1. Visualization This is my personal favorite as I know firsthand the power of visualization for coping with labor sensations. In my second birth story, I wrote about how practicing visualizations in pregnancy helped prepare me for the energetic shifts of labor, during which we experience an altered state of consciousness and move between brainwave … Continue reading My 3 Favorite Comfort Measures For Labor
“Birth as an American Rite of Passage” is an important book for learning about the different models and perspectives of childbirth, from the medical or technocratic to the holistic or “natural.” A largely controversial topic, I think the text does a nice job tackling this conversation by sharing information and making thoughtful arguments without ostracizing. … Continue reading Book Review: “Birth As An American Rite of Passage”
This book is not quite like all the other books. Pam England’s “Ancient Map For Modern Birth” promises a tall order: an “ancient universal map.” The map laid out by Pam England is one that speaks of heroism while facing the unknowns brought to us by the timeless rites of passage duo: birth and parenthood. … Continue reading Book Review: “Ancient Map For Modern Birth”
Heading into the world of mothering can feel confusing. Overwhelming. Scary. It’s not always clear who’s “right” about what, or where we can get complete information we trust, or how we can manifest the gentle kind of experience most of us want. How do we know what to learn first? What matters most -- what … Continue reading Book Review: “Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering”
Behold, basic labor strategies for a natural birth! Alas, we do know the labor process is largely unpredictable (shall we say wonderfully mysterious?) and typically not wanting to follow any kind of measured, mechanical pattern. This list of ideas can be helpful even if your labor doesn't compartmentalize itself into neat and easily identified "stages." … Continue reading Basic Labor Strategies
