~Birth...In the Hands of the Woman~

~Birth....in the hands of the woman~
written by
Cindy Hansen


After two weeks of feeling like labor was beginning, this lovely, intelligent client of mine, came down from her mountain top home to have her baby with her husband, midwife and doula.

It was without a doubt one of the top most gentle births I have ever had the privilege....and I mean privilege, of being raptured into witnessing.
With lights low, door closed, mom's music sofly playing and dad humming along beside mom, we quietly chatted about baby , the meaning of the songs she chose and "wouldn't it be lovely if baby were to come now to this song" These peacful moments were just after water had broken and for the next 30 minutes mom reclines quiescent on the bed in a halo of peaceful pleasure....the room felt enveloped into it's own little bubble with calm serenity eminating from this beautiful laboring woman.
In the world of birth we hear about this time between where a woman is fully dilated and ready to push and the actual delivery of her baby....a time where it is quiet....where everything seems to rest before the stunning appearance of this new life coming to "be" in our presence.

It is called passive decent or laboring down the baby .No pushing at this point no urgency to "get baby out" just relaxed trust in the ability of this woman's body and baby to do what it needs to do.

Small pushes ,feeling things out, she starts to allow her body's need to become more active in deliverying her baby....I suggest she moves onto her knees and up over the back of the raised bed....with pillows for her head she rests ....then her face takes on a dreamy look and her eyes unfocus as she pushes gently into her urge......"now" she says" now he is coming....." The midwife looks to see what is happening and tells her to reach down and feel her baby's head....she does and is amazed at what she feels....more stronger urges move her to push lower, harder into her vagina and as the head slowly is born her midwife encourages her to reach down and hold her baby as he is born....with a few more natural intense pushes, she brings her baby up between her legs and sits back cradling her newest son in her arms, over come with euphoria at delivering her own baby....dad's face and eyes shine with pride at watching his wife so competently bring their son into this life...so completely in love with her and their baby.

All the while the midwife and I smile and watch and marvel at this most natural and amazing event. Within 9 minutes of being born this baby,un-handled by anyone else but mom, latched himself to her breast and began nursing on his own.

This, is what birth is. This ,is what birth should look like for most women. Uninterrupeted, no interventions, inductions or constant monitoring....this is what birth is....pure and natural....the very way God designed it to be.
You are thinking this must have been a home birth....in fact it was in a hosptial.....yes that is right....in a hosptial!

It isn't so much where you are as it is the choices you make in how it is done and what you allow to be "done" to you....choose your care givers with knowledge and wisdom......understand their philosophy and that it matches your own desires and needs.

Trust your instincts...give in to your "gut feelings" and know it can be done.......naturally, peacefully, lovingly...the way it was meant to be xox

Written by Cindy Hansen
based on her experiences as a Birth Doula
Birth/Postpartum Doula

You might also like:

http://firstbreathdoulaservices.blogspot.com/2010/10/birthin-hands-of-woman.html