Re: [ozmidwifery] quiet birth

[Marilyn Kleidon]

Hi Nicole:   A lot of our homebirth clients in California were Scientologists. I am NOT one myself. I do not remember them being particularly quiet or noisy in birth, just quite determined to get on with it, and not particularly open to hospital transfer which was ok since all of the births I attended with these families were delightfully normal. All of the recent clients were also enthusiastic breastfeeders which apparently wasn't true about 20 years ago. My California mentor had initially built her homebirth practice with Scientologist families and was most disturbed by their practice of not breastfeeding but feeding some barley water based formula concocted by L. Ron Hubbard (the leader). In any case they seem to have changed that practice in the last few years at least in my experience.   It is my experience that some devout women of various faiths: Muslim, Jewish, Christian, may be particularly quiet in labour as they pray during contractions: closing their eyes and going deep within themselves. This is particularly so with some such women when their husbands are not present beside them but instead praying in an adjoining room. I have found it very important to respect this sacred space for these women and allow the room for them to go deep inside themselves. They do not focus without but instead focus within. This was brought to my attention by a powerful Muslim woman about 10 years ago now, who I was trying (oh so erroneously) to help focus...outside herself during contractions, who said so firmly to me "could you please be quiet when I am contracting, I neeed to focus inside to pray". shut me up in a hurry.  This works so well for some women. Personally, I had to make noise, from 8cm until the birth, deep gutteral noise and I encourage this in women if it seems appropriate, it is jusy a hugely personal thing.   marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: Nicole Christensen To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 8:46 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] quiet birth I have just finished reading an article in the Women's Weekly on ' Kate Cebrano's quiet birth'.....which describes her belief re. labour & birth, which they tie to her Scientology, that labour and birth be a gentle, peaceful, quiet experience.... my first thoughts were quite positive... yet, I wonder when she states "but you don't want to scream out to that effect at all" and "screaming and yelling might be your primary urge, and completely natural, but what your'e trying to avoid is any suggestion that there's trouble at hand". Does this mean moaning and growling too??? Overall, I think the article is positive in the fact that it highlights natural birth.... but just wonder what others think - regarding her belief on women holding back from being noisy ?? I don't think that being quiet whilst in labour is a bad thing if mother decides this at time of labour.... but wonder about pre-conceived ideals PRIOR to labour... which prevent her from groaning etc if she would normally feel comfortable in doing so. look forward to your thoughts... cheers, Nicole ps. I quite like Kate Cebrano - so I'm not anti her... AND I was quiet during the birth of my first baby - BUT this was after a noisy 24 hour labour.... 4 hours of pushing.... and really due to complete exhaustion.....(and wasn't a premeditated thing).