Birth goes best if it is not intruded upon by strange people and strange events. It goes best when a woman feels safe enough and free enough to abandon herself to the process.

The quotation argues that labor and birth tend to proceed most smoothly when the birthing person is protected from disruption and feels secure, unobserved, and in control of her environment. “Strange people and strange events” points to unfamiliar caregivers, frequent interruptions, bright lights, procedures, or institutional routines that can heighten vigilance and stress. By contrast, feeling “safe enough and free enough” suggests privacy, trusted support, and autonomy—conditions that can help a woman relax into the intense, involuntary physiology of labor. The line also carries an implicit critique of overly managed childbirth, emphasizing that emotional safety and continuity of care are not luxuries but central to good outcomes and humane maternity care.