Monday, January 24, 2022

Embodied Birth Ease, Forty Years in the Making

Forty years ago I was lucky enough to begin my doula career witnessing broodmares foaling. Watching their calm undisturbed labors unfold instilled in me a deep trust of the process of birth. To be sure they went through pain and they WORKED, but their instincts were so strong on how to physically go WITH the process. My mare even knew what positions to take when one of her foals took an unusual position in the birth canal. The first hello nicker from the mare set the bonding into motion and the foals knew exactly what to do. Their first latch unfolded around a set pattern of reflexes and responses which, when left alone, guided the foal to reconnect physically with the mare via her teat. I was in awe of this embodied approach to birth which was so different than what I had been told about human birth. This set me on my birth career path. 

My path took me through my own looong hospital birth which negatively impacted my body. It wound through hundreds of births in hospitals, birth centers and homes. It called me to become more and more educated on all facets of birth, bonding, feeding, and parenting. It called me out to learn more about how to heal myself and others from birth. Now after 10 years of study in various hands-on modalities I have decided to completely revamp my birth classes.

After many years of teaching women all the things they DON'T want people to do to them in labor or birth, while at the same time trying to impart calm and fearlessness, I have come full circle. I have decided the BEST way to prepare people for labor is by helping them become more like broodmares. To get more into their bodies, into their instincts, and into the birthgiver baby connection.

So here it is. My new baby. 



          An Embodied Approach to Birth Preparation; Embodied Birth Ease

A NEW sensory based approach to birth education which helps you tap into your unique powers to bring forth life. Typical birth classes apply a one size fits all approach. In reality no two birthing people's physical and emotional history or structure is alike, therefore each of us needs to move through birth in our own way. My classes will get you in touch with your own unique positions and
movements which you can use to move through labor and birth with more ease. They will bring you into awareness of your individual body patterns and how to shift them as needed to birth vaginally. This series teaches deep physical and emotional self awareness and acceptance of what is currently happening in one's body and the temporary nature of sensation. Each participant's sensory perceptions of themselves drives the individualized nature of the learning and actions. This opens the door to instinctual birth, trauma informed personal care, embodied ways to communicate with those around you without the need to speak, and self directed movements, breathing and vocalizations based on sensory input from baby to birther. You will also learn your baby's current position, the positions he/she needs to take to move successfully through your pelvis, and how to support your wee one in their birth process. Using Ortho-Bionomy® I teach simple ways birthgiver or partner can tap into the body's innate corrective reflexes. I open minds to CranioSacral therapy's concept of an inner wisdom that resides in all of us which knows more than anyone outside our bodies or often even our own conscious brain.

These interactive experiential classes are based on my unique Moving Toward Ease gentle bodywork and my decades of doula experience. They are grounded by the principles of Ortho-Bionomy and Upledger CranioSacral work woven into Gail Tully's Spinning Babies information and the Institute for Birth Healing's Opening the Birth Door work.

Group or private.
Online or in-person (Currently only meeting on Zoom.)
FOUR Class Holistic Birth Series!
Week 1: Body Awareness; How to Help Move Yourself through the Birth Process
Week 2: Bringing Baby into Your Awareness; The Baby's Journey
Week 3: Learning the Mother/Baby Birth Dance; Putting It Together
Week 4: Staying Rooted Sets You Free
It can be taken at any stage of pregnancy.
It is encouraged for first time mothers, those preparing for a VBAC, or women who previously had long or stalled labors or pushing phases.
It is relevant no matter where or with whom you are planning to birth because your body is the birth giver.
Be prepared to be an active participant. A partner is helpful.

Don't see dates that work for you or want to do a private series? Contact me directly @ (805) 459-8145

Group FEE: $225 (per couple)
Private FEE $600
You must pay in advance at paypal.me/MTEpay
Please label your payment EMBODIED BIRTH EASE.
Once payment has been received you will receive an invitation to the private Facebook group attached to your class. Details on items to have on hand, pre-class "homework", what to wear and Zoom link will be posted there. 


Ortho-Bionomy is a registered trademark of the Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, Inc. and is used with permission.