BeBa

Spiritual Midwifery

Ina May Gaskin

From Spiritual Midwifery:

Don't complain, it makes things worse. If you usually complain, practice not doing it during pregnancy. It will build character.

I read this a couple days ago, and I keep thinking about it. I'm generally a good sport, but I could certainly complain a LOT less. Especially if a more graceful/gracious demeanor will facilitate a somewhat faster labor, seeing as both of my past labors were 17+ hours and involved lots of complaining.

I'm over halfway through this book now. I can't believe I'm on my fourth pregnancy and this is the first time I've read it!

I wish I would have sooner. I'm actually finding it quite transformative when it comes to some mental roadblocks. I thought I had my healing birth when I had my third baby at home, in the water, but I see I still have issues to work through.

What I am learning particularly is how I have so much responsibility for setting the tone and mood for my birth. What I can do to ease the experience for myself and my baby rather than simply rely on superhuman support from my spouse and other birth attendants. I took the huge step two births ago to lose my reliance on technology, but I still didn't completely get it.

I read my previous birth stories and they are just filled with anger and frustration. Not with the pain so much as the slow progress I made in spite of all the pain. How counterproductive. I suspect I made things longer and harder on myself because of these issues.

So this book is helping me adjust my attitude and expectations tremendously. I didn't expect to like it so much. I  picked it up at just the perfect time. Inspiring.

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