2011 - Talk Birth

1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738210730/103-6893043-7177433?ie=UTF8&tag=stonehaven-20&linkCode=
xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0738210730
2. http://pushedbirth.com/
3. http://friendsofmomidwives.org/
4. http://talkbirth.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/jenniferblock.jpg
5. http://www.advocatesforpregnantwomen.org/
6. http://cfmidwifery.org/
7. http://talkbirth.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/small-stone-birth-activism/
Transformation Through Birth (2011-02-25 17:47)
One of my favorite birth books is Transformation Through Birth. Written in 1984 by Claudia Panuthos,
who also wrote the excellent book Ended Beginnings (about miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, and
healing all sorts of childbearing losses), it is one of the books I recommend as ”going beyond” typical
pregnancy/birth book material. I enjoy books that are designed to help women with the emotional work of
pregnancy instead of just the physical work, with a quick dabble into the psyche. I find they are few and
far between.
Some quotes and ideas from this book that I particular like:
”In some sense, childbirth is much like a marathon. Once given some general guidelines, marathon
runners know how to breathe, to run, and to complete their race according to their own body signals.
Similarly, women know how to breathe, to birth, and to complete the delivery according to their own body
signals. Marathon runners who are true champions are free to stop the fast pace, and even quit the race
without loss of integrity.”
She then makes the point that birth is really more like a ”Zen marathon” in that ”the focus is to
become centered and one with the body, to remain on purpose and directed toward a single goal and to
act from the witness or higher mind within” and goes on to say, ”Because we view marathon running as an
expression of ultimate physical health, a similar attitude toward childbearing may greatly aid in the altering
of present attitudes that respond to childbearing as an abnormal condition requiring medical treatment.”
I use the marathon example in my birth classes usually—particularly when talking about ”pain” and
what birth feels like. I use the marathon analogy to illustrate how the sensations of birth are not like the
sensations of accident, illness, or injury, which send us pain signals indicating something is wrong. There
is nothing wrong with birth! (well, usually) The sensations of birthing are more similar to the feeling of
healthy muscles working hard and working for a long time, but doing something of which they are fully
capable.
I’ve posted about this before, but the marathon talk reminds me of something one of the doctors in
the Business of Being Born film said that made me really outraged. He said something to the effect of:
”in three months you’re just going to be pushing a baby in a stroller, so what difference does it make how
you gave birth?” What difference does it make?! Would anyone even THINK to say something like that to
a marathon runner or Olympian—”in three months, you’ll just be pushing a baby in a stroller, who cares
that you won a gold medal?” (analogy side note, feeling good that you won a gold medal [gave birth in a
triumphant and empowering way] does not invalidate or cause guilt in those who did not run the marathon,
or had to quit early, or needed help finishing. There is no shame in not running, but there is also rightful
PRIDE and ”glory” in finishing the ”race” you set out on.
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