Ch.16/ Birth as a Rite of Passage
Great periods of transition come with ritual, emotions, and often pain. Why should birth be any different?
As I write this, I’m in the second trimester of my first pregnancy. Now that I’m past the morning sickness and lethargy of the first trimester, I find myself starting to think and prepare for my birth.
What are my dreams around my birth? What are my goals? Should I even have goals? What can I expect?
Of all the things that come to mind, “painless” is not one of them. As a doula, I know that birth is expansive, emotional, and often highly intense and painful. Being comfortable is not an expectation during birth. Even with an early epidural, I’ve seen clients move through so many emotions and feelings as their body brings baby lower. There’s no way to fully escape from the power and passage of birth.
Thinking of another transition to compare, I think of my first period. My back was killing me days before it came and my emotions were far ranging when it actually came. I felt shocked and excited and confused and scared. All of those feelings were valid and true, not matter how contradictory.
I know birth is going to be a far more momentous passage for me than starting my period but it’s good to remind myself that this process is not without intense sensations and emotions. And that’s okay. In fact, it actually can be a good thing.
Although daunting, I know I will be changed after going through this experience. If it was easy, it would take away from the intense change that we all go through to get to the other side of birth.
I’ll keep blogging about my feelings surrounding birth as I get closer and closer to meeting my little one. I feel very honored that this baby chose me and my husband as their parents. I don’t take that lightly and I am looking forward to welcoming them into the world with rituals, power, and surrender.
