Category: Read
Pranic Pregnancy and Parenthood
To some, it may come as a surprise that Camila Salas only ate five solid meals throughout her entire pregnancy. But for Camila, nourishing her own mind, spirit and body, as well as the body of her unborn child, through fresh juice and the cosmic life energy of breath is part of her practice of…
What do infant mortality and elephant poaching in Africa have in common?
Life on Earth is richly complex and interdependent, and all of the suffering and destruction we see in the world is more linked together than we might realize. It’s time to break the cycle of suffering and trauma, and to wake up to who we really are as human beings. According to Suzanne Arms, we…
Ditch the Birth Plan!
When women are able to experience self-determination, rather than control or a perfect plan, they will succeed at having a birth that is aligned with their vision. The key, shares Nicole Deggins of Sista Midwife Productions, is that mamas tap into their intuition and develop a birth philosophy. In this pieces, she offers the key…
Herbs for Labor XVI: Birthroot
Isabelle Wilson is an internationally renowned medicine woman and herbalist who is known for her work, the Wise Woman Way. In this edition of the series called “Herbs for Labor” written for Birth Institute, she shares how birthroots spread and meander, like life, like childbirth, and how Trillium would be used to support women throughout the…
Meditations for Pregnancy, Birth and Bonding
Meditation is an ancient practice that supports well-being, and it is a tool that can help parents and their baby both physically and spiritually. In this piece, Sienna Long, author of Enlightened Pregnancy, provides a guided meditation exercise that you may use to support your clients’ minds, giving them spiritual guidance and support for baby. Learn to support…
Herbs for Labor XV: Cotton Root
Isabelle Wilson is an internationally renowned medicine woman and herbalist who is known for her work, the Wise Woman Way. In this edition of the series called “Herbs for Labor” written for Birth Institute, she eloquently shares how cotton root bark is beneficial for kick-starting uterine contractions, bringing on the placenta, and relieves symptoms of endometriosis. Take…
Supporting Women in Ecstatic Birth
The difference between a birth that feels traumatic as opposed to ecstatic is rarely in the specific details, but in how a birthing mom processes the experience, and we as practitioners have an opportunity to help ensure it’s positive. In this piece, Ella Browne Hay of Ecstatic Birth shares a few essential factors and ways…
Five simple exercises to set mamas on a journey of self-acceptance
Mindful awareness of physical and emotional attachment is the first step in both radical self-acceptance and in creating a pregnancy, birth and mamahood narrative that is both healed and empowering. In this piece, yoga teacher and pregnancy coach Sandra Maurer provides us with five simple exercises we can use to support our clients on their journeys….
Play this game to teach your clients about informed consent
When it comes to the birth process, parents shouldn’t simply be told their rights, they must be shown how to apply them. In this piece, childbirth educator and postpartum doula Nicole Wheeler shares her unique tool for teaching parents about informed consent: a rousing game of BINGO. Do you feel called to support women to have…
Healthy Emotional Boundaries: Best Practices for Birth Workers
When we take care of ourselves physically and emotionally, we are better able to set healthy boundaries with our clients, which in turn allows us to serve them with the attention and compassion that they deserve. In this piece, Morgan Burgess explores the importance of creating healthy emotional boundaries with our clients, and shares a…