Have you heard that birth is dangerous and unbearably painful?  Most women in the U.S. are raised on these ideas.  But, even though our culture tends to fill us with fear and concern that every birth might be fraught with unending dangers, the truth is that the vast majority of full term births with a healthy fetus are actually “uncomplicated”, not dangerous, and do not require intervention or high tech medical management.  In fact, the majority of people on this planet are still born without most of the technology that we take for granted is essential in the U.S.  That means that if you and your baby are in good health and full term, you have only a very small risk of actually needing any medical interventions.  But in the hospital in our culture you are almost guaranteed to receive at least 8 unnecessary interventions while you are in labor, unless you plan to avoid them before labor begins.

Humans are mammals.  All mammals are”preprogrammed” to give birth to live young.  A mammal does not even need to know anything about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, or raising a baby.  Their body listens to the cues of thousands of hormonal signals, and can “automatically” grow a baby to full term, deliver its young, bond with the baby, and nourish it throughout its infancy.  This is the way nature has provided a natural pathway for life to continue on our planet.

The only thing that changes this balance of nature for humans is our brain.  Our mammal body still listens to thousands of hormonal signals, but fear can override some of the hormonal signals, with the result of actually causing dysfunction in labor.  Fear and fatigue are two things that many women experience in labor and these are the very things that contribute to the dysfunction, by changing hormonal signals in the body.

Midwives and doulas understand how the body shifts when it is in fear, pain, or fatigue.  We can help you develop individual coping mechanisms and strategies that help you stay focused, unafraid, relaxed, strong and content throughout labor.  We help you shut down the fear centers and keep fatigue away with many helpful tips, so the natural hormones of birth can do their work in creating what nature had in mind for human mammals, a joyous, peaceful, and natural birth.

“We have both been completely blown away by how helpful and kind you have been.  We are both convinced that your services are what helped us avoid a C-Section.  We just can’t thank you enough!”

Jessica and Matthew Dearnley