Birth and Pleasure!

Here are some highlights from the Birth Companions/DONA workshop with Debra Pascali-Bonaro last weekend. We started out sitting around in a circle, with notebooks at hand, listening intently to what Debra had to say...

Day One, Hour One

The room started to get a little messier and we all moved in closer to Debra, and to each other, as we started to get into her words and the concepts we were exploring together.

Moving Closer

Group Work

Debra explaining about positioning. As I was saying - Birth is Simple! An introduction to the concept of pleasure during the childbearing year.

As the days progressed, we got to know each other better through working in groups of two, three or more. Women came from Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to participate in this gathering, and from such different backgrounds! But we found common ground and really connected.

And That's It! Debra brought her birth cards out - a wonderfully innovative tool that really helps the new parents to imagine and understand what their options may be, and how one choice will have consequences on how the birth will unfold. The students played with these cards to learn how a doula can help the new parents to make choices prenatally.

Working with the birth cards

I Love You  Taking the time to treasure each other and ourselves.

WomanPower!  We learned important techniques to use during labor and birth: the rebozo was a favorite! And of course the messiness of the room was no longer a consideration. We were getting down to the ground and having a good time! Shimmying with a rebozo Through active role play the students learned how they might act with a real woman in real labor. They used props such as birth balls, rebozos, and learned about positions in labor, prenatal positioning, and some massage work.

Shake and Lunge!

 This useful tool hangs on a door (make sure it's locked!!) and a laboring woman can pull on it as she squats.

Deep Squat

 Finally, on Day Four, our babies were ready to be born. Our doulas comforted each other through active labor and used all the techniques they had learned during the final role play. They used birth balls, rebozos, positions, physical comfort measures, and a lot of vocalization! The room was alive with woman sounds: moaning, yelling, sighing, and laughter!

Thank you to everyone who made this workshop happen!

More Storytelling - in Lunigiana

The second installation of our storytelling adventure will be in Lunigiana, a hidden corner of Italy where ancient peoples worshipped the moon and carved moon statues, or "menhir".

Lunigiana Storytelling will take place from July 28 to August 4, 2012. We are inviting anyone who is interested in stories, birth, healing, or just plain relaxing and having fun under the Tuscan moon.

Volunteer Birth Companions

I am very happy my book is selling - by the way, people, it would be a very nice Christmas or Hanukah gift for any of your close friends or relatives who are expecting a baby in 2012.

Please visit Amazon to review or "like" my book.

I want to tell you about the Montreal Birth Companions. This is a group of very special women who accompany underprivileged women  during their labor and birth experiences. Most of our doulas are just starting out, but some of them have been working with us for years. They are all volunteers, working out of their own pockets and from the goodness of their hearts to help other women have a joyous birth experience.

One of "my"doulas has been volunteering for months, doing her own research, studying,doing courses with different organizations and waiting for her time to accompany a woman in labor. Finally, yesterday, I got a call from a nurse to tell me that one of their patients who is alone here in Montreal was in labor and wanted a companion.

Our doula rushed to the hospital, where she witnessed a beautiful natural birth and was able to provide comfort and companionship to a birthing woman. She is hoping to be accepted to midwifery school this year, and I hope she gets in. She is a natural!