Be fruitful and multiply (and trust that the birth process is implicit body and muscle knowledge as granted by our Maker)
Who likes to create things? Who is proud of completing a project or piece of artwork? Each person seems to have a best way to create and to feel good about doing something that is good for self or someone else or society. It is a positive feeling to write a song, or a book or make a piece of jewelry or sculpture or to build a house or city. It is better, to think the creation is something that will improve living in some way. How much more, must the creation of the earth and its creatures be awesome for our Maker to observe and to be called upon to aid in some way. Even though we can’t see our Maker, most of the time, it seems quite obvious, if time is taken, if eyes are open and minds are receptive, to see God present in the beauty of the earth and of all beings from the tiniest of a cell or micro-organism, to the people of the earth, to the mightiest of mountains or oceans and to the many abilities given to people. Our creative abilities seem to be an extension of our Creator, who combined efforts with our parents. Even if not acknowledged, parents alone don’t seem to have all the tools needed to make the many persons with the many personalities and gifts that show up with the children of the earth.
So, in acknowledging the existence of a Creator, people throughout the ages have called the Creator by many names. I will choose to use the term God, as that is my culture, and experience. I have come to believe that God promised good things if people followed God’s guidelines. The Bible has recorded many of those guidelines. Some of my favorite passages follow.
The notion of fruitfulness and multiplying is repeatedly presented as a blessing in the Bible (Gen 9:1, 7; 35:11; Ps 107:38; Is 48:18-19; Jer 29:6; 30:19-20; 33:22; Ezek 36:10-12; Dan 3:35-36; Baruch 2:34).
Psalm 105:24: “And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes”
The many biblical passages about children (especially, many of them) being a great blessing suggest that procreation is the central purpose of marriage — certainly the very opposite of a “contraceptive outlook” (see: Gen 17:16; 33:5; 1 Chr 25:5; Ps 127:3-5).
Culture wants to currently encourage and emphasize different ways to express sexuality. Obviously, many people feel these are valid and normal expressions for living together and for sexual pleasure. I don’t understand why these experiences are so common at this time of history. It seems they were an experience in Biblical times, with serious ramifications, with the destruction of cities. Could it be we are actually destroying our own cities with chemicals in the air, with hidden traumas that are unresolved and with our lack of forgiving each other? Are we too judgmental and not accepting enough of each other’s gifts and talents. Are we not listening to our inner selves? Are we not rooting ourselves in the wisdom of the universe? Are we not listening to our Creator? Are we not listening to each other? Are we too distracted with the money and power and knowledge from schools, and from our own things? Could it be we are unable to see and think clearly due to our desires? It seems to me that disease of the world is a way that tells us something is not right. Does it mean we need more human rules, or does it mean that we are given extra time to find out what is wrong, if we become centered in God’s wisdom. There is a quote in the New Testament, “Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.” What are the reasons for our earthly discomforts? There must be reasons. Maybe we are just not taking the time to really find out the answers, to find out the roots of the problems and challenges. I just think that if we have a Creator, that Creator, gave us all the tools we need to live on this earth without so much trauma. My theory is that if we ask God, we will be given the answers, if we listen. So, I am not sure, why we have so many different lifestyles that are happening right now, but I do believe our Creator, our God, had a best way in mind. I will still respect others experiences, but will wonder what the root causes could be.
The Catholic Catechism is based upon the understanding of the Bible and Tradition from Jewish times, as well as Tradition as passed down by the apostles from Jesus’ (son of God) time. Man and woman were made "for each other" - not that God left them half-made and incomplete: he created them to be a communion of persons, in which each can be "helpmate" to the other, for they are equal as persons ("bone of my bones. . .") and complementary as masculine and feminine. In marriage God unites them in such a way that, by forming "one flesh",245 they can transmit human life: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth."246 By transmitting human life to their descendants, man and woman as spouses and parents cooperate in a unique way in the Creator's work.247 (Catholic Catechism, Part 1, Paragraph 6, Man)
In cooperating with creation, and giving part of the credit to our Creator, there is a natural process of conception and pregnancy and birth. The Physiologic Birth Process, (If reflected upon, this is a good reason to believe in a creator of the universe or God or Universal Maker or Father of all creation) is a process that naturally and instinctually understands what to do so a baby can grow from the uniting of two cells to the development of organs, nerves, muscles, and a central nervous system, along with an aura of energy, wisdom and knowledge. All creation was created with the proper tools, muscles, and abilities to continue naturally to create more. Following is the Characteristics of a Physiologic Birth as recognized by midwives as proclaimed by their organizations. (ACNM and MANA and NACP)
Characteristics of Physiologic Birth
According to American College of Nurse-Midwives, Midwives Alliance of North America, and National Association of Certified Professional Midwives, normal physiologic childbirth is
Characterized
-by spontaneous onset and progression of labor;
-Includes biological and psychological conditions that promote effective labor;
-Results in the vaginal birth of the infant and placenta;
-Results in physiological blood loss;
-Facilitates optimal newborn transition through skin-to-skin contact and keeping the mother and infant together during the postpartum period;
-Supports early initiation of breastfeeding.17
The following factors disrupt normal physiologic childbirth:
-Induction or augmentation of labor;
-An unsupportive environment, ie, bright lights, cold room, lack of privacy, multiple providers, lack of support persons, etc.;
-Time constraints, including those driven by institutional policy and/or staffing;
-Nutritional deprivation
-;Opiates, regional analgesia, or general anesthesia;
-Episiotomy;
-Operative vaginal (vacuum, forceps) or abdominal (cesarean) birth;
-Immediate cord clamping;
-Separation of mother and infant; and/or
-Any situation in which the mother feels threatened or unsupported.
Commitment to normal physiologic childbirth includes the promotion of shared decision-making as a dynamic process of collaboration between the client and the provider. The dialogue includes unbiased, evidence-based information regarding proposed interventions from the provider, and information about goals, values, preferences, and fears from the client. Allowing ample time for shared decision-making, free from coercion, is essential to creating a supportive birth environment.17 The emergent nature of some decisions in childbirth necessitates initiating the shared decision-making process well before labor begins. Much of the education and deliberation about decisions that may occur in labor and birth can happen prenatally. In addition, laying the groundwork of trust, respect, openness, and communication may have the potential to decrease conflict when urgent decisions must be made. For more information and shared decision-making tools, see the Shared Decision-Making Toolbox. Click here.
There are an increasing number of birth workers who deal with healing traumas of mothers and offspring. These traumas could be birth traumas of incomplete physiologic births, or results of unprocessed traumas of life. Many studies in the world are acknowledging that much of the world’s pain and suffering is due to unacknowledged pain of a person, be it physical, mental, emotional or muscle memory. The pains are connected to the body’s organs and thus disease creeps into lives.
A beautiful question is over and over posed by Karen Strange, NRP educator and birth worker, “What would happen if there was no one at the birth?" There is a perfect birth sequence for each person and if allowed to happen, is empowering for baby and mother. I suspect, if we become rooted in the natural process of life from conception to natural birth, to natural death, our world would be on the path to healing, to empowerment, and to progress in the way of peace and less disease. I know for me, that would be a beautiful world. It is the reason I am now doing birth work.
References:
Supporting Healthy and Normal Physiologic Childbirth Joint Statement This document was developed by the national midwifery organizations (ACNM, MANA, NACPM) as a policy statement regarding opportunities to improve maternity care through the promotion of normal physiologic childbirth. This statement is the foundation for the BirthTOOLS Web site.
https://www.birthful.com/podcast-baby-birth-experience/ (Karen Strange)