Amazing Births

So, I am still around. No contractions ( sorry, "surges" as per hypnobirthing speak) yet. But there is lots of pressure down below and at night when I am relaxing I can feel the baby manouvering itself down. Let's hope some work is going on and my cervix is slowly dilating so that I have my work cut out for me when intense labour actually starts.

Anyway, been watching plenty of birth videos in preparation. The actual birthing part is a little freaky to me, looks painful so my doula has been letting me get used to the whole process. Probably seen more than 10 expanded perinuems already.

All the videos of the hypnobirthing mums have been amazing. Extremely calm up to the last stage when they calmly breathe the baby out. Very inspiring and something I hope to achieve. Baby is always received in a calm, serene manner which I can imagine must be very comforting for a newborn suddenly brought into the human world.

Yesterday, we watched a whole video on Russian waterbirths and that really blew me away. I mean, it really alters all our preconceived notions of birth as painful, traumatic crisises.

Two of the couples looked like they were making love. The look on the mother's face as she moaned seriously looked more orgasmic than painful, in fact I think she was having an orgasm. The husband was also kissing her all over during her labour. Hahah, well, I think we won't be having that.. nurses in the hospital will freak out.

Another woman ( this one I totally take my hat off too) gave birth all by herself with her two toddler kids watching. And it was all done so naturally. She labored in a very serene manner in this like giant fish tank. Then when the time came for her to birth the baby, she just moved into a squatting position and slowly eased the baby out, ALL by HERSELF. As the baby's head came out, she could actually stroke the head and speak to her baby and also explain to her children what was happening. Hiyoh, talk about a totally calm state of mind. Simply amazing.

I am sure many mothers out there who have been through great pain in their labor might be saying to me : Yah, just you wait and see. I myself have probably read way too much, and the notion of that "transition" stage when you are at 8-9 cm dilated and the pain is undescribable and many women cave in.... contantly lurks at the back of my mind.

Still, as the big day approaches, I am slowly trying to unlearn the negative notions of birth that my mind has been conditioned to accept and revert back to a more natural notion of birth. Sometimes the less you know, the better. You just do it!