What's in the doctor's bag of Sara Rosser - midwife and co-founder of Born Free Method
1. Hi Sara! Let's dive in. What's in your VanVeer bag?
Everything I need for a prenatal or postpartum visit is in my bag! Equipment for checking baby and birther’s vitals, iPad for charting and either 17 or zero pens… nothing in between.
2. How did you come up with the design for your VanVeer?
I think I spent 3 months designing 100 versions of my bag. But I kept coming back to wanting something versatile & simple that I could pass down to a future midwife who has a different style than I do. So the neutral colors I chose are quite safe but I’ve never regretted that choice.
3. According to you, what new VanVeer product/item absolutely needs to be developed?
If you guys could create a massive, rolling birth bag that holds an oxygen tank and tons of gear, I would sell my soul to the devil to have it in my collection. Now, let’s talk about you.
4. If you could change one thing about midwifery, what would it be?
Just one?! Haha! Here in rural Tennessee, midwifery is simply not sustainable. The demand for home-birth midwives is so much higher than the supply. It’s a total catch 22, because we have to stretch ourselves too thin to accommodate the need, but then we burn out and there are even fewer midwives able to serve the community. We need to have more accessible, equitable training for student midwives. They need to be paid for their work and for the love of God we have to stop eating our young midwives and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. That was kind of one thing, right?
5. You´re the co-founder of the Born Free Method. Can you describe this method in a few keywords?
Sovereignty unfortunately often requires strategy. So maybe BFM is “Strategic Sovereignty”.
6. What was your drive to develop the Born Free Method?
Dr Riley and I saw a need in our clients and followers to have an inside perspective with an outside mentality of the Birthing Industry. We put together this program which answers questions about risk, benefits and alternatives that we were being asked every single day.
7. What is the most challenging part about doing something that’s not quite conventional?
Oh, the ridicule from mainstream folks both fuels us and wears us down. Midwives have such good work to do in this birthing environment and yet we spend so much time trying to duck and dodge a system that was never meant to serve birthing people in the first place.
8. How do you ensure that you continue to find joy in everything you do?
One thing about me, I’m gonna have a good time. The only trick I have for that is to ask myself good questions. What is wonderful about this situation? What good is going to come from this hard thing? How can I make this challenge a delight? My bad attitude is almost always the result of asking myself a bad question.
9. Is there one thing that instantly makes your day better?
Coffee. Period.
10. What future plans are still in the works?
So much! I’m about to graduate one of the most epic student midwives in the world. She will be a GIFT to our community. AND Born Free is going to launch a “Keepers” course next year which will be clutch for any birth workers who are ready to work in their own power and autonomy! I can´t wait.
On Instagram, Sara Rosser happily brings us along as she´s breaking the norms in midwifery in Tennessee. Give her a follow if you haven´t already!
Read more about the Born Free Method and how to enrol in the online program for soon-to-be-parents who want to feel empowered, confident, and informed about their pregnancy and childbirth journey.
We highly recommend!