The Birth Utopia - Part 1
- Nov 11, 2017
- 3 min read
In 2015, 3,978,497 fresh souls entered the United States and over 98% of them were born in hospitals. According to the CDC, a little under a third (31.9%) of them were brought earth-side via cesarean section in 2016. A little less than one out of every three mamas entering a hospital to meet their babies received major surgery to receive their precious gift.
To many these numbers are a source of comfort. An indicator that the majority of women are seeking security in a hospital environment. They are putting their lives and the lives of their children in the hands of Doctors. It is the place many of our mothers had us and their mothers had them. It's what we as American women know. If a woman leaves her birth experience with any sense of disappointment she is reminded of the positive outcome of her health and that of her baby. That was the point and why everyone goes to the hospital - to ensure healthy mom and baby over all else. Statistically, in America, that's how birth is done.
Okay, what if we poke at the norm? Let's get wild and dream up whatever birth landscape we like! When I do that, birth tradition looks Martian.
Let's pretend we're 38 weeks pregnant with our first baby. In my utopia, first time moms normally enter a paid meditative seclusion. So we're a week into our 3 to 5+ week hiatus. It's optional, we can leave at anytime or have our family join us at any point during our stay, but no one ever does. This is is a time of absolute luxury, a heart massage before the biggest spiritual transition of our lives. So like most women, we've chosen to stay. We see our partner often, every three or four days - longer if he's rubbed us the wrong way... He's occupied too. Eagerly taken up on his option to seclude with other first time fathers and male educators to learn about fatherhood and birth support. So, after an early quiet morning reading (the book is naughty.) over a delicious breakfast, we're ready to leave our private space to participate in some prenatal pilates. We're grateful for the stretch because it's our turn to practice active birth technique* with one of the many seasoned midwives onsite and our teacher in particular likes to get you squatting.
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Ok, that was brutal. Our legs are on fire! But we're smiling because we enjoyed the humor of getting sifted* (vigorously jiggled) with a rebozo* (a lengthy cloth used by birth workers to support mothers in labor and shift baby's position) and look forward to using that option during our birth.
The sun is past it's zenith on this crisp fall day and we walk across the grounds to the last appointment of our day. This one is our favorite. We enter a dimly lit room to a figure seated in a peaceful pose. She nods, her smile lines creasing slightly as you pull up a meditation cushion in front of her. You know she'll love the new affirmations you came up with. But now, without a word, you sync up your breaths. You're becoming familiar with your chosen one - she's your midwife - and by the time you go into labor, you'll know each other so well, facial expressions will take the place of words.
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To be continued..
Much love always,
Zuri Sabir, CD/B-P
Active birth technique - encouraging mothers to use instinctive upright birthing positions, stimulating natural hormonal responses during labour.
Sifted - Vigorously jiggled under belly and hips with the intention of encouraging a position shift in baby. Can be done before labor or between contractions during.
Rebozo - Lengthy woven cloth used by birth workers to support mothers' belly and hips during labor.
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