Yes, Birth does matter!

How we give birth matters!

What our babies experience shapes who they are. 

What a mother experiences at the very transition 

from maiden to mother changes her. 

Gentle, natural birth unlocks something primal 

at our very core that makes mothering easier [and] 

makes families stronger... If parents would only realize

that every single decision they make from conception onward influences

the outcome of their birth, they could reclaim what they didn't even know was lost.

  -Kim Wildner, Mother's Intention

     This saying brings tears to my eyes. It is at the core of my beliefs about birth. My very passion. I am so happy to be finally working with pregnant women and to be helping them shape their lives and the lives of future generations.To help women understand that birth really does matter. It is such an important concept, so basic, yet so many women do nothing to make sure their birth is an event that is positive and uplifting. To reclaim your birth means to do your research, make decisions based off all the information you can find and to take charge of your experience by choosing the right people to surround you during the birth. For every woman your best birth is unique to you and what is right based off your situation. But if you never take the time to research, learn and surround yourself with a community that utterly believes in birth and its wonderfullness then you truly are missing out. Here are some amazing women who took that time to claim their birth as their own. Wonderful moments caught on film that will forever impact these women and the children that they birthed!

Sarah and her first homebirthed baby Charlotte

Sarah's third baby Milo was born into her arms in their home
surrounded by family and friends. Just beautiful.

http://footedjammies.blogspot.com/ 

Jade labored in the water with her husband and doulas support
, here she is doing skin to skin with daughter Zoey
 http://jadeyeonghee.blogspot.com/

After 44 hours of labor, Deb finally births her baby boy Trey

Debra, a first time mom, chose to birth her baby at home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Dusti and her baby Finn born
into her husband arms http://www.wheresdusti.blogspot.com/

New baby Finn meeting big brother

Haley and inspiring little family at http://mamahaas.blogspot.com/

My friend and and apprentice midwife vbac mama Tiffany

Asher in my arms, taking his first breath

Meagan and her VBAC baby Delaney
here is a video compilation of the gorgeous pics from her birth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w4ryOCP2TY0

Katie with her water baby Lorelei

Here you can find some research from some online articles:
 

        ~ "The birth experience itself is influential: very detailed birth memories can be retrieved, and the more traumatic the birth experience, the higher the correlation with physiological and psychological problems, including serious disorders such as schizophrenia and psychosis. Again, the mother's attitude has been demonstrated to be the most important factor in determining the character of the birth. The vital factors in predicting the ease and speed of labor are the mother's attitudes toward motherhood, her relations to her own mother, and the presence of habitual worries, fears, and anxieties going beyond normal apprehension." http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/issues/sx-sbd2.htm

       ~ Babies Remember Pain- how they can remember feeling pain after being birthed if it is not in a gentle way, among other things that might cause them pain after birth. http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/chamberlain/

         

      ~Elective cesareans with no trial of labor can effect the babies respiratory system http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2453515/

     ~ " Unborn children remember the experience of gestation and birth and these memories become the foundation for feelings and behaviors throughout life" http://www.eheart.com/cesarean/shapira.html (very interesting read, love the "assisted" cesarean to mimick being born from the vagina)

    ~Tips for having a safer and more satisfying cesarean for when that is the best option for you and baby http://www.childbirthconnection.com/article.asp?ck=10170#delivery 

     ~The best time to start preparing for your birth is NOW. Where can you start researching and learning? Well here are just a few nice places to start:  http://spinningbabies.com/more-info/for-pregnancy
http://www.mothersnaturally.org/resources/literatureResearch.php
http://resources.thefeministbreeder.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/childbirthconnection/want-good-maternity-care-10-things-you-can-do

One of the most important things to understand is that this event will literally engrave itself into your memory for your entire life. My grandmother can tell me details of when my uncle was born. Your birth will impact your life significantly, whether it is in a good way or not so favorable way.

So the next time you hear someone say, "Oh, you got a healthy baby, that is all that matters". Help them understand why that is absolutely NOT all that matters. These women, and their birth experience matters, too! And I think they would tend to agree with you.

*thanks to all these wonderful ladies for sharing their photos. Truly inspiring, really.