The Primal 6 Senses of Labour
Birth, whether we want to admit it or not, is a primal experience. For the most part, as a culture, the freedom to allow primal birth is extinct. Inside each of us is a spark waiting to ignite into a flame – the beautiful animalistic instinct deep inside you.
Our civilized modern outlook is designed to suppress our natural instincts. This is a bold statement, but I believe it to be true. I know we are not all able to, or even want to “roar” while having our babies, but we should at least all have a world of women standing behind us, holding us in love, support, and our personal choices. Let’s look at how to allow each of us to truly be our unique self and support our differences.
How can we support our primal senses to be used and nourished during labour? How can we as a society allow and un-shame our natural instincts and birth to the power and autonomy we deserve?
A little detour…
Before reading any further I invite you to find grounding and open your heart to deeply integrate the following suggestions.
Find a place that is special to you, this could be a chair, a room, a field or ocean bluff. Go where your heart can sing. Once in this place, settle into a comfortable position, sitting, standing or lying down does not matter – just being in this place will start the process of integration. Now please imagine your body grounded to the earth by a beautiful woven cord. Take this same cord and tether yourself to the infinite sky and stars. You are now being held in a vast container of universal love and self-power. Settle into your power, feel it in your heart. Allow it to flow through your body. Imagine the energy from the earth and the skies entering your body, filling you deeply.
Now in this calmness, imagine your best birth. Who is there? Where are you? Can you hear music or smell the space? Are you being touched, emerged in water or left to surge in supported solitude? What food and drink did you choose? Did you create an altar or birth focal point?
Now let all that go; birthing is unpredictable. Imagine your best birth every day if you choose, but also be open and accepting of whatever will unfold as your unique experience. Surrender to your experience. With love, thank yourself and your baby for this experience.
Intuitive & Emotional
Use your intuition and your feelings – they are guides and tell the true story. Birth is a right-brained activity; we cover this in the program. The right brain is there to guide the thoughts and feelings into a more intuitive, creative and primal place. Invite in your intuition and practice using it during your pregnancy. What is your tummy, heart or that little knowing without explanation in the back of your mind telling you? Mediation, breathwork and yoga are great ways to tune into this aspect of yourself before labour begins.
Touch
Touch can be literal hands-on touching or the sensation of water, heat, or a pet’s fur. It can be the physical support of a partner or other child holding you. This is an intimate, deep experience. I encourage you to own it and ask for what you need moment by moment. Touch is a powerful tool. I acknowledge that some cannot be touched for an array of reasons and having a physical support person present has been shown to allow those of us who can’t be held in this way during birth left feeling supported.
Taste
Hydration and food are necessary for the energy needed to have a baby. The body needs and will want nutritious foods in early labour. As the process of labour intensifies, the body will naturally want less. Please remember to stay hydrated and know some folks become nauseated in labour so eating easy to digest foods in early labour is recommended. If your care provider has prescribed no food or drink for medical reasons please ask questions but ultimately trusting them and their recommendations is the goal.
Visual
Visualization, whether in the mind’s eye or actual sight is a powerful tool to move through intense experiences. Birth definitely falls into the intense life experience category! There are many ways to support yourself visually. Having a simple talisman or sacred-to-you object to focus on, eye contact with a support person or yourself in a mirror. A photo of a loved one who cannot be there with you to look at or talk to. Imaging any of these things or whatever feels good to you is equally as powerful. Actually, seeing your baby birth with a mirror while pushing can be very powerful for some, but this may make some shut down. Be honest with yourself as to who you are – this is your experience and your choices to make.
Sound
Sound, or the vibration you invite into your birth space can be a profound guide. What energy do you want to be present? I suggest having a few different choices on hand because birth is unpredictable and you may be surprised by your choices while in actual labour. Mediation, chanting, or birth hypnosis tracks are also valuable tools to consider. Sound can also include no sound – blocking out all sounds with headphones may be what you want.
Scent
Scents can be exceptionally powerful in pregnancy and labour. Aroma therapy can ease the body and help with an array of potential issues that may arrive in labour. Nausea, fear, contractions – the list goes on. Thinking beforehand about the smells in the hospital, birth centre or your home can help guide you. Is scent a powerful tool you imagine working with? Or maybe not at all, maybe scent over stimulates you?
This guide only scratches the surface of the potential ideas and experiences possible! Be curious, explore, read and chat with others. Try to leave shame and confinement behind and embrace the infinite, expansive, beautiful, primal you!
With Love,Angela
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