“A woman births as she lives.”
Years ago, I saw these profound words on a poster at church, at Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. I believe it was even before I became a birth doula in 2009, but the concept stayed with me all these years.
It reminds us that the way we relate to our lives, inevitably impacts the way we relate to our birth process, and therefore alters our experience of birth, and the sensations we feel during labor and delivery.
As a doula, I’ve devoted my practice to preparing moms, couples and families on every level- physically, emotionally, psychologically, and even spiritually, for the challenges of bringing a child into the world.
It’s also essential to remember that EVERY birth is a good birth- medicated, unmedicated, vaginal, belly-birth, home, hospital, and everything in-between! And this also includes times when birth results in a live baby, a baby who may need extra support to claim their place here on earth, or a baby who has already passed. That is something it’s taken me a while to recognize, and it’s my mission to give families the tools to embrace all these experiences, however challenging, and recognize the power they have to transform us on every level.
I have 10 spaces available in my upcoming program, Embodied Heart for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond. You can learn more by clicking the Embodied Heart tab above, or contact me via the Contact page or ivy@ivyjoeva.com to arrange a complimentary initial phone consultation.