The Birth Utopia - Part 2
- Zuri Sabir
- Dec 18, 2017
- 4 min read
Last we entered into this Ideal birth landscape we were just getting acquainted with the birth haven. It is aptly named because it is a paid retreat where mothers go at the end of their pregnancies to practice birth technique and connect with their BTWs “birth transition witnesses” or the today equivalent of midwives.
We were 38 weeks pregnant before, but let’s say much time has passed and we’ve watched many of our friends greet their babies and take them home from their week long postpartum retreat and lactation spa. Many of our friends, intuitive and confident first and second (and more) time moms left early having decided to take the freebirth training intensive with their partners. They received an official certificate to authorize them to birth at home alone with knowledge of newborn resuscitation among other things (As an added bonus, they both leave with doula certification too). In the wave of mamas who entered at the same time we did, with similar guess dates, we pull up the rear as we round on 43 weeks. Yes, that’s right. We have officially hit and 43 weeks of pregnancy and two days.
Daily exercise and great nutrition have kept the infamous late pregnancy blues away. Though very pregnant, we are not overburdened. We've chosen to voluntarily stay at the haven until our baby comes instead of leaving, even though there is nothing more for us to learn in the mothers program. Our stay is paid through lactation spa, so we relish the healing environment and plan to be pampered until we give birth. We hike the landscape and take many naps. We are lovingly massaged and reiki’d whenever we request.
We are not alone in this paradise! Many weeks ago, our partner came to stay with us after completing his own paid Birth Support/Parenting retreat. Because of the knowledge we've gained, neither we or our partner are too concerned about going well past our guess date. Our extended families aren't either because accepting variation of the norm of gestation is mainstream.
Baby is well, heartbeat checked every day whenever we choose. We are well if nearing the end of our patience for our body to do its thing. We have chosen this week to employ natural induction methods. Even though all the midwives and birth courses tell us otherwise, we're secretly convinced that our body doesn't know how to go into labor mode and we're glitchy. Every day we take three caulophyllum pellets and have out partner press key acupressure points. We're on day 3 of holistic induction and though we've had a few twinges here and there, baby seems super comfortable. Come on Baby!
Our BTW (birth transition witness) is also a reiki master and aromatherapist among other things, so we go daily to her. These last days of pregnancy we really find any excuse to be near her and her decades if birth wisdom. We’ve become so close to her over weeks of bonding that she’s become virtually telepathic to our needs and worries. As soon as we walk into the warmly lit receiving room/office of her home on the grounds she smiles, smooths the wrinkles between our eyes and suggests we have a listen to baby’s heart. Her grin widens as baby’s heart and movements show strong. "Baby's hair will be so long we could braid it and nails strong enough to hunt with... The placenta may be a little calcified and ready to be done, but baby will be perfectly cooked. You’ll be fine!” our BTW reassures our partner and us as she has done every day since 41 weeks.
Over lunch we three discuss the plan once I go into labor for the 500th time. Our BTW is so patient! “When your contractions are five minutes apart for an hour, and you can’t focus on anything but your breathing technique, gimmie a call and I’ll come by to help you set up for baby. You know I’ll be in your birth space as little as possible and intervene as you request. I plan to meditate downstairs as you labor alone. Maybe knit a little and eat your food. Just a reminder, because you’re at advanced gestation, if your water breaks and there’s super think meconium – a little is to be expected – but if it’s sludgy, we’ll head over to the birthing suites in the main compound for ‘joint watch’.” She shrugs.
Joint watch is when a family’s BTW is joined by the few skilled surgeons on the birth campus. Because statistics of cesarean rate are so low (around 2-3% for every 2000 births in this region) there isn’t much need for many. The surgeons are a “tool” of the BTWs and follow her lead and cues in the birth arena. We’re a little nervous about joint watch because no one in our family has ever had a cesarean section. But we trust our bodies, our BTW and the system which has been designed
to be as hands off and mother empowering as possible.
As we stand up from the lunch table full and happy, a strong contraction makes us sit back down and inhale deeply. “Whoa,” we say as our BTW nods. “Yeah I can see that one from across the table our partner exclaims, “Maybe baby today!”
***
To Be Continued!
Much Love Always,
Zuri Sabir, CD-B/P
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