But Why?
I wanted to share more in depth about why I created a coaching program and how it will work for you. I have been in the birth world since shortly after my oldest kiddo was born in 2007. I’ve heard so many stories of people who walk away from their births having a range of experiences, from feeling dissatisfied to traumatized to deciding they want a different experience with subsequent births. No matter what, because of its nature birth leaves you raw and open. Expectations don’t always align with experiences. I became a childbirth educator with Birthing From Within in 2008 because I loved the philosophy of it. BFW didn’t shy away from talking about pain as a part of birth and focused on birth as a right of passage. It’s a way of guiding those who are about to become a parent that focuses on the life changing process that is pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
When you are pregnant for the first time there are a lot of unknowns. You don’t know what birth is going to be like. It could be long or short, the intensity may make it difficult to cope with the sensations that are happening in your body. When labor will start is up in the air. How can you possibly plan for something this large without a date in front of you?? I get it, it often brings up a lot of anxiety at a time where you also feel excited to meet this new person.
Some people will do allll the preparation, reading everything they can and watching all the videos. Some people read some materials but won’t go down the rabbit hole on all the ways birth can look. There isn’t a right or wrong way to prepare to give birth and parent, I want you to feel supported and want to honor your process to become a parent. It is a HUGE deal, one of if not the biggest things you will do in your life.
In recent years many of us have become aware of generational trauma. This is the idea that we all carry the traumas of our ancestors whether it is repeating patterns we have modeled for us, traumas that a generation experienced or a a demographic has faced trauma can all be imprinted onto us. We want things to be better for our children and that starts from the beginning, from pregnancy and postpartum. This takes a huge amount of work and the ability to look at the issues that arise and decide that they stop with you. It also takes a huge amount of self reflection and the will to want to change things and the steps to change what is imprinted within us aren’t easy ones.
In prenatal appointments we aren’t only touching on the upcoming birth but often processing past experiences, working through anxieties, asking questions that come up and talking through shifts that are about to happen. Postpartum we are digging into sleep, spit up, recovery, nipple issues and breast tenderness. Once some of those things are settled we move into talking about the shift to parenting, what is and isn’t normal and strategies as you move into this new phase of life. Perinatal mood disorders can come up during the postpartum including anxiety, depression, anger and baby blues. While I’m not a licensed therapist I can offer tips to manage and remind you of goals made prior to your baby’s arrival.
I want to offer this type of care to a wider audience than just my home birth clients. It’s part coaching, part childbirth education and an expert in the field guiding you along the way. I’m excited to work with you!