4-9-24
S. Tenuta
Journey. Journey towards your unique birth journey. Ponder, what will it look like? What could it look like? Culturally, in this period of the world, we have technology, video screens, streaming, and lots of visual stimulation. In the movies and productions of our movie industry, birth has been depicted as noisy, and invasive and medicalized. We have images in our minds of these witnessed visualizations.
In the past, prior to hospitals, we have stories of people birthing, and not all surviving. We also have stories of people birthing in most memorable and pleasurable ways. We get to choose the brain visual we want to follow and explore. Our innate mind can guide us to this route, as we do have imaginations. There are definitely lots of birth education programs listed online. There are hospital programs which aim to educate plus prepare people to feel relaxed in the hospital setting by following their given protocols. There are HypnoBirth(R) and HypnoBabies visualizations. There are pregnancy exercise programs. There are Lamaze, Bradley teachings and Yoga educations, along with support systems such as chiropractic, acupuncture and Body Talk. There are modalities that do help a pregnant mother prepare for her imagined birth.
A new mother has the power to empower herself on her pregnancy and birth journey. The new mother is invited to imagine what that would be like. Yes, there are the medical route for pregnancy preparation which includes lab tests, and short appointments to check the mother’s measurements of various locations. Sometimes she is expected to allow others to check her vaginal spaces. She must remember that she can give permission and she can refuse permission. She needs to expect to be asked before such procedures are done to her.
Other than the medical procedures, there are other ways to imagine a pregnancy checkup. I have been with mothers who have a 1 – 1 ½ hour pregnancy appointment. The mother gets to know her provider. The two discuss concerns, drink tea, go for walks, and talk about wished for or preferred labor wishes. If there are fears, possible modalities are suggested or finding ways to resolve the fears are addressed. Sometimes, pictures can be drawn, or music can be played, or instruments can be heard to calm nervous systems.
Mom and practitioner may do ceremony to honor the mother and baby. Doing exercises that help strengthen muscles and center mother can be part of labor preparations. Talking with baby, journaling, breathing and meditating all are tools that one could imagine during pregnancy appointments.
Mothers, if they take the time, can direct their process of pregnancy, and labor and birth preparation. Even talk about breastfeeding and postpartum care is prioritized so mom can have several weeks of recovery without the stress that could inhibit her body’s recovery.
Intouch and Intune Midwifery is instrumental in guiding mothers to think about their needs and wants during the pregnancy process. The team encourages mother to find her personal empowerment. She is asked questions that help her gain inner focus of herself. She can learn to listen to her own body’s signals to be certain what baby wants, needs and may be communicating, as well as listen to what her ligaments and changes are signaling. Personal individualized care is a priority.
For the midwife as practitioner, her role is to observe, ask questions, take notice of needs, listen to what mother is saying, and determine if baby is developing within normal parameters. She must use interventions when it is necessary. She must send mother and baby to other practitioners if mother or midwife sense an issue is outside her scope of practice.
Mom’s, take the time to imagine your preferred pregnancy, labor and birth journey. Be true to yourself. Talk with baby. Determine if baby is on the same page as you and if not, give baby the permission to express its needs as well. This takes time to gain confidence in this type of knowing. Every mom interested in this way, has the power within. Practice this way of knowing and gain your own confidence and personal empowerment.
If you want that special attention to practice this level of confidence, do contact In Touch and In Tune.
Email: balance@intouchandintune.com