Life’s Turning Point: The Power of Birth Experience
Words Sarah dwyer
‘Whenever and however you give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body and your spirit for the rest of your life’ is a quote by Midwife Ina May Gaskin I think of often. Birth is designed to be a powerful and transformative rite of passage to prepare women for motherhood and beyond. It’s really a moment where you get to meet yourself in all your vulnerabilities and become your new self ‘Mother’
Emerging from birth with your baby in your arms can offer you a sense of deep satisfaction, elation and relief like no other. Even a birth that did not go to your ‘plan’ can absolutely leave you feeling powerful and confident. Birth can heal you.
What I have learnt from teaching Hypnobirthing is that what we share and learn throughout the course are not just tools for birth, they are vital tools for life! I find myself using these techniques daily as I travel through the overwhelm of motherhood and life in general.
During the course sessions we build a toolkit for labour and birth by using techniques such as breath work, guided mediation, visualisations, movement, education and mindset shifting. The idea is that you have these tools to hand and use them whenever you need.
Carving out just 10 minutes per day during your pregnancy is all it takes to see a huge shift in how you feel about your birth. Taking this time during your pregnancy is a great practise and this makes it even easier to keep it up after baby arrives and keeping calm during those hazy days of early motherhood and beyond. These really are vital tools for life.
With so much fear around giving birth and the pain of labour, there can be a feeling of wanting to just get it over with, almost avoid it. The experience of giving birth is often minimised. The comment ‘it’s just one day’ can really undermine the birthing experience and what it has to offer you.
The principles of Hypnobirthing are rooted in the belief that birth is a beautiful and spectacular and normal event on a woman’s life, it is not a medical event. It’s all about learning how to trust birth and ultimately trust and love yourself.
Throughout the course we build an understanding of your body and explore the mind body connection. Realising that what we think ultimately impacts our body and it’s ability to soften and open during labour. Our mind directly impacts how comfortable and easeful our labours can be. It’s so simple and yet so profound.
During the last three years of teaching and sharing the wisdom of Hypnobirthing, I have seen women face their fears and with practise release them as they journey through pregnancy. I have seen women really drop in to their birth space and connect deeper with their babies and the wisdom within themselves. Couples grow to be excited for the journey into the unknown and meeting their baby.
The benefits to the whole family are immeasurable when a woman emerges from her birth feeling
happy and loved!
I am Sarah, Mum of 3 and a qualified Hypnobirthing teacher. I am passionate about working with first time Mums and mums who have previously suffered a traumatic birth. I only work with private clients online or face to face in the comfort of your own home or mine.
Find me at www.sarahdwyer.com.au or @birth_in_love on Insta.
