, contact info@freebirthsociety.com. See full disclaimer at freebirthsociety.com/youtubeterms.

Free Birth Society