Wise Words from Ina May {Remember Your Natural Instincts}

 This past Sunday I had the pleasure to attend the Your Natural Baby Fair here in San Diego. Imagine a room filled with women and men passionate about natural childbirth and child-rearing. It was amazing. I was inundated with information and excited to take home what I learned. 

One of the best parts about the fair was listening to Ina May Gaskin, author of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and her latest book Birth Matters: A Midwife's Manifesta. Ina May played a large role in my decision to persue natural childbirth for both of my babies. And even though I received pitocin and an epidural with my son I still felt empowered and informed about what was going on throughout the entire pregnancy and birth.

I have to thank my best friend, Miranda, for introducing me to the ideas behind natural childbirth and med-free labors. She is a doula and helped me through the delivery of my first. She's also inspired me to become a doula myself. And while I haven't started training yet I now have the local resources (and a new mentor!) to move forward with this goal.

After listening to Ina May I'm even more excited about this next journey in my life. One thing that Ina May said struck me. Her advice to new mothers and fathers to calm their newborn is, "If your newborn is in distress and crying just lick their head to calm them." Simple as that. A little licking and you're set! And before you say something about this being totally gross... that baby just came from the most sterile environment available.

Natural Instincts of Humans

You see, Ina May is all about following your natural instincts. Almost to the sense that you go primal. She told us of the story of a mom who had just gone through a c-section. Her baby was in hysterics and as the mother tried to get the baby to latch for the first time she became stressed as well.

Daddy came to the rescue though. He grabbed the baby and did what came naturally. He brought the baby's soft little head up to his and nuzzled and licked the baby. After a few moments the baby calmed. Enough to latch perfectly to the mother. Ina May was very moved by the event and after hearing her re-tell the story so was I.

Sphincter Law

Ina May also mentioned something she calls the Sphincter Law. Basically, this law means that women go into labor and give birth more easily when the following criteria are met:

• Privacy and intimacy are created
• Time limits are removed
• Demands are not made to 'urinate now!', 'push!', or 'poop!'
• Praise is given by another person in the proximity of the sphincter's owner. This other person might be the mother of toddler or a midwife assisting a woman giving birth
• Create an environment where the person is able to laugh, allowing the sphincter to open naturally
• When a person's sphincter is in the process of opening, it may suddenly close if that person becomes frightened, upset, embarrassed, or self-conscious. This is because high levels of adrenaline in the bloodstream do not favor (sometimes they actually prevent) the opening of the sphincters
• The state of relaxation of the mouth and jaw is directly correlated to the ability of the cervix, the vagina, and the anus to open to full capacity. A relaxed and open mouth favors a more open vagina and cervix.

If medical professionals learn better how the sphincter works, we will more than likely see a decrease in caesarian sections. To read more about the Sphincter Law, check out Ina May's article on the subject. And if you're a pregnant woman, see if your OB or midwife are familiar with it as well. Just having this knowledge at hand is a powerful tool.

Natural Instincts of Animals

After speaking about our primal instincts and listening to Sphincter Law, Ina May also mentioned two videos we should check out on YouTube. The first was a video of a mother elephant resuscitating her newborn after it was born not breathing. What she did after following her own instincts is just amazing to watch.

She also suggested that we watch the birth of a chimp at the Attica zoo where the birthing mother's mom (the baby's grandma) acted as her doula. The grandmother proudly assisted her daughter and provided the moral support she needed to get through the birth.

These two videos are amazing examples of how uneducated wild animals with no medical degrees turned to their own natural instincts to take care of their young. And it only inspires me more to promote natural childbirth and the importance of knowing what our bodies are built for.

I cannot wait to learn more about natural childbirth as I start my journey to becoming a doula!

Have you read any of Ina May's work? Are you interested in natural childbirth? 

Your Natural Baby Fair Giveaway {@naturalbabyfair San Diego Event}

 
The 3rd Annual Your Natural Baby Fair is being held on April 1st, 2011 at the NTC Promenade-McMillin Events Center in San Diego, CA this year and it is the perfect place for all your fertility, pregnancy, birth, and baby care needs! I, personally, am very excited to attend and hear Ina May Gaskin speak. I can only imagine how inspirational she is in person. Some of her writing helped guide me to choosing a birthing center for my second born and planning a natural birth. To read my birth story check out this post.

The San Diego based organization Natural Baby Pros partners with local businesses to reinvent the traditional baby fair by focusing awareness on natural support and holistic health from pre-conception through childhood. Parents, practitioners, experts and families are welcomed to learn the latest trends of creating a natural environment for the family.


Where: The NTC Promenade-McMillin Events Center at Liberty Station


When: April 1st, 2012 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

What: This event is for anyone who is interested in learning more about all things supportive for fertility, pregnancy, birth and baby. Whether you are a practitioner, expert, parent or someone interested in learning the most recent trends in health and wellness for you and your family, we will have something worth your while!

Cost: The price is $5 per person. To buy tickets and learn more about the auction go here.

There will be a main stage and three classrooms filled with educational presentations by local experts, demonstrations, and classes from baby yoga and baby wearing to baby sign language and a special event for pregnant women~Mother’s Blessing. In addition there will be a room full of vendors and shopping, kids’ entertainment, and FREE goodie bags for the first 200 to arrive! Bring your children along, there will be face painting, classes and demos for them and local talent Hullaballoo will be on hand too!


Featured Speakers:

Jeanelle Troncone - “The Mother of Comfort”, doula, comfort therapist, childbirth educator, author and mother of six will share about learning resilience and joy by discovering the “Power of Comfort for Birth, Baby and Beyond”.

Marcy Axness, PhD - Author of Parenting for Peace, an international speaker, professor of prenatal development and a parent coach/counselor will be sharing her expertise of parenting for reace: baby steps that promise success.

Keynote Speaker:

This year the Natural Baby Fair is pleased to announce their keynote speaker, Ina May Gaskin, the U.S. 2011 Right Livelihood Award Laureate and the author of Birth Matters: a Midwife’s Manifesta. Ina May Gaskin is the founder and midwife at The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee, and the mother of Authentic Midwifery.

The topic for Ina May Gaskin’s Keynote speech is “Remember your Natural Instincts: Learning the Art and Science of Optimal Birth in Any Setting”.

The fair is partnered with and co- sponsored by local yoga studio, Nature’s Whisper and Hot Mama Yoga. They are also partnered with The Birth Trust, a sector of The Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery (FAM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to midwifery in North America through education, research and public policy.

They will be doing this via an online auction prior to the event and on the day of. Starting on March 22, 2012, Natural Baby Pros will be auctioning off a number of fun and unique items! Proceeds will go directly to The Birth Trust.

Interested in winning tickets? Simply fill out the rafflecopter form below and enter for your chance to win 2 tickets for you and a friend to attend! Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on March 23rd.A special thanks to Stacy Ross of San Diego Bargain Mama for sponsoring this giveaway!

Best Start Birth Center {Review}

When I learned that I was pregnant for the second time I knew I wanted to pursue other options when it came to where I gave birth. The experience I had with my son was not my ideal situation and I wanted to make sure that I did everything possible to make sure I would receive the birth I dreamed about. Yes, I know that sounds crazy but I just knew I could give birth naturally with no intervention and wanted those around me at that time to believe so too.

I went in search of a birthing center that not only allowed for a natural birth but was also covered by my insurance. And that’s when I learned about Best Start Birth Center. Best Start is the only state-licensed, nationally accredited, free-standing birth center in Southern California. That means they are not part of a hospital or HMO. They are a private practice owned and operated by midwives. They have physicians associated with the practice whom we consult with and refer clients to as needed, but they are not here for deliveries -- it is the midwives who do the deliveries. Best Start is also the only state-licensed, nationally accredited facility in San Diego offering Water-birth.

When I went in for my first appointment I was immediately set at ease. I received a tour of the facilities, met a few of the midwives there that day and got to know the reception staff and nurses. I would come to find out that they are a tight knit group who work very well with each other. Every time I called in or had a question or concern at an appointment I was quickly helped and given great information and answers. I never felt like my concerns weren’t important nor did I think that anyone was hurrying me up or brushing me off. I was important and they cared as much about my pregnancy as I did. My best interest was their concern.

Each time I went in for a prenatal appointment I would see a different midwife. They do this so that you get to know each midwife at the practice. The midwives rotate who is on call so when you go into labor you don’t know who’s on call until you call in. As luck would have it the only midwife I didn’t get to meet due to schedule conflicts (I always had to make my appointments for certain dates and some midwives were off on those dates) was the midwife who would deliver my daughter.

But that wouldn’t matter. From the first few moments I met Brita on the day I came in to deliver my daughter I knew things were going to be ok. Throughout the birth both Brita and her birth assistant were reassuring, calm and empowering. I wasn’t sure if I could get through my natural birth without my trusty doula and best friend by my side (like at my son’s birth) but with these two women I knew I could. Every step of the way they were there to guide me. They offered me different suggestions and positions and never once said I had to do anything. They let me decide what I felt most comfortable with and when I needed direction the most they helped me out.

As soon as my daughter came into the world I knew I had made the right decision in going with Best Start Birth Center. She was immediately placed in my arms and was allowed to stay with me for a bit. Then she was taken to be measured and weighed while I delivered the placenta. I then tried to get her to latch on before handing her over to Daddy while they sutured me up (yup… I tore!). The whole time we were there after giving birth she was in the room with us either in my arms or in Daddy’s arms. My son came to visit two hours later with my mother-in-law with lunch in tow and four hours after that we were headed home.

Two days after I gave birth a nurse came to my home to check on me and the baby. She offered help with breastfeeding and gave me great suggestions for different foods to eat, teas to drink and how to overall care for myself while caring for a new baby. At my 6 week check up I was greeted by congratulations and smiles while everyone oohed and aahed at my new daughter. I felt as if I had come full circle from the first time I visited the birthing center seeing the new mom next to me waiting for her 6 week appointment. If I decide to get pregnant again I will more than likely be turning to Best Start to deliver my third child.

To read my full birth story go here. And if you are considering a birthing center for the birth of your child and have more questions please feel free to contact me at any time!