Sometime we are fortunate enough to bear witness to birth as we all wish it could be. This morning I attended one of these. The mother was so in her body and comfortable with her self, sexuality, partner and environment, that the birth was like something from a film about birth on InnaMay’s Farm (http://www.thefarm.org/midwives/index.html).
When we arrived, the mother and her partner were grooving and loving each other up through out the contractions. Our presence did not alter this or even give them reason to pause. For the next 3 hours and 15 min, I sat quietly in a corner and witnessed a birth fulled by sensual love, trust and absolute open energy. The mother; sang, roared, growled, writhed, wriggled, shook, danced, swayed, snogged, crawled and stretched her way through labour like a native goddess. Her body heard the ancient rhythms of birth and responded with a dance so powerful and magical that I found it difficult to stay in my role as the midwife. In awed by the light and energy that passed between mother and father, perfect and almost beyond understanding, I found myself grinning like a fool, taking pictures like a photo journalist who has just discovered an unknown tribe.
There were moments when I would join in with her song, just to keep her on this planet and times when coming out of her transcendental dance she would ask for assurance that all was well and in these moments I would whisper, todas es super bien, muy bien Diosa, because to me this was her true name. In this space in this moment, she was a goddess at work and I was in awe and privileged to be asked by her for assurance.
Bringing her beautiful boy into the world by singing his name through contractions with my hands guiding those of her partner to catch this bright spark of life, Diosa blessed us all. In that womb like space,warm light enveloped each one of us and her child emerged, silent, gorgeous and absolutely loved. First baby, hand crowning with head, so gently delivered that no tear was sustained. Just so amazing.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!
The Barcelona Midwife 