Birth Centres

Having just worked for 3 months at a wonderful birth centre, I am more awestruck that ever at how wonderful women are. They have been taught that childbirth will be very painful, by the society that they live in, and yet they still get pregnant and they still come back for more. Awesome. While working on the birth centre I have met some lovely people and have helped them to have a pain free first stage of labour for most. It is very difficult to teach women relaxation techniques in the middle of their labours. Relaxation really must be practised during the pregnancy as outlined in other posts on this blog. However, I have found that some women are capable of taking a step back from their pain and discomfort and trying the methods that I teach. Once they are upright on a chair or ball and in a more relaxed and controlled state of mind they look up at me and say "Why has no one ever told me it can be this way before?" That is a very good question. I have now been told that I have to leave the birth centre and move to another ward. They knock me down, but I get up again. I have an article to be published in Midwifery Matters in the Spring issue that aims to teach midwives how to help women labour. Please help spread the word. Thank you.