Wisdom and Births

Among the many pioneers and leaders in the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology, one of my favorites is Dr. Robert Oliver, an MD who was at the front of the humanistic birth movement. Dr. Oliver passed in 2005, but his legacy and work still resonate throughout the birth psychology field. He served on the Board of Directors for the Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health and passionately advocated for mother-baby centered care. Here is an excellent quote, one of my favorites, from a publication found in the Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health (JPPPH). What does it mean for every woman to have an 'assured uterus'? I think there is room for personal interpretation, but as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, assured means: very confident; characterized by certainty or security. In this light, an assured uterus means that every mother is supported throughout her pregnancy in emotional, physical, and relational ways. That she feel...

Since when did the birthing vagina lose it's privacy?!? In the United States, the majority of births occur in the hospital where women are EXPECTED to deliver their baby's in the lithotomy position; which is extremely counterproductive to pushing and I think we would all agree it's uncomfortable and unflattering. How humiliating the traditional hospital birth must be for some women who have kept their sexuality within the confines of their relationships and bedroom, but now their most intimate body part is exposed during a more or less "unflattering" event. Some women even experience a level of embarrassment or anxiety when it comes to topics relating to, or issues with, their vaginas. From early childhood we are trained that our genitals are "private parts" intended only for ourselves and those we love and trust. We spend years functioning with this knowledge and it becomes a part of what we believe to our very core. Then we are expected to set di...