Sunday 6 February 2011

Birth Genius

Birth is amazing.

Women's embodied wisdom about birth is brilliant and babies ability to be born is stunning. Both geniuses come together when they are supported wisely in an optimal environment to express their innate ability and intelligence. 

Trust, both of self and the others in the birth environment by the woman is a powerful mediator for birth to go well.

The others have to be trustworthy though.

This video gives an excellent example of genius in action.



I would have loved to see the woman hold the baby, the cord to have been left intact and the film to have shown the placenta being born.  I do love seeing this video of the birth of this footling breech baby with the cord around it's neck three times. I've watched it quite a few times!

There is something exquisitely satisfying about an example of everything being right with something that others say is wrong or dangerous. An example of natural intelligence in action.

The gentle way the practitioner held and touched that baby was delightful and reverent, as it is meant to be.

I couldn't help but compare that behaviour of the doctor in the video to the behaviour I saw recently at a birth.

The doctor kept poking and pushing at the baby's head as it was being born.  The doctor then pulled the head around, twisting the neck the wrong way ( I said where the back was on palpation; that information was ignored).  Then, obviously worried about the possibility of shoulder dystocia, the doctor proceeded to tug the baby out.

The woman tore and needed sutures (not as bad as last time apparently!).

I felt strongly that the meddling caused the tearing. She had been labouring in a quiet, self managed way and if she had been supported to push that baby out with her urges, with patience and direction to push gently between contractions, she could have avoided the tear.

I guess surgeons don't have a problem with suturing, after all, it's their bread and butter.

For the woman, however, it's her body and good to keep intact.

I also recognise that the recumbent position leaves women open to being 'manhandled' during birth. An upright position makes touching so much more difficult. I suspect that the vulnerabilty inherent in the recumbent position makes touching and manipulation 'ok' whereas when a woman is upright, she is more in her power. I wonder if her size in an upright position appears bigger and therefore less vulnerable?  Lying down was her choice and of course, should not be an invitation to unnecessary interference.  I wonder if lying down on our back triggers the primitive brain region to assume dominance in those that are upright?

When Tracy Donegan read this post, she sent me an article about positions of power posing and neuroendocrine effects.  Thanks for this information Tracy!

Another beautiful example of breech birth is given by Lisa Barrett on her blog. One of my favourite photos of birth is in the photo essay.

Lots to think about here.


Friday 4 February 2011

The Secret to Blogging?

I called this blog 'ThinkBirth' because as a midwife, I've thought a lot about birth, women's experiences, babies experiences, men's experiences, midwife and doctor relationships, pregnancy, breastfeeding ... you get the idea

and of course, I can make anything relate to childbearing - nutrition, exercise, brain development, epigenetics etc and of course all these topics do, in one way or another. 

That reality is probably one of the challenges that comes with having a deeply developed holistic viewpoint :-) everything seems relevant. 

There are some fabulous midwifery and birth related blogs out there. Midwife Thinking for example is a well written, incredibly practical, well researched blog.  Some are very scientific and challenge the status quo like Science and Sensibility and some, like Midwife Mutiny have lots of lovely birth stories and share controversial ideas about midwifery.

There are a zillion others. What makes people want to read a blog? What inspires people to comment, to engage in conversation about the subject of the posting?

To find out, I've been paying attention as I read different sites and explore various subject areas. I've been observing what attracts me

(and lots of things do, surprise, surprise!)

There are lots of experts giving advice on what makes a great blog. The most consistent suggestion seems to be to focus on your niche when you write.

Find the area that fascinates you, the area you know most about and blog about that.

That advice gave me a bit of a jolt. I tend to be wide ranging in what I put on this blog. Because I'm a curious person, I find lots of things that interest me. I also love sharing information and ideas, so anything that 'grabs' me, I think you may be interested in too.

But perhaps my approach is wrong. Maybe you would really enjoy or prefer a niche blog. 

What would you like? Stories? ideas? guest bloggers? a focus on a particular area to do with childbearing (the skies the limit there!) for example, preconceptual matters, prenatal matters?

Midwifery students?

Education? 

Take a minute and drop me a note. Let me know what you think/want.  I'd love your feedback. I look forward to your comments.

Carolyn