Birth Journeys Birth Preparation with Karen Woods

Karen is a Midwife and 'Birthing From Within' Birth Preparation Mentor.  She also practices 'Birth Story Listening' - a form of post birth support and healing based on the telling of the Birth Story. 

Here Karen tells us about her new Inspiring Birth Preparation course taking place this  June & July 2013 (4 weeks) in central Bristol

~ Eva

For me, one of the main challenges in Birth Preparation is supporting women and their partners to become 'confident' in the process of birth, whilst at the same time, assisting them in being able to remain 'open' to the unexpected or perhaps unwished for events that can occasionally arise during birth.  An open, relaxed approach reduces fear, and quite simply, this helps women to open! 
Another question I've asked myself many times, both as a mum and midwife – 'Can you actually really prepare anyone for the experience of birth'?  It can be difficult to communicate what it is actually 'like' to be in labour.  The intensity...the sensations...the emotions...the power...  And yet, women who have birthed (and in our more recent times 'birth professionals' or 'birth workers') have always shared wisdom about birthing with the 'unitiated' – women who have not yet crossed this bridge.  Women have always discussed birth and shared their knowledge and insight.  (And women always know more about giving birth than they think....or, at least, our bodies do!)  Even today, with our culture of rational, scientific ways of 'knowing' about pregnancy and birth, it remains a topic which people are often interested in....like to discuss....to hear and share stories about.  The popularity of birth related TV programmes shows this.  Although we may 'know' a lot about birth, and how it happens, it is still in some ways mysterious!  It has a mysterious quality...perhaps this is part of the fascination.  (And   'knowing' in the head 'how' birth happens is not the same as 'knowing' birth in the body)  Working as a midwife, there are times when I think – 'How is this baby going to be born'?!  Or I marvel and smile with relief at the birth of the head....or the strength which women find to give birth when it feels impossible (which it sometimes does).

Ideally, women prepare for birth in many ways – they may make life style changes, ensure they are eating healthily, take a course, talk to friends/ relatives/ others about birth and becoming a parent.  In a similar way, people may prepare their bodies and minds for marathons or mountaineering expeditions.  Whilst birth is a much more everyday event, and a normal event for women's bodies, it may be challenging in the way that extreme sports can be.  So it may help to prepare a little, to get information, and to have some 'tools' to rely on to support us through.  Good birth preparation, therefore, may give us information and 'tell' us things that we didn't know.  For me, of equal importance, good birth preparation helps participants to realise what they do know, to find their inner resources, shares wisdom, knowledge and tools, and inspires positivity, confidence and a determination to Give Birth.    

Inspiring Birth Preparation course June/July 2013 Bristol (4 week course) – booking now.  See website for more info on course or call me   www.birthjourneys.co.uk   07708512520     

~ Karen