Women in Transition

Baby's Development

These pages are an invitation to share stories of moms and babies birthing. We welcome the community of our many experiences; challenging, exhilarating, joyful, grievous. Let each of our voices be heard.

Especially we invite stories about the active roles of the baby and of the mother in birth. I am so curious; What is the active role of the baby in birthing? I have carried this question with my babies nestled in my belly and wriggling in my arms. As I watched my newborn daughter curling in and out, squalling vigorously, I felt that she was telling me her birth story and replaying her intense journey.

I wondered, why wouldn稚 the baby be active during birth? We are now reclaiming the mother痴 active role in her birth. What if we view both the mother and baby as active partners in birth? What could we say about what the baby is doing? What could we say about their capacities? What are their different journeys and activities? What can help or hinder the baby in taking part in birth? How would birth be different if we view babies as active, rather than passive, participants in birth?

Here I invite your stories as mothers and stories from midwives, doulas, childbirth assistants and birth attendants. Our gathered stories can give women and caregivers transforming images of an active baby and an active mother together undertaking the birth journey.

By collecting together our many individual stories, we can build a shared vision of what is possible when babies and mothers are fully supported in natural childbirth. May we learn from the babies and each other as women, honoring and valuing our capacities as we take part in the miracle of creation. Let the stories be told!.

Posted by Ann Treleven-Carl

Your class really helped me in the birthing process. We made all kinds of sounds in labor. By practicing in class, it allowed me to be uninhibited in the hospital. I think that痴 what got me through it. It was like doing opera! I made lots of sound, and at times it felt melodic.

I also did yoga in labor. I birthed Cecelia in child pose. I needed people pushing on my back. I stretched in between contractions. I really used my voice to open up while she was coming out. I felt like I could kind of control the flow of labor with my voice.

You taught us so much about the importance of practicing beforehand. Rather than telling or showing us what to do, we practiced. While I was learning all of these activities in the class, I didn稚 know how I would use them in birth. It was so good to sound and move in labor; I was able to make it music in my mind. I didn稚 worry about what anyone else might think. I felt really free to do what I needed to do.

Posted by Cat Burns

The births of each of my children were intense and inspiring events. I wanted to labor at home as long as possible, where I could move in comfort and safety with my husband and childbirth assistants. Though back labor was challenging, my helpers pressed strongly through every contraction, effectively redirecting the power of my uterus and descending baby towards the birth canal.

With my second, Lee, I could feel him dropping through the pelvic bones, separating them incrementally. What a way to experience intensity! I didn稚 think about it as pain. Instead, I thought, this intensity is my baby opening my bones because he is moving down. He let me know exactly where we were in labor!

We arrived at the hospital elevators coming into transition. In the room it all came down to me and my baby with the help of my assistants. My helpers allowed me to go into myself deeply and just track with whatever I needed. At Erin痴 birth, my first child, we paused before the final crowning push. Totally out of the blue sky I sang;

She値l be coming around the mountain when she comes
She値l be coming around the mountain when she comes
She値l be coming around the mountain
She値l be coming around the mountain
She値l be coming around the mountain when she comes

She値l be driving six white horses when she comes
She値l be driving six white horses when she comes
She値l be driving six white horses
She値l be driving six white horses
She値l be driving six white horses when she comes

We値l all be here to meet her when she comes
We値l all be here to meet her when she comes
We値l all be here to meet her
We値l all be here to meet her
We値l all be here to meet her when she comes

We値l all be glad to see her when she comes
We値l all be glad to see her when she comes
We値l all be glad to see her
We値l all be glad to see her
We値l all be glad to see her when she comes

So clearly I have the image of Erin coming around and through the boney passes, powerfully moving into the opening. Each of my babies bright eyed and pinking up; I euphoric and shaking; each one a gift to the world. I am grateful to each of them for the birth we created together.

Posted by Vickie Prescott

With my second baby I was able to have a natural, vaginal birth that I really wanted. My first birth was a C-section, and I felt so disconnected during the whole process of labor and birth.
 
In preparation for this birth I set time aside with myself. I took time for how I was feeling and my body was feeling. I had never done this before. The MamaBebe class helped me to connect with myself and to touch base with the baby.
 
The individual session we did together also made an enormous difference for me. The private session gave me a new way to handle stress. Whenever I was stressed out, I wrapped the baby in golden light and said to her: mommy has some work she has to do; you are safe. Then I let my emotions out; crying, angry or stressed. Then when I was finished, I was done with being stressed and was able to reconnect with baby... Read all of Vickie's story

To post a story, send to:

Catherine@MamaBebe.org

Women in Transition

Baby's Development