SPIRITUAL MIDWIFERY ON THE FARM

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MANAGING A NATURAL CHILDBIRTH

Sometimes you see something called a natural birth in which the husband is wearing a mask and a cap and nervously stroking his wife's forehead while she hugs her belly. That is not our idea of a natural childbirth. We've found that it works well to have the husband there, but in an actively supportive role ... actually helping the mother through the parturition process.

One of the most important things to realize is that it can take a while. Some of our longest labors have been with mothers who were so impatient to see their babies that they couldn't relax long enough to have them!

We work in teams, usually with one or two midwives and one or two trainees at a birthing. Someone is always with the laboring woman from the time regular contractions begin. We let the mother move around as she wishes. She can get up and take a walk if she feels like it, or do anything that helps keep her energy intact. We wouldn't, though, have a neighbor come over to visit and small-talk, and we probably wouldn't have her pick up her knitting, because that would take her attention away from what's going on. But getting up or moving around or just sitting up, finding a comfortable position, is a normal part of giving birth.

Usually the mother is on her bed, and when it's time to push, her husband is sitting behind her, helping support her in a semi-reclining position (about a 450 angle). She usually pushes the baby out in this position, but sometimes the mother would rather squat or stand during the pushing stage.

Sometimes you get into a situation where the energy is stalemated. What do you do if it's been a while and labor isn't progessing? One thing that helps in such cases is for people to speak their minds. The energy doesn't work well if someone feels uncomfortable and doesn't talk about it, because then everyone gets more uncomfortable. So-if the midwife isn't already leading the discussion -certainly the mother should bring it up . . . or the husband, if he notices.

Telling the truth about what you're feeling without unloading on other people in the process-tends to free up psychic energy (which is the same as birthing energy) and hasten the delivery. So somebody- preferably the midwife-needs to take responsibility for the vibrations, making sure that it feels holy, because you're doing this for the baby and the baby is holy. Every baby is.

TAKING CARE OF THE NEW BABY

As soon as the newborn's breathing is well established, the midwife gives the baby to the mother, who usually holds her infant during delivery of the placenta and takes care of him or her from then on.

The far—out thing seems to be that almost every mother—if she's allowed to be with her baby right from the first—seems to know just what to do even if it's her first child, because the baby tells her. A woman who has just given birth is in a really open and receptive state of mind, and doesn't need to be told things in words or by demonstration. She can figure it out on the spot. But sometimes a lady has enough misconceptions or was raised funny enough that she needs some assistance, and this is easily given by another lady who's gone through the same experience.

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