www.wisewomanhood.com Women's Health- Pregnancy Health

The childbearing year is one of incredible transformation. And just as a chrysalis is a container for the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly and the womb is the container for the transformation of egg & sperm into a human baby, ritual is a container for the changes of pregnancy, birth, & beyond. Through ritual one can find meaning & protection from the chaos of unfocused energy. In this way we avoid forming or feeding neurotic patterns to protect us in an unconscious way by embracing a conscious ritual.

Ritual involves something which comes from the very substance of the being under transformation. The chrysalis comes from the substance of the caterpillar & the baby from what the mother offers from within herself.

It also involves a larger framework which shapes the ritual container, funneling the life force into the forms suitable for the purposes of that larger framework, be it a specie's imperative for survival, a personal intention, a cultural imperative, Nature, or God/dess.

Cultures offer rituals around births that correspond with their values. The mainstream US. culture is based on technology. Thus the birth rituals in the culture initiate & ingrain dependence on technology. Robbie Davis Floyd covers this in depth in her book Birth as an American Rite of Passage. So even those who go the usual birthing route are entering in to rituals, although it is not clearly expressed as such. Unfortunately rituals of a technological culture run counter to the process of birth as evolved in mammals. They weaken the woman's inherent, instinctive powers to give birth & fully mother her young. They also send a message that the technocracy cares more about & for the child than the mother.

Pregnancy, labor, & breast feeding are times of altered states of consciousness, just as moonblood times are. In our technological, clock-ruled culture natural moonbleeding, pregnancy, labor & breast feeding do not really fit in. These are essentially body centered, process centered, & in-the-moment experiences, like the weather, ruled by Nature. Nature-supporting rituals at these times can not only tune in with Nature as the larger force, but also reduce the possibility of "bad trips" such as PMS, pathologic fear in labor & postpartum depression.

Being pregnant is itself mind altering. My book Pregnant Feelings, (with Rahima Baldwin) goes into the emotional altering of pregnancy & gives pregnant women a structure to work with their inner changing. However, in my midwifery practice I have seen that what happens at the pregnancy visits is not merely overseeing emotional & physical well-being. It is building a structure for use in transiting and trusting the changes of the childbearing year which are wrought by Nature.

I welcome a new woman into my practice by washing her feet in lavender water and massaging them, sitting on the floor at her feet while I explain that this is symbolic of our work to wash away cultural & personal beliefs that counter her natural childbearing course. She picks a pregnancy name for her baby, making it more of a person & more easily loved. We drink nourishing herbal infusions and munch on nutritious snacks, since feeding her & getting her to feed herself is a major way to build a pregnant woman & healthy baby. When the time & her belly are full & ripe, we paint her belly with designs & symbols that seem appropriate to her & her process - it's great fun!! I offer the idea of making a sacred birth object to symbolize the creative process of pregnancy & birth she is going through & to remind her of that power with afterwards. Suggestions include birth shawls, birth shields, special heirloom placenta bowls, birthing blouses or even a song or dance. I seek to honor her, show her how she is a powerful woman capable of giving birth all on her own.

Awareness in the moonbleeding cycle can be excellent preparation for childbearing. Ritual & tribal support of a positive view of menarche & the cycling of women supports the knowledge available to women about pregnancy & birth from their cycles - the emotional & psychic sensitivity (known as PMS who don't slow down to honor it); the cramping; the downward pulling of energy; the changing needs of a changing woman body through her cycles. We talk about her bleedings in this perspective and draw on the knowledge that is already in her body to help her feel more at home regarding giving birth for the first time. We also encourage all women to become aware in their moonblood cycling, commonly with the help of ritual. This knowledge & wisdom will then be available as a natural resource for the use of womankind. A novel illustrating this support amongst women is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.

Childbirth classes are another cultural ritual that is available. Being aware of the sort of values transmitted by particular classes is an important aspect of choosing what to take. They are opportunities for families to meet each other & set up ways to cooperate & help each other out.

While ritual is the channel for manifesting values in a concrete way at times of transition, tribes are the supports for family & ritual. I believe that humans evolved to live in tribes. That's how we lived for most of human existence. In working with pregnant women I like to see if they have a tribe - an extended family, a committed friendship group, a church, synagogue, or temple of support. Many do not. If they don't, I offer them some limited tribal experience through my practice.

I have a practice-wide meeting once a month called the Birth Lodge where all the pregnant women, recently born babes & their moms, previous practice members, midwifery students, etc. all come together & just socialize & network. This gives women more ways to share their knowledge & experiences with those following soon into labor , birth, & new motherhood. And we always have a delicious potluck feast!

Other tribal types of support are community potlucks, La Leche League, baby-sitting coops, & new mother support groups. These can often grow organically, with nurturance, out of women meeting on common ground such as at the Birth Lodge.

One tribal ritual that I suggest to women before birthing is the Blessing Way. I offer them guidelines(appearing in this issue), so that women who have never created their own rituals have a jumping off place to make that big leap. Sometimes they ask me to act as priestess for them, with them designing the ritual. Those who do not have their own tribe or who feel more comfortable in a less personalized setting can join in quarterly group Blessing Ways with other women soon to give birth. There they sing, dance,& share to honor each other, themselves & birth in a facilitated group ritual.

At the birth itself, the rituals of the midwife may help her to feel safe & thus transmit the safety to the woman - from purely medical to purely religious. Or the midwife may be in a state which allows for the woman & her mate to create their own ritual with the birthing energy with her merely being present.

In breast feeding each mother-baby couple evolves its own relationship & rituals and the ability to do so is an important part of breast feeding "success".

The naming ceremony is a beautiful way to welcome the baby into the tribe. New mothers can be brought into their new status as mothers through the Birth Lodge. Mother's support groups can be a steady source of support & may include rituals as part of that support. Some of us have taken moon tattoos to symbolize our transits through womanhood - a waxing moon symbolizing the beginning of moonbleeding, a full moon for giving birth, & a waning moon when we enter cronehood.

I hope this taste of ritual for the childbearing year will inspire you to create your own rituals to sustain & carry you & your sisters & daughters.

When a woman starts seeing me as a midwife I begin my care for her with an opening ritual of a foot bath and massage. A foot bath is a way of putting myself at the service of the woman & "at her feet"-she is hiring me to help her. It is also a sign of respect to welcome a traveler to one's home, to remove the dust of the road .One of my clients who is a potter made a beautiful bowl just for this purpose. The woman chooses a pregnancy-safe essential oil to scent the water. Then I gently rub her feet clean in the warm, fragrant water, while telling her that this washing symbolizes her washing away all the cultural bias and personal fear that she'd built up around birth. Then I gently dry her feet and massage them with some pleasing lotion. This is very soothing to her and also conveys my reverence and care for her body as well as soul. It allows her to become used to my touch before touching her more intimately and gives me information about her body by feeling the qualities of her feet. At most prenatal visits either myself or my apprentice would offer the woman another foot massage. This continues the bonding process as well as promoting circulation of blood & energy for general health benefits.

Pregnancy is a very special season in the life of a woman. Tremendous changes happen within -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. There is a tendency in our culture for women to ignore their pregnancy ( as they try to ignore their menstrual/fertility cycles) and act as though there is nothing different about them except that there's a baby growing inside. Ayurvedic teachings promote a proper attitude of worship towards all pregnant women. They are fulfilling the very important full time role of bringing new life into the world. Their experiences in pregnancy directly feed into the sensory & mental organs of the developing child-so the more beautiful, loving, and uplifting the mother's experience, the healthier the child will tend to perceive and think about the world throughout his or her life. Wise women give themselves all the space & time possible to turn inward during their pregnancies, to listen to their bodies & their intuitions, and to tune in to the beneficent forces available to them in the physical & spiritual worlds. In this way they give birth with grace and their children are blessed with the best possible start in the world.

Energetically, pregnancy is full of change, creativity,& expansion, so Vata is normally emphasized. Metabolism & warmth in the body is increased so Pitta is normally increased. And the bulk of the body is increased so Kapha is also normally increased. In each woman these changes are interplaying with her constitution, the baby's constitution, and her environmental influences. The intricacy of working with pregnant women is further increased by the need to avoid any therapies and herbs which may disturb the uterus and the apana prana or downward energy. The apana prana is key to maintaining the pregnancy as well as birthing the baby at the time of labor. This emphasizes the utility of taking care of imbalanced conditions before pregnancy whenever possible, since it is generally more complex to treat women during pregnancy. Prevention is emphasized for self care, with treatment generally reserved to experienced Ayurvedic practitioners.

Eat and follow lifestyle according to current Ayurvedic condition rather than strictly by constitution. This is because the baby's needs & desires start being felt more by the mother in her food preferences and energetics especially after the 5th month - satisfy cravings while maintaining discrimination; eat fresh food, avoiding processed or leftover food, refined sugars, very spicy foods, food straight from the refrigerator or freezer, and chemical additives in foods

Nutritional needs are increased during pregnancy - quantity as well as quality - more calories, calcium, protein, & iron are noteworthy. Nourishing herbal infusions can help fulfill these needs - for Pitta & Kapha: Red Raspberry &/or Nettles; for Vata : Oatstraw . The pregnant woman can drink up to a quart daily suitable for her type, 1-2 cups of other infusions. To make an infusion : put a big handful of herbs in quart jar, fill with boiling hot water, & let it sit 4-6 hours. Strain & refrigerate what you don't drink immediately. You can rewarm it as needed. Organic herbs are always the best choice. (Avoid herbs unsafe for pregnancy!)

Nutritional ayurvedic herbs & preparations are also good: ghee; chyvan prash VK- P+ for cold season; and shakti prana VPK- for hot season or if high P.

Eating is only the first step. Digesting is equally important. Rules for good digestion are: Eat only when your previous meal has been digested. Avoid foods you know you have difficulty digesting. Do not drink lots of liquids with your meal, especially cold drinks. Cooked, moist soupy & warm foods are generally easier to digest than raw. Adding digestive herbs to food may help digestion. Signs of poor digestion = gas, belching, stomach & intestinal discomforts.

Ayurvedic digestive herbs safe for pregnancy include - mints; pippili, tarragon; cardamom; jasmine; cumin; cinnamon; basil. Other digestive helps - papaya (be aware that digestive enzymes may be Pitta provoking on a long term basis). A substitute for papaya can be ½ tsp grated fresh ginger with a squeeze of lemon (or lime if you are Pitta) with a pinch of salt taken 10-20 min before meal time. This will stimulate one's own digestive enzymes into action, rather than adding others artificially. To help with absorption drink takram after meals. It is made by churning 2 tablespoons of unsweetened natural cows yogurt with 1 cup of water adding a pinch of salt & two pinches of cumin.

Happiness & the spiritual state of love are true nourishment for mother & the baby . Ways to increase these elements of your life are: Worship, chant & meditate, pray & contemplate the lives of great saints & other great beings; be with people who uplift you; avoid disturbing TV or violent movies; have as beautiful & peaceful an environment as possible; eat only fresh whole foods.

The mate is an important part of the process - his time, energy, & nourishing of the mother is important to the development of the baby. Ayurveda recognizes that marital problems during pregnancy can even physically effect the baby - so nurture the parents relationship nurtures the baby & strengthens the safe haven it will be born into.

Ayurvedic fetal development teachings tell us that the constitution of the baby is formed by the genetic makeup of mother & father; the diet & emotions of the mother during pregnancy; environmental influences; and the samskaras or spiritual patterns that the soul brings in with it from previous incarnations. Ayurveda teaches that the baby is physically conscious of his or her development, which is being confirmed today by the science of perinatal psychology.

One important teaching is that what the mother takes in through HER sense organs goes into the development of the baby's sense organs. This further emphasizes the importance of what kind of environment the woman is in during pregnancy. There were even traditional ceremonies for different stages of pregnancy to "feed" the specific senses. Today we can emphasize as possible seeing beautiful & loving things, listening to loving & melodious sounds, touching pleasing things & being touched in loving ways, tasting wholesome tastes, and smelling fragrant odors during pregnancy.

During the first 2 months only astral projection connects the baby to its current body. The 4th month is VERY CRITICAL- the heart starts to develop as the seat of consciousness. This leads to the baby's desires starting to express themselves through the mother's desires. If mother has a hard time with husband during this month, the baby's heart may develop defects. After this time the mental body becomes connected to the physical body.

In the 8th month- ojas (vital fluid) moves from mother to the baby : eat more ojas producing foods and stay at home & rest at this time to ensure good vitality for both mother & baby. Avoid wasting energy needlessly - spend more time doing much less, letting the energy go inward. Be in nature; eat ghee, milk, dates, apricots, sesame seeds, Ayurvedic tonics : ashwagunda or shatavari; chant OM; be in touch with God/dess as you know Her or Him; meditate. What to avoid for guarding ojas: anger, worry, overwork, drugs or stimulants, hunger, sorrow, excessive sex, and devitalized food.

Rubbing warm sesame oil on the soles of the feet to helps balance Vata and also stimulates the energy points of the feet, keeping energy flowing throughout the body. A great way to unwind & to spend quiet time together is for mates to regularly give evening foot massages to each other. (sesame oil may be too "hot" for Pittas - almond oil might be better for them)

Sleeping in the day is not generally recommended as it can cause imbalances, especially for Kapha people. Resting is beneficial at the right times & in the right amounts for personal needs.

Daily walks or swims are appropriate exercise, as well as yoga asanas indicated for pregnancy. Gentle stretching of the pelvis helps flexibility during labor. I recommend the book Active Birth by Janet Balaskas for exercises. Avoid too vigorous exercise, & exercise where injury is more likely, such as skiing or horseback riding. Jarring exercises can disturb the apana vayu. Never exercise to full capacity! This depletes ojas/ immune & vital force, so key to building the baby's future health as well as the mother's.

Taking warm baths relaxes muscles when feeling tense. Tension inhibits circulation, thus movement of both nutrition & energy. It keeps toxins locked into places rather than moving them out. Full body massage of a proper nature is very healthy, allowing the woman to integrate her body changes, while relaxing her and benefiting her physiology. Aromatherapy can be helpful also as part of tension relief-- be sure to use only oils indicated safe for pregnancy!!! (Essential Oils Generally Considered Safe in Pregnancy = Tangerine; Mandarin; Grapefruit; Geranium; Roman Chamomile, Rose Bulgar; Rose Maroc; Jasmine; Ylang-ylang; Lavendar)

These exercises tones & strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor - which during pregnancy must support the weight of the baby, as well as the uterus & bladder. They also help regulate the apana. These exercises are good for pelvic health throughout the life cycle, increasing strength, circulation & health of tissues for greater orgasms as well as continued health through the elder years.

Ashwini mudra: This energy exercise helps balance Vata & the apana prana energy, especially useful in pregnancy. Directions - in a quiet place, eyes closed - Inhale completely & hold the breath. Contract & release the anal sphincter rapidly & repeatedly. Hold the breath only so long as the following exhalation can be slow & controlled. Begin with three rounds of about 10 pulls each. Don't bear down when holding the breath, which could strain ligaments & put downward pressure on the uterus. Don't do the breath part in a fragile pregnancy, just contract & release. Repeat daily.

Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels): Once you know them practice, anywhere, anytime - even the grocery line!!! Do each 200x/day, slowly or quickly, or elevator kegels, which tighten upward in levels.

Bladder-strengthening exercise- Practice tightening & releasing the muscles that control urine flow from the bladder. Do this first when peeing to find the muscles, then practice it other times.

Vaginal exercise- Practice tightening & releasing the muscles of the vagina around a finger or a penis to find it.

Avoid overly vigorous sex, especially at the usual times when menses would be expected or if there are any signs that the pregnancy is fragile (spotting or cramping or lots of low pressure). Sexual excesses may also use up ojas or cause doshic imbalances, especially of apana prana which can cause many different problems of pregnancy & birth. Women are more susceptible to infections at this time too. Ayurveda traditionally encourages celibacy during pregnancy. Doing yoga asanas, pranayama & meditation are ways to naturally control sexual desires through spiritual practice. The most important factors if continuing an active sexual life is to do so in a loving context & with awareness of what feels comfortable & right to the woman.

Beginning the 8th month begin to apply licorice ghee to vagina. Perineal massage 4-5x week will make the tissues healthy & supple, allowing them to stretch readily for the birthing of the baby. It also helps women get used to the unusual sensation of their vagina stretching to birth a baby so that they can relax at that point & be less likely to tear or to slow down the pushing stage to keep from being overwhelmed with sensations or emotions. It usually works best for the mate to do it for the woman, but if that's not possible she can try stretch herself (on the toilet or lying on your side may work easier in this case). Directions: Wash hands, then use the licorice ghee as lubricant insert one or two fingers along the bottom of the vagina. After a couple of inches there is a "drop-off" where the inner edge of the muscles lie. Massage the whole bottom half of this vaginal sling gently yet firmly enough to create a definite stretching, burning sensation. Along with the massage, the woman should practice relaxing these muscles, while they are being stretched to their limit. Over a week or two there often is a noticeable change in stretchability. Continue pushing the limit of stretching & relaxing until the birth.

Traditionally, in the last month of pregnancy the woman may be given small, gentle therapeutic oil enemas to be sure that the apana prana is balanced for the work of labor. After this process she eats a predominantly Vata reducing diet, adjusted to her needs & the season. The emphasis is on preventing an imbalance of the apana prana which can lead to malposition or uterine malfunction during labor. At least avoid holding back urine, passing gas, or bowel movements, getting chilled, or getting jarred to support the proper movement of the apana.

The proper caregiver is important during pregnancy, birth & postpartum. This person should be both technically knowledgeable & open-hearted. The woman must feel comfortable with this person -- they will share the intimate moments of giving birth and be one of the first people the baby will relate to. If the birthing woman doesn't feel relaxed, up-lifted & trusting of this person it can impede the labor process, possibly leading to complications. Wise women pick someone familiar with many forms of healing which can be used before resorting to drugs & surgery as solutions. Complete pregnancy care includes nutritional counseling and time to get questions answered & concerns addressed.

Labor & Birthing Care with Ayurveda

Traditionally, most births were taken care of by the midwives rather than the Ayurvedic physicians. Because of this, many of the teachings about labor & birth are not written down in the texts (which were written by men) but passed on orally from midwife to apprentice. The physicians only dealt with the most complicated situations.

Ancient texts do talk about having special spaces for giving birth which would take into account the spiritual as well as practical needs. When the woman is showing signs of beginning labor she would enter the birth space with special blessings & ceremony, to mark the significance of this time. She would be accompanied by birth attendants that were calm & supportive, inspiring the confidence of the birthing woman.

To awaken the apana prana for early labor an enema of dashamula tea can be used. To help keep balance of the Vata energy which is very high at this time, the woman must not become chilled. Massaging her with warm oil & giving her a warm bath, as well as feeding her broths & soups, avoiding icy cold drinks or foods can be useful for maintaining balance of Vata & apana prana.

Marma points (Ayurvedic energy points) can be massaged with appropriate essential oils to encourage labor and to soothe pain. (Remember that Vata is involved wherever there is pain-keeping Vata controlled helps control pain also.)The use of walking and massaging the pelvic area with warm sesame or castor oil will also help the baby move down in labor. All of these Vata/ apana soothing measures are also used to help when there is some malposition of the baby so that it can move more easily through the birth canal.

When the birth of the baby is approaching, licorice ghee is used again for perineal massage. After the climax of giving birth, the woman is kept comfortable & warm and fed Vata reducing foods such a stews and soups. The placenta is allowed to deliver most naturally and the cord of to the baby is not cut until ALL pulsation has stopped. This allows the transfer of ojas to the baby to be complete, giving it good vital force & immunity. It can take 1 -2 hours for pulsation of the cord to stop if you feel right next to the baby's tummy on the cord. Measure 8 fingers away from the baby's belly to find where to cut. Traditionally a special knife was used to cut the cord during a ceremony, again marking the ritual significance of the baby being severed from the mother. Antiseptic herbs or oils were used to keep the cord area from infection until healed.

The baby is kept cozy and warm sesame oil is massaged onto the fontanelles to protect it from being overstimulated. A little hat, especially if made of silk, can help as well . Traditionally babies were stimulated to spit up to clear their stomach of anything swallowed during labor. They wer given special experiences to tune them into their Vedic culture. One was feeding baby honey, ghee & specially prepared edible gold to give the baby a type of Ayurvedic immunization to the local pollens & dairy as well as increased vitality & immunity with the gold. Other properties are also given by the substances - honey clears Kapha which is predominant in children; ghee increases the healthy fat in the brain to increase intellect, as well as nourishing nerve & marrow tissues; and gold signifies wealth. A gold spoon can be used instead of gold preparation, if unavailable.

The baby is massage with pure oil and bathed in mild herbal bath. Baby receives breast milk as the best food. Before milk comes in babies are often traditionally fed ghee & honey, in the amount of a baby handful, just 2-3 times a day. Herbs can be used to enhance breast milk-Shatavari, Vidari, Ajwain. (Ayurvedic physicians believe that it isn't honey that is a problem for babies-it's the processing of the honey that creates problems. One must get raw, unfiltered honey, not commercially processed. The teaching of ayurveda is that honey becomes mildly toxic when heated, which happens in most commercial processing.)

In this way the baby & mother have gone through the transitional time of pregnancy & childbirth with the nurturance & help of ayurveda. You'll learn more about Ayurvedic Postpartum Care in the next installment of this series.

Terra Richardson practiced homebirth midwifery 13 years in Boulder, CO before retiring to focus on Wise Womanhood, offering midwifery training classes and holistic healing practice using ayurveda, flower essences, & Reiki energy healing. She coauthored Pregnant Feelings with Rahima Baldwin Dancy and wrote soon to be published, Giving Birth to Ourselves-Contemplations for Midwives & Other Birth Companions. You can learn more about her classes & practice at http://wisewomanhood.bigstep.com or by calling 720.628.5015.

Ayurvedic Helps for Discomforts of Pregnancy

— morning sickness - shatavari: roast in an iron pan ghee w/ cardamom & date sugar

— constipation - 1 cup hot spiced cows milk w/ 1 tsp ghee before bed (use spices according to your doshas) OR a little amalaki is OK , esp. if high Pitta or Vata & Pitta provoked.

— Ayurvedic tonics - chyvan prash (cold season) or shakti prana (hot season or P+), 1 tsp daily on empty stomach, 15 min later 1 cup warm milk (if not lactose intolerant)

For more on the discomforts of pregnancy - The Wisewoman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun Weed for western herbal helps, along with the Yoga of Herbs by Lad & Frawley to check them according to dosha.

Commonly used Ayurvedic Herbs for pregnancy & labor

Amalaki (amla) tonic, rejuvenative, alterative (use only pinch in pregnancy) PV-K+

Bamboo manna or Vamsa rochana - for too much dryness, emaciation, bleeding PV-K+

Brahmi - rejuvenative, blood purifier, fortifies immune system, good for kidneys VP-

Castor oil- externally on hips for apana prana in labor or internally to purge to begin labor

Cumin/coriander/fennel tea- digestant (fennel not for early or fragile pregnancy)

Ghee - carrier substance for herbs, tonic to pitta, increases agni & ojas V-PK neutral don't mix in equal proportions with honey; not for high toxins, diarrhea, or parasites

Pippili - stimulant (use only small amt in pregnancy), expectorant, aphrodisiac VK-P+

Shatavari - nutritive tonic, demulcent, emmenagogue, rejuvenative, build milk PV-K+

AYURVEDIC HERBS TO AVOID IN PREGNANCY

When in doubt - don't take it. Check with an experienced herbalist or ayurvedic practitioner whenever possible before using any herbs in pregnancy, even if they seem to be totally unrelated to your uterus. Anything in excess should be avoided. Anything that imbalances your doshas should be avoided. Anything that stimulates menses (emmenagogues) or uterine contractions (oxytocics) should be avoided. Anything that is toxic should be avoided. Strongly hormonal herbs may throw off a normal balance - don't take them except in specially indicated situations. Antihistamines, laxatives & diuretics may also be dangerous during pregnancy.

If your pregnancy is in the first trimester or has shown any signs of fragility at any time in the pregnancy be more cautious = Fragile/Early (F/E). Some herbs may be ok if the pregnancy is firmly established -- that's why you may find different lists which include different herbs.

Aloe

Berberis f/e or V

Bitter-scraping herbs

Dill F/E

Fennel F/E

Fenugreek

Ginger (a little fresh OK)

Haritaki

Hing (a little in food OK)

Honey

Jatamansi

Licorice rt

Mahasudarshan

Neem

Nutmeg

Trikatu

Triphala F/E

Triphala Guggulu

Tumeric

Vacha

Yogaraj guggulu

The postpartum is a very tender period of time for mother and baby. Ayurveda's recommendations can protect them from taking on imbalance & stress during this sensitive time. During pregnancy the woman is to be worshipped as a Creatrix; postpartum this level of devotion and caring is twice as necessary, for it includes both Mother & Child.

Ayurvedic teachings tell us that postpartum is one of the special times in a woman's life that her whole physiology is changing quickly and can be set to actually rejuvenate the mother. The women I know who have followed these teachings postpartum have had better postpartum experiences and continued to feel better as their life went on. In contrast, most women in our culture try to get back to "normal" life as quickly as possible-it's almost as if it is a sign of strength to act as though postpartum isn't a special time. This is dangerous for the future health of the mother-if she overdoes it and is careless in the weeks following the birth she can be setting up imbalances that can plague her for the rest of her life.

One example of what can happen was June, an athletic & healthy Pitta woman, who felt great right after her birth - and proceeded to go on long, strenuous hikes just 2 weeks after giving birth. In the year following the birth June found herself getting weaker instead of stronger and having frequent bouts of illness - something which hadn't happened for her before. Only though strong attention to her imbalances that stemmed from postpartum could she rebuild her immune system and strength to withstand the stresses of motherhood.

With postpartum care & attention the picture can look much healthier. Stacey, a Vata woman, had already given birth once before. During that postpartum she developed a sleeping problem (Vata type- waking at about 3 am) that stuck with her for years. When she began using Ayurveda she finally cleared up the problem. Then she became pregnant again and was worried she may fall back into the old pattern. However, this time she followed the Ayurvedic postpartum recommendations and she ended up feeling great after her postpartum, with no sleep disorders.

The postpartum period is one generally of great change, The changeable sleep schedule, the loss of fluids common to postpartum, changing hormonal balance, the loss of weight, and the extra space left in the abdomen after childbirth means Vata is there for the mother. Women who went through a cesarean section are even more Vata due to the opening up of their abdomen & uterus, letting air & space into their most inner body. The mothering of a newborn with it's irregular and changeable schedule also contributes greatly to Vata dosha easily going out of balance. Vata reducing measures are necessary to prevent Vata symptoms or the possibility of Vata moving any excess Pitta or Kapha in the body to form symptoms of those doshas.

For the baby, leaving the contained and watery womb to go into the spacious, airy, stimulating, and relatively dry world also means a big increase in Vata dosha. The baby is just unfolding into this world, learning to adapt and to act in a dance with life. Introduction of harsh stimuli & separation from the mother during this time are insults to the tender nervous system of the newborn. So during this time Vata reduction is the basic care plan to help both mother & baby.

As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, Vata is made up of ether (space) and air. It has the qualities of: dry, cold, light, changeable, mobile , and rough. It's "home base" in the body is the abdominal/pelvic area - so key in childbearing. When it is balanced we express it through living in a flowing, flexible, enthusiastic, and creative way. Some of the symptoms of imbalance are constipation, shakiness, gas, cramps, sleep disturbance and fatigue. Emotional symptoms of Vata imbalance are feelings of being overwhelmed, fearful, and/or distracted. It is also related to grief.

Vata reducing measures are counter to the qualities of Vata. We use moisture and oiliness, warmth, heaviness, routine, stillness & quiet, and smooth, flowing lifestyle.

Many of these Ayurvedic postpartum teachings were first promoted in our country through the Mother Baby Program of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and further developed by Martha Oakes, Diplomate Ayurvedic Postpartum Practitioner, Experienced Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula Trainer. If you would like to learn more about training or consult with her, you can reach her at ww.sacredwindow.com or 866.224.0609. She also has a self-published book available expanding on the information in this article, recommended if you want to try it or help others with it.

First of all we must "Mother the Mother", While the new mom is mothering the baby, she too must receive care. In this way both baby & mother are best nurtured. She should not be entertaining visitors, cleaning house, doing laundry, or cooking meals. To the best of their ability, families must plan together ahead of time and in a thorough manner, how to have the mom taken care of for 4-6 weeks postpartum. Most people may not be able to provide care for a full six weeks - at least 2 is a minimum to prevent the mom from doing too much. In our midwifery practice we usually said 2 weeks minimum with an extra week for each other child in the household.

One danger is that the partner will try to take up all the slack, becoming exhausted too. This can be emotionally as well as physically trying. It is important to call on the community to support the family at this time. Churches, coworkers, friendship circles and support groups are often good places to find this help. If a woman doesn't have this kind of community when she becomes pregnant it is most important to start developing it-it will serve her throughout parenthood.

The pregnant women can ask a girlfriend to coordinate volunteers. They would use a sign-up sheet at the baby shower or blessing way and then the friend would call people after the birth to confirm when they would come by to clean, drop off food, or do some laundry. Specific personal food needs & guidelines should be in writing & given to everyone providing food. Enough food could be supplied for both supper and lunch.

Another time honored technique for mothering the mother is to have family or friends come & stay for some time postpartum. It's imperative that the everyone feels absolutely comfortable about the person staying there-or the stress will offset the help provided! Plenty of communication about boundaries needs to be made before, during & after the visit to keep things clear and easy.

Oiliness or unctuousness is needed to offset the dryness and roughness of Vata. This is provided postpartum through daily oil massage with warm sesame oil, eating food with plenty of ghee and olive oil, and sesame oil enemas (when working with a trained practitioner).

The daily oil massage is best done by someone trained in Ayurvedic postpartum massage-but these practitioners are still few & far between. The technique used by these women are specially suited to the Vata needs of the women & their changing bodies. However, any trained massage therapist could give a slow, gentle, firm, steady, integrative, repetitive massage with warm sesame oil to good effect. Plenty of oil to the head is important for calming the nervous system. It's good to have someone there to help with the baby during the massage time and try to schedule so feeding happens just beforehand so mom can relax as deeply as possible - and whoever massages should be ready for the needs of the baby to nurse on the massage table. The massage can start in the first days for a vaginal birth, after one week for someone who had a cesarean.

Many people can't afford daily massage by someone for 2-3 weeks, so doing self massage or having a friend or partner do the massage for at least some of the time is another viable option. Whoever does the massaging should remember the principles to balance Vata through massage- slow, gentle, firm, steady, integrative, repetitive massage with 4 - 8 oz of warm sesame oil. Besides calming Vata, daily massage helps the body reintegrate into its non-pregnant state. It keeps circulation going-very important for someone not moving around a lot during the recovery period. This helps prevent of the possibility of blood clots forming from blood stagnation. Massage also stimulates all the organs and energy points of the body to promote general health and emotional well being.

Warmth must be provided by keeping the room temperature comfortably warm. During and after the massage a hot water bottle can be applied to the abdomen to bring warmth deep into the Vata part of the body. Warm baths after the daily oil massage will also keep the cold of Vata from lodging in the body. This is often a favorite part of the postpartum treatment. Cold drafts should be avoided at all times.

Rest may seem illusive for a postpartum mom at times between baby care & self care. But rest she must-especially when the baby sleeps. Helpers are what can allow this to happen. If the house is a mess or other household tasks are not covered most people find it hard to rest. This is one time Ayurveda allows sleeping in the day, since the mom is recovering from childbirth and also having sleep interrupted by the baby nursing. A nap is recommended after her daily oil massage & hot bath. Sometimes soothing music can help to calm and allow rest-pick out tranquil music to use when the energy starts getting too hectic.

Many women are anxious to resume their former shape and want to exercise as soon as possible. Women should know that it is common for some to not get back to their pre-pregnancy weight for 6 months. Some women don't lose that last extra weight until they end breastfeeding and their hormones shift again. Exercise programs should not begin in earnest until after the first month and the lochia flow has ended. Doing some gentle stretches and brief walks outside later in the postpartum period will refresh and feel good without straining and using energy that would better go to the transitioning body in other ways.

Containment of the uterus by wrapping the abdomen after the massage & bath will keep Vata from staying in the space left by the baby leaving. This is a common practice in traditional cultures which proves helpful today as well. If the uterus is allowed to flop around freely while the ligaments are still loose it is more likely it will assume a position which will inhibit circulation , as well as the outflow of the lochia, causing stagnation that can lead to later problems.

Quiet and seclusion are other forms of containment and important to avoid over stimulation for both mom and baby. Both are wide open and very sensitive. It's not the time for lots of out of town visitors or to have large parties of people. One case involved a baby born only 3 days earlier being brought to church and passed from person to person. Everyone was very excited & loving-but it was too much and the baby ended up getting sick. I cringe when I see obviously newborn babies at the supermarket.

The mom's nervous system is also reworking itself with the new levels of hormones and like the other times of hormonal change-adolescence & menopause-reducing stimulation allows for a smoother transition.

We put a sign on the door of families of newborns with a birth announcement and a "We Mother the Mother" statement requesting people who visit to stay only 15 minutes, and to lend a quick hand to do dishes, vacuum, or take a load of laundry to do. We educate the women about the importance of limiting visitors and have them warn people ahead of the birth. After the first few weeks a celebration can include everyone!

Routine & Simplicity are other ways to calm Vata. When our body recognizes a rhythm happening in eating it digests better; in resting it rests better. Again, preparation ahead of birth time makes it possible to foster simplicity by being familiar with the self care routine, having meals preplanned and supported, and household needs covered.

Wholeness includes eating whole foods prepared to calm Vata, yet modified for the specific needs of postpartum women. Martha Oakes presents a dietary plan to support postpartum rejuvenation. It includes all the tastes in proportions most healthy for postpartum women, avoiding the extremes. It favors foods that offer clear, life giving energy, avoiding those that stress the body or add the energy of decay (such as fermented & aged foods).

Vata Diet Modified for Postpartum Mothers-by Martha Oakes

Licorice, chrysanthemum, Echinacea, dandelion, green leaf veggies, Aloe vera juice, peeled eggplant, rhubarb, yarrow

Another aspect of wholeness is cultivation of the baby and mother bonding, tied closely to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a given in ayurveda. If a mother is imbalanced it can not only effect her milk production-it can also pass on the imbalance in her milk to the baby.

Infant massage, which can be used to encourage father and baby bonding, is another aspect of the wholeness for the baby and family. Massage is practiced universally in India and it starts as soon as the umbilical cord is healed. Then daily oil massages are given to babies before their warm bath. Randomized, controlled studies on both preterm and healthy full term infants show that massaging daily with sesame oil was most effective in promoting growth and length of time babies slept after the massage.

At the same time Vata needs attention a postpartum woman's digestion is very often disturbed. One way to look at it is that giving birth can use every bit of energy in the body, depleting the digestive fire. It must be rekindled in the postpartum so that the food she eats is well digested to serve in making balanced milk for the baby and for her own recovery & rejuvenation. Digestive fire kindling guidelines are followed as closely as possible and digestive teas & herbs used to get things going.

Guidelines for Rekindling & Protecting Your Postpartum Digestive Fire

· To rekindle the digestive fire: About 10 minutes before meals take 2 spoons of grated fresh ginger with a splash of lime juice & a pinch of salt - if that's too complex just eat a slice of peeled fresh ginger. This will wake up your digestive enzymes naturally and get them into a rhythm.

· If you have absorption problems, immediately follow your meal with takram-this is 2 tablespoons of live culture, unsweetened yogurt churned in a cup of water with 1 tsp of ground cumin.

· Drinking Cumin Coriander Fennel tea is another digestive help. It burns body toxins, kindles digestion, and helps any gas move out. This tea helps your body self regulate its hormones and helps promote milk production as well! Mix equal parts of Cumin, Coriander & Fennel seeds. Use 1 tsp per cup tea. Simmer 10 minutes, strain & drink.

· Although baby & sleep may be unpredictable, try to eat at regular times, this way your body can anticipate meal times by starting its digestive juices going at the usual time.

· Eat your largest meal between 10 am and 2 pm when the digestive fire is normally at its peak.

· Don't overeat at a given meal. Overeating smothers the digestive fire, just as putting too much wood on a fire will eventually put it out. One guideline for how much to eat is to cup both of your hands in front of you. The amount you can hold in your hands is about how much your stomach can hold and do its job well.

· Eat food at room temperature or a little warmer. Eating with your fingers will make sure it is the right temperature. Test your tea with your little finger. (Cancer of the esophagus can be triggered by habitually eating foods too hot.) Digestive enzymes are temperature specific and evolved to work with room temperature food-not refrigerated , frozen or iced.

Milk always taken alone except for totally sweet fruit ie. Dates, mangoes, figs or cooked with basmati rice

Don't mix milk with dal, fish, or meat-this is definitely a dangerous combination.

For the baby, leaving the contained and watery womb to go into the spacious, airy, stimulating, and relatively dry world also means a big increase in Vata dosha. So during this time Vata reduction is the basic care plan. So by keeping warm, daily oil massaging & warm bath, keeping the baby's head covered with a little hat and sesame oil on the fontanelles, these all help offset Vata becoming too high in this period of time. Avoiding cold drafts is especially important.

If the mother avoids Vata imbalance, drinks sufficient fluids, and eats a healthy diet her milk will also be balanced-imbalanced moms make imbalanced milk that can effect the baby. More fluids may be needed at this time due to the Vata influence.

Babies generally digest the breast milk in about 2 hours, so constantly feeding the baby may end up depressing the digestive fire of the baby and cause digestive disturbances. Also, babies may be sensitive to some foods the mother may be eating. If the mother drinks Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea regularly it will help the baby's digestion as well as help move out any gas that may form before it becomes a tummy ache.

If the baby is having mucus problems it is often due to the mother eating too much cold food or Kapha (mucus) increasing food. However, don't cut out ALL of the Kapha foods because they are necessary for formation of the plasma which in turn forms the breast milk. Since this may be a delicate balance, take some fresh ginger tea as soon as there are signs of excess mucus beginning to show up in mother or baby. (Several cups of day would be needed in this case - otherwise use it as a general digestive once or twice a day.) As illustrated by the above examples, in general newborn babies are treated by giving the herbs to the mother.

By a couple of weeks postpartum it's possible to have a good idea of what the constitution of the baby is by how she/he looks and acts. Through this one can cultivate a suitable environment to nurture the type of personality the baby tends to have. Children in general are in the Kapha stage of life-when things are forming and are more dense. This is one reason for children having lots of mucus compared to adults.

Vata baby: Thinner, long fingers, easily distracted, when emotionally imbalanced: overwhelm

Needs a strong rhythm to lifestyle, calm, avoiding overstimulation, teaching how to be grounded.

Pitta baby: Medium, tends to be fair skinned, light thin hair or almost none, sensitive skin, wants stimulation, more focused, gets frustrated, when emotionally imbalanced: anger

Needs developmentally appropriate challenges, teaching how to relax and wind down

Kapha baby: Rounder larger, very deep "inny" belly button, calmer personality when emotionally imbalanced: clinging

Remember-most of us are combinations of Vata, Pitta and Kapha rather than just one pure type, so go with what seems most predominant.

By taking the advice and support of Ayurveda during the postpartum, mothers and babies will be setting the stage for a happier, longer, and healthier lives.

Terra Richardson practiced homebirth midwifery 13 years in Boulder, CO before retiring to focus on Wise Womanhood, offering classes and a holistic healing practice using ayurveda, flower essences, & Reiki energy healing. She coauthored Pregnant Feelings with Rahima Baldwin Dancy and wrote soon to be published, Giving Birth to Ourselves-Contemplations for Midwives & Other Birth Companions. You can learn more about her classes & practice at or by calling 720.628.5015.

Taking in & digesting what is wholesome promotes healthy balance in mother & baby.

Discern what is healthy exercise & unhealthy exercise for you at different times.

The mother shares her body space, the baby shares its heart space- both are forever connected.

There is no physical intimacy greater than that of a mother & the child in her womb.

Building a support system can help replace the missing functions of tribe & extended family, which are so important to children & parents.

What the mother tastes, sees, hears, smells, touches thinks, feels forms the child.

The pregnant woman's body works overtime even when she appears to be still. Allowance for this will promote her longevity & the baby's health.

Build & store vitality (ojas) for both mother & baby. In the eighth month it is shared between them.

The end of pregnancy, like the premenstrual phase of the menstrual spiral exhibits the woman's current imbalances & weakness.

Birth Sutras

By Terra

Entering fully into the altered state of childbirth allows her to act in the best interests of healthy birth for the baby & herself, just as in the state of sexual arousal being fully in it allows for orgasm to happen.

Seclusion & protection allow her to open gracefully with the guidance of her altered state. Do not distract her from her labor.

Healthy downward energy in a balanced, nourished mother & baby leads to graceful birth.

Maintaining the atmosphere of Love & Trust is of utmost importance for the spiritual welcoming of baby to the world and woman to new motherhood.

The birthing woman is open energetically as well as physically and just as in menses & orgasm, she is both powerful & vulnerable. Both aspects must be acknowledged.

The contractions of childbirth are like long & very strong contractions of orgasm extended through time.

Normal labor pain is the discomfort of opening, not of injury. Healthy mothers' bodies produce endorphins & instinctual positioning to withstand it. These are promoted by a prepared, relaxed & confident mind and uninterrupted, private, primarily non-verbal, & natural labor process.

Giving birth & breastfeeding is fulfillment of the physical capacity of womanhood.

Nature's element can support the birth process - the ether of altered state, air of breath, fire of warmth, water tubs & teardrops, and grounding of earth.

Twice a month the women who participate in my midwifery practice -- pregnant women, new moms & babies, & midwives -- gather together to share food, herbal infusions, and their mutual company & knowledge. It happens at home -- the living room or the back yard. We have potluck. There are always plenty of smiling faces, words of mothering wisdom & experiential knowledge to go around, along with the healthy food. I called it a Birth Lodge because it reminded me of the Moon Lodge where women retreat & share their bleeding time each month in tribal cultures, except that here we gather & share our childbearing time. My 6 year old daughter likes to call it the Baby Party. Another apt name could be "Birth Salon".

Part of why I began the Birth Lodge was to have a time to have more fun with pregnancy

-- to celebrate, to welcome, to enjoy the feast of giving birth. Our culture tends to take pregnancy as a medical event or a non-event to be ignored. The Birth Lodge gives us a space to bask in the special state of pregnancy & new motherhood.

Since I am a homebirth midwife and homebirthers still tend to be a small minority of all pregnant women, the Birth Lodge also provides a supportive atmosphere for the women choosing homebirth. At the Birth Lodge it's absolutely normal to give birth at home -- even in the water. Here we celebrate the choices of our little tribe rather than mount the usual defense or explanation. And the negative views of pregnancy, birth, women & mothers so often carried in the mainstream can be tipped over & washed away in the bubbling creek of real live women friends.

The women in the Birth Lodge get to see other women through their pregnancy & birthing, watching each other get bigger & riper until their fruit falls -- and then, after an appropriate postpartum rest, they return to show off their sweet babies. Women who have never given birth or been around babies get to see new moms & babies in action, up close, real. They even get to hold a baby or two. They get to see that the whole process really does work! And that there really is a baby inside of each of those burgeoning bellies, including their own. It is a self-directed, experiential learning childbirth class where there is no "teacher," no curriculum -- the original childbirth class of tribal sisterhood.

This sort of learning dovetails with a holistic approach to birth where the woman is the expert on her own body & experience. For a woman to be truly empowered in her birth she must be empowered through the whole process. She listens to the various stories, asks her questions, tells her stories, answers other's questions. She experiences the process unfolding in her other pregnant friends as well as in herself. As she moves through her pregnancy & birthing & new motherhood she can measure her own learning & progress, seeing her previous self in the newcomers to the Birth Lodge. Having learned, she shares her knowledge with others, completing a cycle of honoring birthing women & herself. And with so many different women sharing their stories, the diversity & individuality of the experience is not averaged out to a model of birth or a "right" way to give birth or be a mother.

Practical knowledge is shared -- from the inside info on friendly family physicians to ways to calm a fussy baby to recipes to fun exercise classes in town to which kind of baby carseat works great. Discussions come up about immunizations, breastfeeding, child development, educational systems.

And bonds of a birthing community are forged. Mothers with a super-abundance of milk share their extra with mothers who need a bit more for their little ones. Postpartum dinners can be exchanged. Some women form mother's support groups.

To start a Birth Lodge you need: a friendly place to meet, a list of some potential members (which most supportively could be from one midwifery practice or a group of local midwives or from a childbirth educator who begins classes in early pregnancy), a telephone to call every one to notify them of the next meeting, food, dishes, & drinks for the potluck, and perseverance.

When I was first starting the Birth Lodge it took a while for people (including myself) to realize what it was all about -- what? just spend two hours sitting around eating & talking? mmmm - remember when your mothers ( or maybe it was your grandmothers) used to sit around and have coffee parties & tea parties?

Now most people are eager to attend when they can, especially postpartum moms. In fact we started meeting twice a month so that each meeting wouldn't be too large. Part of the fun & comfort of the Birth Lodge has to do with a relatively small sized group which you begin to recognize and feel at home with. Once we had a gigantic Birth Lodge with about 30 people including babies & siblings. It was too overwhelming for new people and for several of the children. The usual size is about 10 people(or fewer) which is large enough to easily integrate new people but small enough not to have shy people get lost in the crowd.

Some of the women I work with never miss a Birth Lodge, others never come. It's totally voluntary - but most who do come once, come again & again. Some people come with their toddlers who first came before they even showed they were pregnant. What could be a greater affirmation of life than to take time to talk & be with other birthing women, mothers & babies, feeding each other and having fun?

Making a Sacred Birth Object

One of my good friends, Delta, was the first person in my circle to purposefully made a sacred birth object. She made a birth shield out of a willow branch and yarn she had spun herself. Then at her blessingway (discussed later) she had her friends bring small things to tie on to the shield that symbolized attributes or helpers to be with her as she gave birth. She hung it in the room where she was to give birth & it was there during her labor and beyond. Four years later she still has it, a loving token of her pregnancy & birthing process.

Since that time I have suggested to pregnant women & their mates that they could make a sacred birth object during the pregnancy to bring with them to the birth & after. I see this a way to focus on the sacred, inner creativity of pregnancy & birth. Some possible items are: a birth shawl; a special quilt; a placenta bowl; a song that would be sung in labor or when the baby is first out in the world; a birthing shirt for father &/or mother to wear in labor; a cradle.

Many people do make something for the baby during pregnancy. The special aspect which is added is consciousness when making it, the consciousness of love being put into it at every step of the process. A new family tradition may be started, a new family heirloom created - all for the purpose of strengthening & making more manifest the family bonds of love. If the family already has some traditions or heirlooms of birth they can be reminded to remember them before the birth so that they can be lovingly passed on down, infusing each new generation with the love of the ones before it in a tangible way. I imagine it would be very special to me if I received a family placenta bowl to use when I was about to give birth which had been in the family for generations.

Practice Changing States of Consciousness-

To me, pregnancy, labor , & breast feeding are times of altered states of consciousness. In earlier times this may not have been the case so much because the pace & focus of life was different and more inward & family oriented. In our technological, clock-ruled culture natural pregnancy, labor & breast feeding do not really fit in. They are essentially body centered, relationship centered, & in the moment experiences, like the weather, like Nature. In both my labors I knew I was in labor because everything seemed more like when I had taken psychedelic drugs. Not all women report this type of experience. Yet to me it seems likely that women would experience labor this way more frequently if they were in a totally safe, soft, familiar environment.

Under the rule of technology even changing states of consciousness is for the most part relegated to substances rather than to more self-created & self-sufficient modes. In the hospital women can feel in control of the change of consciousness which accompanies pain & labor by taking drugs, which change their consciousness in a scientific ritual way. In home births & natural birth settings women can feel at home with the change of consciousness by having practiced changing their consciousness before labor and perhaps structuring the birth scene to include forms they have practiced before labor. Ritual can be to used to channel energy in new situations in a way that creates safety for participants.

In pregnancy, the pregnancy visits or prenatals are a ritual in themselves which focus the woman, mate & midwives on the pregnancy & preparation for the labor. What happens at the visits is not merely for physical well-being. It is building a structure for use in transiting the changes of the childbearing year. Being pregnant is itself mind altering. My book Pregnant Feelings, with Rahima Baldwin goes into the emotional altering of pregnancy & is useful for helping pregnant women focus on how they are changing.

In birthing, the rituals of the midwife may help her to feel safe & thus transmit the safety to the woman. Or the midwife may be in a state which allows for the woman & her mate to create their own ritual with the birthing energy and be attendant on that. In breast feeding, each mother-baby couple evolves its own relationship & rituals around how it happens and the ability to do so is an important part of breast feeding "success".

During pregnancy I suggest to people that they find ways to practice changing their consciousness to that timeless, inward space. Some ways I know of are doing ritual, singing, dancing, meditating, & drumming. These are things that can be done alone or with others. There are a myriad of forms that each can take. Doing these things in an aware & focused way will change your consciousness. Even walking very, very, very, very slowly & consciously will change your state of awareness. The handouts will give you some ideas for these experiences. ***Taste them. Share what you enjoy & feel comfortable about.

Part of why I began the Birth Lodge was to have a time to have more fun with pregnancy -- to celebrate, to welcome, to enjoy the feast of giving birth. Our culture tends to take pregnancy as a medical event or a non-event to be ignored. The Birth Lodge gives us a space to bask in the special state of pregnancy & new motherhood.

The women in the Birth Lodge get to see other women through their pregnancy & birthing, watching each other get bigger & riper until their fruit falls -- and then, after an appropriate postpartum rest, they return to show off their sweet babies. Women who have never given birth or been around babies get to see new moms & babies in action, up close, real. They even get to hold a baby or two. They get to see that the whole process really does work! And that there really is a baby inside of each of those burgeoning bellies, including their own. It is a self-directed, experiential learning childbirth class where there is no "teacher," no curriculum --the original childbirth class of tribal sisterhood.

Belly Painting- Celebrating the Ripeness of Pregnancy, Opening up to the Birthing Energy

Painting the belly with face paints is a way I came up with to acknowledge the transition of the pregnancy into the "ready to give birth any time now" phase. Women often become excited at this stage and the ritual is a way to acknowledge the extra-transitional nature of this time.

The painting emerges spontaneously on her belly within the safe confimes of familiar midwives & partner/children and it lives on the limited yet burgeoning space of her pregnant belly. The unplanned nature of the belly painting echoes the nature of the birth initiation she is now entering into-we don't know when, exactly where, exactly who, exactly how it will all happen, but she has created the safe confines of prenatal education knowledge and trust in the skill & goodwill of her midwives to contain it.

The Blessing Way is a ceremony of love, wisdom, sharing, nurturing & support by friends at a time of life transition - for example birth, moving to a new place, divorce, graduation. The theme is blessing you on your way by reminding you of your strengths & the help available to you from friends & Mother Nature where ever you go.

You may choose one person to organize the meeting for you or do it yourself. Make up a guest list. Choose a peaceful, beautiful place. (The birthing space is a good choice for birthing moms.) Plan for 2 hours or so. It's traditional to end with food - you can ask each guest to bring a snack or one or two might organize the meal. Another tradition is bringing fresh cut flowers to decorate the room & candles to burn. Often one person acts as the mistress of the ceremony to plan & maintain the focus. Usually only women attend but- this is optional.

The ceremony is open for fitting into any particular cultural or spiritual context, the theme being blessing the honored one for this particular challenge in their life. Be creative! Some possibilities to include if you choose:

-Begin with welcoming everyone to sit in a circle. Create a sacred space by smudging, lighting a candle, saying a prayer, singing, or however you wish.

-Sing birth songs or other special songs. Opening the throat & lungs opens the heart & cervix!

-Have a go-around of the circle, each person addressing the Honored Woman in turn with a story, song, or personal message to help her in giving birth & becoming a new mother. Commonly a token gift is given to symbolize for the woman the qualities thus imparted (ex. a feather, a stone, a song). This can be at the birth to carry the message there to her.

CREATING RITUAL & TRIBE FOR THE CHILDBEARING YEAR