Introduction
“Giving birth and being born brings us into the essence of creation, where the human spirit is courageous and bold and the body, a miracle of wisdom.” - Harriette Hartigan
Being pregnant and giving birth to a child is one of the most powerful and natural things in the world. The body of a woman is perfectly adapted to bear a child and elemental forces come into being. The little human being, coming through mother-nature is a pure expression of vitality, vividness, health and existence.
Especially in our western culture there are endless offers for pregnant woman and their babies. The nine months of pregnancy are an unique transitional and magical experience in life and every woman experiences it differently. There are several holistic tips, techniques and methods which can help a pregnant woman to enjoy pregnancy even more and assist her to have a gentle birth. During my first pregnancy I tried to inform myself holistically about pregnancy and birth and developed daily rituals to assist the natural change of my body and my new spiritual needs.
"Pregnancy is a process that invites you to surrender to the unseen force behind all life."
– Judy Ford
Goals
Main goals for the project holistic pregnancy:
Get to know methods, treatments and spiritual thoughts in a holistic pregnancy and a gentle birth and share them through my blog:
- prenatal bond
- preparation for birth
- childbirth in a natural way
What goals did I reach from the LIPD?
Main Outcomes
Personal:
- experienced a holistic pregnancy
- feel prepared for a natural birth and time beyond
- developed daily effective routines
Professional:
- re-designed our blog
- wrote several blog articles
- gained knowledge in natural pregnancy and birth
Project:
- applied tracking and documentation system
- used the Medicine Wheel as a guiding process
Why this project? (optional)
Why I chose to do a project on holistic pregnancy and childbirth? Well, to this question I can give a conclusive answer: From the day I was clear that I was expecting a child, my life role changed. From this day on I was a mother (a woman is already a mother during pregnancy) and I had a new lifelong task. Just from the one to the other day I had a new huge responsibility, joy and happiness. Expecting a child is such a life transforming experience that I decided I want to do a project about pregnancy. My aim was to prepare myself holistically to welcome a new human-being on this planet.
My main Support Persons
Midwife: Claudia Knie (answers all questions and gives tips), Mela Pinter (Birth preparation)
Gynaecologist: Dr. Armbruster (clinical information about pregnancy)
Family and Friends: emotional well-being, life support
Project Overview
Vision and Values (optional)
My vision for this project was that I can experience a holistic, natural and conscious pregnancy and childbirth by myself and that other expectant mothers and fathers can take a benefit from my researches and experiences.
In the world of safety and medical progress, pregnant woman are often treated like a sick person. Many woman lose their trust in nature and her sense, if their baby is well. They more and more trust the doctor with his modern techniques (ultrasound) and are not self-confident enough to pay attention to their own inner feelings. In western cultures babies are often born in a hospital, where a cold clinical atmosphere predominates. Hospitals often don't meet the needs of mother and infant which are longing for an undisturbed, quiet and cosy place.
For me being pregnant and giving birth means giving new life. That is something unbelievable, natural, spiritual and wonderful! I think as a pregnant woman you should enjoy this unique time and support all changes with deep consciousness by assisting your body, mind and soul with appropriate rituals, practices and techniques. It is my vision to experience this wonderful process by myself and give inspirations for other expectant mothers and fathers. I want to encourage pregnant woman to trust their natural feelings and intuition and give birth in a self-directed and gentle way.
What is a holistic approach?
Notes about Context
Historical and global context:
Unfortunately, in Germany, with beginning of the industrialization, birth was moved to hospitals. Birth-aid changed to Birth-medicine and child-bearing woman were seen as patients. These woman were treated with a lot of unnecessary routine practices (medicaments, hormons, fixation, etc…). With the beginning of the 20th century perception changed a little and our culture developed towards more baby and mother-friendly practices. And still in Germany 98,5% births take place in a hospital, although statistics show that birth in a hospital is not safer than e.g. at home.
In the world of the global south it is quite normal for woman to give birth at home, because they just have no other possibility and they often do it in a very natural way without big sensation. The contrast between some cultures is huge, but woman bear their baby anyway.
Another point I realized is that in the western culture is a surplus of offers for pregnant woman, starting from prenatal tests, over millions of books and reaching to different advising services. Being pregnant also means to decide what useful offers to attend or not. Whereas many woman in the global south have no single opportunity to attend an offer.
Personal Context:
I am Carolina, 22 years now, living in the south of Germany in a nice green city called Freiburg. To the time I am writing this OP I am pregnant in the 8th months, so I will give birth to my child in late October / beginning of November 2017.
Currently I am living with my boyfriend in my mothers house and we are building ourselves a Tiny House. We are looking for a home place for the future to life.
The infrastructure in Freiburg is very good, so I have a gynaecologist five minutes away by bike, a midwife who accompaniments home-births and a hospital (specialized in childbirth) which I can reach in a five minutes foot walk.
I want to give birth naturally to my child in my mothers house with the help of my boyfriend and midwife.
During the time of pregnancy I researched a lot about a holistic pregnancy and childbirth and tried to collect essential informations for all future parents.