Aside from blogging, I also teach pregnancy yoga and do one on one healing with hypnotherapy. These are all things that people either find accidentally or seek me out for. In general, I don't do much proselytizing about joyful birth--but on occasion, I will. When it comes to people I love, I can't sit by and know there is something better and not try to bear testimony of it. I have this beautiful cousin who has been trying to conceive for years, and after much tribulation, is finally expecting.
When she first got pregnant, I just sent her my blog link. Then when I heard she was taking a one day Childbirth class at the local hospital, I urged her to look into Hypnosis for childbirth. Then I sent her the link to buy the homestudy course on Amazon and demanded that she buy it immediately.
Yesterday I got this email from her.
Hey Lady!
I got the hypnobabies stuff on Friday and have been loving it! My honey has really enjoyed going over it with me too. It's great because it involves him. I feel like in my little bubble of peace I have this great secret about birth and how wonderful my birth is going to be! Church seems to be the place that I get bombarded with the most negative birth stories and I just smile cause I know mine will be different. I feel so empowered!
Thanks so much for recommending it. It has really helped me feel much more prepared and joyful about what is going to happen in a few short weeks.
I am so happy for her. Being empowered is so much better than being terrified, which she was just a few months ago. I know what ever happens, she'll be truly prepared now and have a positive experience. The part about church makes me sad, though. When will this change? When will LDS women realize that an empowered birth is their birthright? Because it is a divine power. And more than ever, during one's pregnancy and birth we are entitled to spiritual guidance and wisdom and the Holy Spirit which is also called "the comforter."
I can't wait for our book to be out so more women can have access to all the great wisdom and birth stories that will be available in it.
On that note. I have more happy news. Not 1 but 3 of my collaborators are pregnant (that I know of) and due around next February. So I am taking this as God's clear deadline for us. So our ambitious goal for a 100% finished first draft is Thanksgiving. That will give us a a few months to edit and revise. So, if you have been anxiously awaiting this book, know that it is coming, and look for updates soon.
Yay for your cousin. One woman at a time, BUT I do hope that more and more women learn about the joy of birth.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting I have had about 5 or 6 ladies from church take my Hypnobabies classes. But SOOO many more think we are crazy. Even though we all had great births.
That is happy news! I'm happy for your cousin, first on her pregnancy after a difficult journey, and also that she is now able to look forward to her birth by preparing with hypnosis!
ReplyDeleteI know what she means about the negative childbirth culture among so many women in the Church. I think it's sad, too.
And congrats to all of the pregnant collaborators! I am excited that you guys have a time table in place for the book now.
I would like to add that Christians, in general, and LDS women specifically should more fully understand the implications of the Atonement on Birth experience. I'm not saying I DO, but I get the idea from my limited understanding that because of the Atonement, we actually do not HAVE to feel ANY pain at all related to birth. Adam (and Eve's) sin is swallowed up in the Atonement. So, IF ever there was meant to be pain in childbirth (which I question REALLY strongly as intended by God or misunderstood by men), then there is no longer ANY reason for it any longer (and has been no reason for about 2000 years, right!?). Anyway... just wanted to add that! ^_^
ReplyDeleteThis is very much off topic, but I just noticed your new blog design. I miss the old one with the cool outline made of words and a bird...did you make that?
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is sad what our culture believes about birth. After two epidural babies, I am preparing for a natural birth and am really excited. :) It's amazing to be excited instead of to fear.
ReplyDeleteIt is so fun getting back into the birth blog world and finding all these great blogs by other women in the church. I recently had the gloriously fulfilling experience of having a friend actually devour the reading material I sent her and she decided on her own to have a HBAC. (Interestingly she's not a member of the church-I'm not having much success with members--sad.) Anyway, it feels really great to help someone along this path and have them experience the transcendant, empowering and joyful thing that natural birth is.
ReplyDelete