A Personal Growth approach to Childbirth Preparation

The transition into parenthood affects the whole of us, including our emotional, social, sexual and spiritual lives. So it seems logical to seek ways of preparing which go beyond simply informing ourselves about the physical mechanics of birth and baby-care.

In this six week group process, our focus is on exploring the inner reality of dreams, feelings and intuitions. Through discussion, creative processes and ritual, we will endeavor to discover the deeper personal questions and challenges posed by the journey into motherhood, and find ways to embrace them with grace.
 
 

About Catherine

Catherine de Garis is a creative, sensitive community childbirth educator, whose goal is to encourage womenís personal exploration of the inner landscape of pregnancy, childbirth and new motherhood. Catherine has been facilitating groups in a variety of contexts for the past eight years, and is mother to a seven year old.

Catherine is a passionate believer in the potentially life-transforming power of the birth experience, and the need to make intelligent, informed decisions to protect our own wellbeing and that of our families. She believes that we need to use our minds and our voices to create a positive, protected environment and free our instinctive selves to birth with power and grace.

Aims of this Course:-

• To encourage pregnant women to reflect upon their personal beliefs and values in relation to the forthcoming birth and early mothering.

• To offer women the opportunity to try out some creative tools & processes for self-exploration

• To create an environment where women can share their own understandings and experiences and learn from each other

• To encourage women to identify practical steps they can take to:-

• take care of themselves and their unborn babies (during pregnancy and after)
• address specific fears and concerns in relation to childbirth (and early parenting)
• clarify their own desires in relation to birth (and early parenting) & find answers to their own questions about pregnancy, birth and early parenting
• enlist the support of family, friends and professionals during this transitional time in their lives
• facilitate the grieving/releasing of expectations and past experiences (positive and negative), in order to fully embrace the unfolding present
• To enhance womenís confidence in their capacity to birth and mother their babies, in their own unique way

Week One: Nurturing Ourselves

Contrary to popular belief, our sense of self is fluid - it continues to evolve throughout adulthood. Pregnancy and early parenthood involve a radical revision of our self-image and sense of identity. Coupled with the physical demands of early parenthood, this makes for a stressful time in an adultís life.

Cultural images of motherhood generally idealise a high degree of selflessness. As parents, it is natural that we often find ourselves postponing our own needs and desires in the face of the urgent helplessness of a newborn. However, a mothers needs are important too, if she is to be able to continue to care. Finding new ways to care for ourselves enables us to model healthy self-care for our growing children.
 

Week Two: Dispelling Fear

> What am I anxious about?
> What do I want to know more about?

Pregnancy is a naturally anxious time. Our awareness of threats in the environment is heightened. This is a part of our animal heritage, which helps us to protect our own life and that of the developing baby.

However, when fear arises during childbirth it can slow down or even halt the birthing process. This is an protective mechanism inherited from our distant foremothers, who lived with the reality of wild predators, and needed to be able to run away to a safer place.

As contemporary women, we need opportunities to address our fears around giving birth (and the days which follow) so that we can become clear channels for birth. This may be a question of getting more, accurate, information; other times, we need a chance to voice our fears and uncover where they are coming from. Our fears and concerns become useful, when they prompt us to take positive action.

Week Three: Light on Birth

An opportunity to shine the spotlight on the birth process and discover how much you already do knowÖ Youíll probably be surprised!

Week Four: Gaining Clarity

Adulthood involves making choices and living with the consequences. Parenthood takes us one step further, requiring us to make decisions on behalf of our children.

This responsibility begins even before our babies are born, in the choices we make about pregnancy and birth care. In some cases, the issues involved are complex ones, with a great deal of emotional charge. Reaching a conclusion involves weighing up the available information about options and resources with our internal values and beliefs. Developing a strong working relationship with our own ëgut instinctí or intuition is helpful in navigating our way through.
 
 

Week Four: Enlisting Support

> Who is ëthereí for me?
> How do I communicate what I need?

Parents need support.

In an adult culture which values autonomy and self-sufficiency, this can come as a shock. Many of us do not have the same access to extended family and the community of neighbourhood which held our grandmothers. Many of us also find that our friendship network changes as we embark upon parenthood.

Getting the support we need is partly a question of recognising what is wanted, and partly of being able to ask clearly for what we need.

Studies show that giving birth is eased and enhanced by the presence of someone who is able to ëjust be thereí, grounded and emotionally present with the birthing mother.   Similarly, breastfeeding is more likely to be successfully established if the woman's partner is supportive of it.

Week Five: Letting Go

In many ways, the journey into parenthood is a series of challenges to surrender and let go. Opening to give birth is merely the most obvious one. Each parentís journey brings surprises: some as unanticipated rewards, some as grief or disappointment, often a mixture of both. Dreams and aspirations are an important part of being human. Ultimately, however, it is letting go of our expectations which frees us to embrace the unfolding present.

Pregnancy is a good time to reflect on where we find the strength and trust which enable us to let go and move forward. Honouring what we are leaving behind is also important.

A ritualised process of 'letting go' creates a fitting end to our six week journey together.
 

Reunion Gathering