----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 4:44
PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] loss of scared
birth
One of the things that really upset me about
the 60min report was the woman's comment about birth not being the right of
passsage into motherhood/womanhood. When I speak to women about their
births and what is important to them I find that I often have to prompt them
to think about what the birth means to them. What is important to her
as a person...not just healthy baby.
One of the healing steps of recovery for cs is
to name 10 positive things you got from the experience...NOT including the
baby. usually some women just shug and say "dont know".
With attitudes from people like Tracy and the
wonderful doctor Malloy (is there at least one in every state??!!) it
is little wonder why women are lossing the sacredness of birth. The
more we are programmed into the medical interventions, the more we have to
relinquish of our spiritual experience that is birth. Even a traumatic
birth should be seen as experiencing something very powerful.
How do you as a care provider explore the
spiritual meaning of birth for each womanyou care for? Do you believe
yourself that birth has a huge impact on the feminine psyche...if not have
you asked yourself why? If you do believe it, how do you facilitate
for others? Do you ask women?
My philosophy seems to be steeming to needing
to nurture the nurturer. As mothers ourselves we are aware
that our children learn from us; our nurturing, gentle explainations and
paitent understanding. Should we not look at our new birthing mothers
and say 'in order for this woman to nurture herself and the baby when
she goes home, she needs nurturing in
the transition period from maiden to mother.'
Just trying to provocke some positive
discussion from an extremely sad, waste of 20 minutes we all suffered last
Sunday night.
cheers
Jo
