Hi Jo I always have a little hopeful thought when I hear of a midwife who is pregnant that she will give herself a wholesome opportunity to intuitively experience her pregnancy - her growing belly, changing body and boobs, enjoy the swirls and kicks of her growing baby and cherish the "secrets" of pregnancy like the feeling of communicating with her baby and "knowing" things that you can't put into words or explain to someone else. It is such a beautiful opportunity to gain insights and understanding that no Maggie Myles textbook can convey. I hope you get the chance to read some of the wonderful classics Sheila Kitzinger's books, Janet Balaskas Active Birth, Claudia Panuthos Transformation through Birth, Ina May Gaskin Spiritual Midwifery, None of them are nurses or midwives all of them are women who are mothers. There is something unique about each of their books detailing their work and understanding. I think there can be lots of "reasons" why babies engage or don't engage. On one level we can discuss the mechanics of it all can't we? Such as the baby's head being the heaviest part and so gravity will encourage it downwards, or when the baby starts to be a bigger size it will naturally try to fit more comfortably between mum's ribs and pelvis. Or it could be that the baby begins to come to some realization that it will have to commence working on it's exit and begins to strategise on the most suitable way out. Perhaps it's the increasing Braxton hicks (practicing) contractions of the uterus that are letting the baby know that soon it will be born and with that gentle warning the baby begins to prepare more seriously for it's role in the birth and recognizes that becoming engaged into the pelvis is a clever little thing to do. I think there is quite a bit of quiet unrecognized communication between the woman and the baby. Childbirth Without Fear by Read and Ideal Birth by Sondra Ray and Birth Without Violence by Frederick Leboyer are more fascinating books to seek out too.
Jo, I wish for you a wonderful journey through your pregnancy, labour, birth and loving your little one. Embrace the experience. Warm hug Julie Julie Clarke CBE Independent Childbirth and Parenting Educator HypnoBirthing (R) Practitioner ACE Grad Dip Supervisor NACE Advanced Educator and Trainer NACE National Journal Editor Transition into Parenthood Sessions 9 Withybrook Place Sylvania NSW 2224 Telephone 9544 6441 Mobile: 0401 2655 30 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] visit Julie's website: www.transitionintoparenthood.com.au -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of JoFromOz Sent: Thursday, 24 March 2005 8:09 PM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: [ozmidwifery] Question about engagement ... no, not the romantic kind... We were discussing pregnancy on night duty last night (as you do when you are a Midwife, and pregnant!), and I was wondering if anyone knew why babies don't 'engage' earlier than they do? I mean, at 32 weeks, my baby's head is pretty small, so why wouldn't gravity allow the head to go deep into my pelvis, instead of having a butt and legs right up under my rib cage already? One suggestion was that it is because the foetus floats, but I don't see why... None of us really had any ideas - do any of you? Ta :) Jo (RM) -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
