In listening to birth stories, we noticed that the Story a mother brought to her birth—that went unnoticed and unexplored--fostered much of the emotional distress experienced after birth. So we decided birth story work should begin in the first 28 weeks.
Your birth story does not begin in labor. Instead, the Story brought from birth is a continuation of the "story" you were unwittingly telling yourself about birth during pregnancy, and even before you were pregnant. By “story” we mean beliefs, assumptions, judgments, expectations, relationships, even research; also, consider that stories are not held just in words but in felt-imagery, in our imagination.
And yet, birth story work usually begins after the birth.
We have a better idea! With our new offering,
"Right from The Start: The First 28 Weeks,"
we are contributing a radical intervention
toward preventing
emotional birth shock, disappointment, and distress.
We are providing a time and place, a temenos*,
for newly gestating-mothers
to take up the tasks of inner preparation for becoming mothers giving birth.
In old societies, initiates were not left on their own to prepare for their initiation.
Instead, elders guided them through rituals of preparation,
told great stories and gave teachings,
with enough time to reflect,
to know their mind and heart,
to inquire, listen, and feel what they are telling themselves,
to consider dreams and follow their images,
and change their old child-story to
one that would give real meaning to this rite of passage
before labor starts.
On the one hand it seems radical,
but when you think about, it’s just common sense.
Changing the story brought to birth may not change how birth unfolds (that might be in the realm of fate and destiny), but it could change what you tell yourself—about yourself, what you believe about yourself and others, and what meaning you give your experience.
The story we carry in our mind and bring to birth is seamless with the story we later tell ourselves in labor and after birth. Through thoughtful conversations in early pregnancy, you have ample time to expand and adjust the story you bring to birth.
It stands to reason: changing the story you bring to birth
will change the story you tell yourself in labor and after birth.
Right From the Start: The First 28 Weeks welcomes first-time mothers and mothers who have given birth before. It’s never too early or too late to join, come when you're ready and get started.
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