Trust the Process of Birth
Phenomenal image from Colleen Murtha Photography
“Natural processes like pregnancy and birth are dependant upon a woman’s ability to trust in her inner knowing. This wisdom leads women to support and trust the process rather than work against it. In this way, nature is allowed to take its course.” - Quote from chiropractor Jeanne Ohm, in issue 18 of Pathways Magazine.
For hundreds of years, the intuition of birthing people has led them to make their own decisions related to healthcare, trusting in the innate wisdom that lies deep within each of us.
Is intuition what guides the majority of pregnant and birthing people today?
The short answer is simply: NO.
The birthing process has become a very technological one and more of a procedure than a process for many. With one of the most advanced medical systems in the world, the United States spends more money on birth than any other country and we think that our technology will improve everything.
Sure, the tech does help and improve and save countless lives, which is indisputable.
But it also really gets in the way… a lot of the time.
“During birth, women used to decide which position would be most comfortable. They were free to move about during labor and delivery to manage the pain. Somehow, they knew that the squat position allowed the pelvis to open up more freely—one-third more in fact! If other people were present at the birth, they were there to support, not direct the process. Timing was not an issue; the baby was born at just the right moment. Once born, the mother immediately held, caressed, and nursed the baby. Separation was unheard of. Mother and child recovered quickly and grew strong together. There was confidence in this process as in any other body process: with respect and a sense of fulfillment.”
Far too often in my practice, I’ve seen technology being really restrictive, which can cause more harm than good for many folks. Being forced to be in bed with monitors and alarms going off every few minutes doesn’t allow for the free movement and intuition that birthers relied on in years past. I’ve seen providers suggest that clients get into positions that work against gravity and normal physiology so that it’s more convenient for them to catch a baby or do a cervical check. Clients are squished into the hospital’s schedule and the hospital’s policies, often counterintuitive to biological, normal birthing rhythms.
And we wonder why labor slows down or stalls. We wonder why birthers are in labor for days and end up giving birth via cesarean in the end.
I don’t wonder.
I know.
Restrictions - of any kind - at birth make a person feel anxious, fearful, and powerless.
Fear inhibits the essential conversations that have to happen between body, heart, and mind. Fear can constrict blood vessels and contract muscles to the point that the body works against itself in its own process of birthing a human.
For many, fear leads to greater pain. Strength and uterine function are compromised, and it becomes incredibly difficult for the birthing person to stay connected with their body.
I teach birthing classes based on physiology, anatomy, empowerment, and the importance of a positive mindset. My passion for birthing people to be able to experience pregnancy, labor, and delivery in a different, better way has only grown over the years. I love having the opportunity to teach birthers (and their support people) to understand their bodies from a physiological perspective so that they understand the how, when, and why of what it takes to birth a baby. Education is really powerful and leads to a greater trust in your body and your baby to work together!
You might be asking yourself how you can start to understand the natural birth process and how to break free of the fears that society has forced on you.
I’m here to help!
Click the button below for my free download about the connection between tension, fear, and pain and how it relates to birth. You don’t have to live in a constant state of anxiety and unknowns!
If you’re expecting a baby and would like to be added to the wait list for the online childbirth education course I’m creating, let me know.
