The Goddess

Some of you who visit this site, may wonder about the title and what it means.  I came up with it a year ago when I created this blog and it is only now that I truly understand what it means.  I have recently spent some time researching the ancient Goddess Cultures and I have gained a much deeper understanding of who and what The Goddess is.

The true power of the Goddess lies in the fierce, aggressive, wild and uncontrollable aspects of her nature as is experienced in the extremes of Mother Nature herself.

The Goddess is inherently feminine and the source of feminine power.  She is the connection between the cosmos and the earth, symbolised and incarnate by the female physiology through menstruation, pregnancy and birth.

Goddess power is transformative power.  She allows the ordinary person to perform extra-ordinary physical and metaphysical feats.  She lies dormant in every bodily cell, both male and female, until called upon instinctually or intentionally. She is not just available to a select few; her power is universal and part of us all.

Our current consciousness has a deep and morbid fear of her power and she has been suppressed, repressed and oppressed over the millennia since the Patriarchy established itself as the authority in our lives.

Childbirth is one of those times when the pathway to Goddess power is open to women, as long as the natural process of birth is honoured and allowed to function without intervention.  The current Patriarchal medical model of birth inhibits and interferes with the sacred physiological and spiritual transformation of labour and birth.

The time has come to Wake UP and rediscover our Goddess birthing power. 

The time has come to say NO to the misogynistic, disempowering practices of medicalised birth before it is too late.

The power of the feminine resides in the cohesion of the female group.  Females represent slightly more than 50% of the global population.  If we do this together, we will be a force to be reckoned with. 

The SHIFT in consciousness is stirring and the voices are getting louder.  Make a stand and answer the call of the Goddess.

NEXT Post : The Goddess Gives Birth

Why do Women birth on their back?

Why do women birth on their back?

Whenever you see a woman giving birth on television or in films, inevitably they are on their back, pushing, panting and screaming.  The doctor is close by and proudly hands the woman her baby once she has miraculously pushed it out against all odds.

Giving birth on your back with your feet in stirrups is the same as trying to have a bowel movement in the same position, it is much harder than if you are upright, with your feet firmly planted on the floor.  The opening to a woman’s pelvis is around 30% greater when in an upright position as compared to lying on her back.

An upright position allows you to use the force of gravity, use the power of your own muscular system and move more freely to assist the baby’s passage.

So WHY do women give birth on their back?

This trend began back in the days of King Louis XIV of France, who according to historical records, was a voyeur.  He wanted to be able to observe the women of his court giving birth and not be seen himself.  It was far easier to do so if the woman was on her back with her legs in the air.  As a result, this method became fashionable amongst the nobility or upper classes.  The rise of the middle classes in the 18^th century led to more and more women adopting this “upper class” fashion.  At the same time, doctors became more involved in delivering babies, especially to those who could afford it.  The lithotomy position (lying on back) was far more convenient for doctors who could sit comfortably on a stool and deliver the baby.

The highly medicalised birthing model, that is so prevalent in today’s age, likes women to be in a bed and on her back so that they maintain full control.  Women are immobilised by foetal heart monitors and epidurals.  The obstetrician can come in and perform all his “miracles” and hey presto he delivers the baby.

I have given birth to three babies and the last position I would have wanted to be in for any of the births was on my back, with my legs in the air.

I am always astounded and dismayed when I see birthing videos with the woman on her back, literally pushing uphill.  It makes no sense at all!

I encourage all those birthing mama’s out there to take back their power and get on their feet!  Adopt the position that is most comfortable to you rather than what is the most convenient for the medical staff!  

It will make the world of difference to how you birth your babies!

Childbirth Without Fear

Childbirth without Fear!

“The Joy of Life must be the vision of motherhood, instead of the fear of death that has clouded it since civilisation developed”

Grantly Dick-Read[1]

Childbirth without Fear: what does that look like? 

Most mothers approach birth with anything from a phobic stir to debilitating, paralysing fear.  This fear can either be instinctual or learned through popular beliefs and expectations or a combination of both. 

We live in a culture that teaches women to FEAR what is essentially a natural, physiological function.  A function that a woman’s body is perfectly designed to do, if it is left undisturbed and allowed to unfold in its own way into the birth process.  Women are not taught the physiology of natural birth and often are offered the medical model of birth as the only viable option available to them.

I believe there was a time in history when women approached childbirth without fear.  They revered and trusted their bodies and they accepted that sometimes death is part of birth, each reflecting a transition from one state to another.  Birth was women’s business and men did not interfere with this sacred process.

Man has been tampering with the birth process for thousands of years. Lack of understanding of the natural physiology of birth, the Christian notion that suffering in childbirth was retribution for the sins of Eve, the adoption of the lithotomy (on back) position all contributed to higher pain levels, increased mortality rates and escalating fear.  This has led to the highly medicalised, interventionist style of birth that most of the developed world practices today.

In 1945, an obstetrician called Grantly Dick-Read wrote a book titled as above, Childbirth without Fear.  It is a remarkable tome of wisdom for which he received little credit and was quickly marginalised by the money making obstetric machine.  It came about when his notion of childbirth was challenged in 1920, by a young, working class girl, who, when he asked her if it was too painful, she replied, “It didn’t hurt doctor, it wasn’t supposed to was it?”

Her question shocked him and made him reconsider everything he had ever believed about childbirth.  He realised that there is no other physiological function of the human body that is painful under normal conditions.  Pain always communicates that something is wrong.  It is the body’s ultimate protection against damage.  He was now puzzled, why then did birth create so much pain and why did it create different levels of pain for every woman?

He studied the anatomy and physiology of birth and concluded that in fact, birth should not be painful under normal conditions.  He deduced that the pain, perceived or real, was caused by excessive tension in the body.  The tension was created by the expectation of PAIN through the emotion of FEAR.  He called this the FEAR-TENSION-PAIN syndrome.

“The most important contributory cause of pain in otherwise normal childbirth is FEAR”[2]

He realised that the presence of fear and the physiology that it creates was contraindicated to natural, painless childbirth.  Fear puts the body into a state of extreme alert, the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome, whereby adrenaline is released into the bloodstream causing blood to be diverted from the major organs to the extremities, tension in the muscles to increase strength and speed and inhibition of all the ‘birthing’ hormones; oxytocin, beta endorphins and prolactin.  In the mammalian brain, survival takes precedence over everything else, including birth.

He started to test his theory on his patients and he quickly discovered that if he reduced the levels of fear in the women that he assisted, he reduced the levels of pain and the birth proceeded far more quickly and effectively.  After over 20 years of seeing the positive benefits his approach to childbirth was creating, he wrote the book.

Initially his book had an impact, however in the post war capitalist expansion period it was soon swallowed up by the power, money hungry machine that is modern medicine.

The etymology of fear in childbirth is well explored and explained in his five Sources of fear in childbirth.[3]

• Judgements of others about our ability (mothers, husbands, friends)
• Anecdotal evidence from relatives and friends
• Public opinion
• Past Evidence from own experience
• Experts opinion (medical, usually male)

You only need examine the actions of other mammals to see where humans are going wrong.  Birth is not a learned response; it is a primal, instinctual, physiological response that is in place to ensure the successful propagation of the species.  The lack of trust in the ability of a woman’s body has led to the development of all manner of interventions in a misguided view that they are helping the birth process.

Humans require the same conditions to be in place, as do our furry friends.  The primary and most important condition is the perception of safety.  The notion of safety is being in a familiar, secluded space where birth can proceed undisturbed and unobserved.  I don’t know about you, however, my understanding of the hospital environment does not fulfil those requirements.

The medical, pharmaceutical, insurance and legal industries thrive on creating FEAR amongst individuals, governments and corporations.  Fear drives profits as their products and services are consumed just in case something goes wrong.  We are disconnected from our own inner wisdom and power for, healing, birthing and taking responsibility for our own actions.

We need to get back to the understanding that doctors and equipment do NOT birth babies, women do!  Therefore women need to be in control of their own choices and their own bodies.  The Fear machine, driven by legal liability has created the situation where a woman cannot choose how, where and with whom she gives birth without being subject to legal and social ramifications.

I have had three empowered, drug free, stitches free homebirths and in each one, I can see where my own instinctual and learned fears played a part during the labour and birth, causing discomfit and longer labours than necessary.  Although my children’s births were amazing, empowering and ecstatic, I did not achieve what I now believe is every woman’s right, a pain-free, sensual, orgasmic birth.  Why? 

• I had NO notion that it was possible! 
• EVERYONE had told me that birth was painful!
• I was unaware that past negative sexual experiences and “Victorian” inhibitions about natural bodily processes could adversely effect the birth process
• I had NO knowledge about the exquisitely balanced ‘cocktail of hormones’ that are released during natural birth that once surrendered to will create higher levels of ecstasy.  Resistance is what causes pain!

I only had my gut instinct and my intense dislike of doctors and hospitals leading me to birth in this non-medical, non-interventionist way.  I triumphed over a system that has gone wrong, however I know that if I was to birth another baby now, I could take it all the way and achieve the type of birth nature intended, calm, joyful, sensual and orgasmic.  In an ideal world the holy triad of my husband, my baby and myself would be the only ones present during the birth with a midwife standing by in case of the need for assistance.  This new being would be welcomed in the same way that he/she was created, in love and ecstasy!

I am telling YOU that it is possible! This is the natural birth right of every woman!

Together we can shift the consciousness around birth, we can demand autonomy over the birth process and we can create ‘Childbirth without Fear’ for the generations to come! 

It might just change how we live and relate on this earth?

---

[1] Childbirth without Fear, Grantly Dick-Read, P6

[2] Childbirth without Fear, Grantly Dick-Read, P 45

[3] Childbirth without Fear, Grantly Dick-Read, P77

What do you Believe?

I was recently in Estonia and treated by my friend to a full sauna treatment in her own home.  As we went through the pre cleaning, scrubbing and washing rituals, I was reminded of similar experiences I have had in Turkish baths, Moroccan hamams and Balinese well being centres. When my friend mentioned that it was a cheap way of cleansing because she used natural, inexpensive products like salt and honey and that she had no need to use expensive skin lotions or hair products, a light bulb went on.  Of course, the western world is not going to adopt these more traditional, natural methods because there is no money to make in it. 

The experience of being in these totally wet rooms where water is liberally splashed around and bodies are scrubbed and cleansed with real intention and nudity is natural, is so liberating.  My experience has always been in bathrooms where the wet area is limited to the bath or shower and I am fearful to get the others areas wet.

As she explained the theory behind the rituals, I realised that previously I had always treated these types of experiences as a one off event as part of my travelling adventures and an aberration to my normal bathing/cleansing habits.  I had never considered that I should actually change my western, commercial and inhibited ways to these more liberated and natural methods of cleansing and purifying.  My conditioning led me to believe that bathing for short periods every day, alone, with no rituals and using expensive products was the only way possible for me. 

I grew up in a transplanted European culture that had no connection to the land it had taken over and instead of embracing the indigenous peoples and acquiring local knowledge of how to live off this new land, they hunted and persecuted them almost out of existence.

This led me to consider the current global birth crisis and I realised that it was the same conundrum.  Women who have been brought up listening to stories about technological, hospital births and have been born that way themselves, are going to dismiss an unassisted, natural homebirth as an aberration.  They are not going to consider that it is a safe and valid choice.  They are not going to be able to bypass their conditioning to believe that they could actually do this too!

The “system” doesn’t want women to adopt a low tech, natural, homebirth because then they would not make any money, birth is big business!  The “system” has to feed itself and its beliefs to keep everyone contributing to its money making machine!  The “system” keeps us fearful and disempowered so that we need it!

I believe that when a woman goes within, she discovers that all she needs resides inside her, her body is perfectly created to give birth without drugs, hospitals, doctors or medical procedures.  She can create whatever she desires when she opens to love rather than contracts in fear.  Love opens psychically and physically, allowing the baby safe and gentle passage into this world!

What do you believe?

A litte bit of knowledge goes a long way

This week I received a beautiful and totally inspiring birth story from a friend in Estonia.  This brave young woman gave birth to her second baby in an ambulance in the middle of a harsh Estonian winter on the way to the hospital.

The writer of this story is young and shows a maturity far beyond her years as she uses the knowledge that she has gained about birth from her own experience, her doula and her studies in Source Process & Breathwork to guide the very inexperienced and unknowledgable paramedics who helped to deliver her second baby.

She had acquired a great deal of knowledge about calm, natural births and she also had a strong belief that this was the way she wanted to birth her child.  Each time the paramedics tried to make her do something that didn't resonate with her own knowledge, she very calmly and insistently showed them another way, her way.  In the end, the only choice the paramedics had was to step aside and allow her to give birth in all her own power, without drugs, interventions or other medical intrusions.

This is her summary of the experience;

I think the most suitable word for describing this birth is empowering. I have even more trust in my body, in my children’s bodies, in the human body alltogether, therefore in being physical. I know that I have a choice, a power to choose, a power to create. I have more faith in medicine, because I feel I can choose how to make medicine work for me, not against me. I don’t have to be a victim of doctors, we can be partners if we are open for a dialogue. I saw even more clearly that there is a working connection between everything and everyone. Giving birth was meant to be satisfying, wonderful, amazing, transforming. I sometimes have dreams about giving birth, they are always very enjoyable and I wake up a smile upon my face.

It surely shifted my own conciousness about birth and I am quite sure it made a big difference for all the mothers and babies who these paramedics have helped after this experience. Kertu’s birthstory started spreading quickly, at first in the hospital and among friends and now I have heard it even from a complete stranger who I met in a breatsfeeding seminar. I hope it will help especially women to trust, respect and cherish themselves and the natural process. I hope it will encourage a dialogue between mothers and medics. I hope that some mother who has heard it, has a little bit more courage to stand up for her and the baby’s right to experience childbirth in its full glory.

I am in awe and total respect for you Anni V.

Readers of this blog, please send this to your friends, let others know that birth truly can be awesome and knowledge and self belief are the keys!

Transitions

A transition is the point where one thing or state changes to another.

Birth & Death are transitions to and from the physical plane. If you accept that your essence of being is infinite with the ability to transition between the physical & the spiritual, then there is no place for fear.

Instead of resisting and fighting these profound transitions, you can embrace and welcome them with excitement and joy.

Imagine a world where death is celebrated like birth and birth is revered like death!

A transition is often a time of weakness and vulnerability. This is only temporary as your true power lies on the other side and all that is required is persistence and patience.

For the labouring woman, transition occurs between the cervix opening and the urge to push. Many women report feeling emotional, vulnerable and overwhelmed. They often feel like they can't do it and it is a time where encouraging support is required. The baby, too, must feel vulnerable and apprehensive as their journey to be born reaches it's climactic stage.

People who have observed death, particularly of the aged or ill, report that at the time the person transitions from life, a contented and peaceful expression passes over their face relieving their facial features of worries, age or pain.

Next time you experience a transition, albeit a minor one, remember to embrace it with excitement and joy and leave fear behind!

Birth - Nature's Way

If you have ever had a pet or observed animals in their natural habitat giving birth, you will have knowledge on the key components of successfully giving birth without external aid.

Typically animals birth their young at night under the cover of darkness as a form of security and the desire not to be observed.  They find isolated, protected places for the same reason.  The act of giving birth will take all their energy and focus so they will not be able to protect themselves or their newborns if they are attacked.  Our cat gave birth the other day to 6 kittens, it was her fourth litter and each time she has found a different "safe" place to give birth undisturbed!

Animals do not have obstetricians, midwives, birth manuals, birth preparation classes or partners to tell them what to do, they instinctually trust that their body's know how to birth and they relax into the process.  

Human beings are part of the animal world and we operate with many of the same instincts.  If left to go into labour spontaneously, most women, especially first time mums, will labour and birth during the night.  We too want to feel safe and unobserved during labour and birth.  Having a baby in hospital, in an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by strangers, under bright lights, being monitored and observed constantly must place most labouring women into "stress" mode.  This stress or fear activates her"fight & flight' system, releasing adrenaline into the system, which creates the opposite physiological effect to the one required to birth naturally.

Most women "choose" to go to hospital because they believe that it is the safest place to birth.  For many decades now we have been told that women need doctors, hospitals, pain killing drugs, monitoring machines and interventions to be able to successfully birth their babies safely.

The majority of women do not need any of those things to birth naturally and safely.  

What they need is:

• a secure, safe environment
• to be mostly unobserved
• trust in their own bodies
• support by significant others in their life
• to be uninhibited so they can access their primal self

In the forty years since birth has moved primarily from the home environment to the hospital environment, there has been no significant improvement in maternal and infant mortality rates, in fact in some countries the maternal mortality rate is on the rise.  What has increased is the number of surgical births, now 30-40% in most developed countries and even as high as 80% in Brazil.  It was only 5% of births in 1970.  The use of synthetic hormones has increased astronomically and many women experience traumatic, painful and deeply dissatisfying births.

Women all around the world are being denied their right to birth in Natures Way.  Many are convinced that they need unnecessary surgery and interventions.  The trend is getting much worse and the potential exists that surgical birth could completely replace Natural birth!

The time to act is NOW!

It is time to reclaim birth - Nature's Way