Well, I have been asked this question thousands of times and I have answered it a hundred different ways. The response changes on where I am on this beautiful journey in birth and my understandings of life. My answer today might sound counter-intuitive for a childbirth educator or doula, but it is for the moment the most clear understanding I have of the question so far.
Upon discovering a positive pregnancy test, women usually spend the first few weeks scouring the internet, books and asking friends questions about pregnancy and birth. This normal reaction to seek out information and guidance is similar to a child who just learns to read and realize how much information is now available to him. However, after the dust settles on this initial jump start education program, there becomes a time when real decisions become necessary.
In previous decades, we have thought that childbirth preparation meant breathing techniques, anatomy and medical terminology. In the more progressive childbirth classes, we taught poses for childbirth, relaxation techniques and birth plans. As this question arises today, instead of suggesting birth plan preparations I suggest finding their soul. Getting to know themselves with the deepest intimacy that is available at the time. Making the journey about going within instead about learning another breathing technique. It’s not that the breathing techniques, birth plans and birthing positions aren’t helpful, because they are. But they are useless if you don’t understand the depths of your soul, knowing its whispers in your heart. Most of the time spent on planning the nursery or researching car seats seen silly in comparison to the mindful journey of coming to know your inner wisdom.
If we all have an inner wisdom, and I believe we do, how do we decipher the difference between a fear, a cultural story and the whisper of the soul? THAT’S WHAT A PURE BIRTH CLASS IS FOR! It’s not that a Pure Birth class is the only way…. not even close. It’s just one of the many ways to experientially begin or continue the soulful journey inward.
