As luck would have it, I was able to attend not one, but two special births in my home province of Alberta the fall before last. One was for my sister, who gave birth to the cutest nephew that anybody ever had, and whose story I posted a few weeks ago. The other was for a friend of mine who… Read more →
Oh, no, I got caught! I’m known for my “hands-off” philosophy towards birth, meaning avoiding disturbances of the instinctual processes of mother and baby unless absolutely necessary. This includes even subtle things like touching the baby or talking unnecessarily immediately after the birth. The initial moments post-birth are precious and part of an instinctual process as the family meets their… Read more →
The lost art of Being With. The vast majority of the time, all the birthing person “needs” is the calm, confident presence of someone who believes in her. Fancy tips and tricks, directions, ideas and solutions more often than not serve to interfere and distract more than help. Sitting with, being with, breathing with. Being still with. Saying “That’s the… Read more →
Earlier this year I attended the beautiful birth of a family here in Vancouver. They described their birth as “transformational home birth that fills our minds and hearts with awe whenever we think about it.” The family has generously decided to share their birth video with our blog readers, with hopes of encouraging and inspiring other families who are preparing… Read more →
Becky and Kevin planned a home birth in Vancouver with me earlier this year. Towards the end of her pregnancy, they began to be concerned that there may be a lack of medical support for their plans to birth their baby at home. However, their belief in home being the safest place for them to birth their baby persevered, and they had… Read more →