Official Entry for the #womanpower contest with @sfp-cebu: Birthing
Challenged by @maverickinvictus.
Contest hosted by @sfp-cebu.
This post is dedicated to all genders who went through the process of carrying, birthing, and bringing life into this world. You are amazing and deserve some love and appreciation for all your hard work during the pregnancy stages to the celebration of birth.
This weekend I finished a Birth Doula training in the United States, and I can honestly say I never thought I could learn more about a vagina. It is true, that the vagina is a mysterious mechanism. Men love it as it gives them pleasure, women grew up with it and sometimes it takes awhile to love it. We know it is a part of our body, and yes it gives us pleasure too. The most amazing aspect of the vagina is that it is a part of a woman's body that gives birth to new life.
Stages of Pregnancy
The typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks and is divided into three trimesters. The first trimester is conception to 12 weeks, the second trimester is 13 to 27 weeks, and the third trimester starts at 28 weeks and runs until the end of the pregnancy.
I have not had the pleasure of carrying a child or giving birth, but I will now be an advocate and a person that empowers people of all genders in their birthing process. The following are some of the emotions and body changes a person goes through during their pregnancy changes.
I will be a helper to families or people who are alone primarily in their second and third stages of pregnancy to birth and then after the birth celebration that is called postpartum.
Some of the physical and emotional changes that will take place during the trimesters are:
First trimester
- Fatigue.
- Tender and swollen breasts.
- Nausea.
- Food cravings.
- Mood swings.
- Weight gain or loss.
Second trimester
- Baby bump.
- Physical aches and pain in different parts of the body.
- Stretch marks.
- Itching.
- Swelling.
- Dark patches on skin.
Third trimester
- Difficulty breathing.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Baby dropping.
- Contractions.
- Heartburn.
- Difficulty sleeping.
You might be wondering why I started this post talking about the vagina, and I guess it is because I found the vagina to be just a small fascinating part of the machine that results in the birth of a baby. There are so many other internal parts to speak of and those are the uterus, pubic bone, bladder, cervix, and sacrum. In fact, women use their entire body in order to create life.
However, it is the cervix and the vagina that expands to allow the baby enter the world through this amazing canal. the most amazing part about the vaginal delivery is that there are three stages.
First stage of vaginal delivery
- Cervix opens and thins to the full dilation of 10. The average first labor is 1 cm per hour during the active phase of labor. The cervix will dilate faster if a child was born prior.
Second stage of vaginal delivery
- Baby moves through the birth canal and is born. This stage of the labor lasts from 15 minutes to three hours.
Third state of vaginal delivery
- The placenta passes through the birth canal and comes out of the body approximately 30 minutes after the birth of the baby.
At this point I have only sat through one of my dearest friend's labor and delivery. So, I am more textbook than experience at this time, but I am so looking forward to helping little souls come into this world through the amazing people I will meet in the near future.
The video's I saw during my training assisted with the real life visual of a birthing in many different positions, the job of massaging all parts of the body, and words of empowering I will be able to provide. Such as breathing and visualizing techniques, keeping a safe space, and just being there for others through this magical experience. Also, the basic education of lactation instructions. I will assist with teaching new parent's in this area too.
The bottom line to everything that I learned was that every pregnancy is different, there are many ways to have a successful birth. There is not just one way. The advocacy I will be able to provide will empower the one giving birth to give life the way they choose. That is woman power at its best!
So, if you happen to be around the Colorado area keep me in mind to assist you in your birthing celebration! Peace.
To enter this great contest, click here.
Women are truly a blessed and courageous human being. Salute to all the mothers out there.
Yes we are!! :)
Thank you and blessings.
Oh what a lovely post! It's such a worthwhile and generous gift of your time and energy. Loved it. So beautifully written.
Oh dear. Judging by the symptoms, it seems like I'm in all stages of pregnancy right now :P
love
Anj xx
hey thank you dear girl, buahaha regarding symptoms ... nooooo :p
love
Eagle xx
@eaglespirit It's amazing how a woman's body works and how it can produce another human being. :) ♥ I've seen people go through pregnancy and it's not easy. They've been through so much and their emotions are extremes. Love this post!
it is definitely amazing! it is so not easy dawn, thank you for your love to my post. xx
Woop Woop! I am so happy for you to be able to be there to assist some mamas on their birthing journeys :) I never had a doula, it would have been nice!
Great work xoxo
Yay thank you for the happiness, it will certainly be amazing. since you have babies you know!!!
where do you think a doula would be helpful? i keep hearing that it really helps women heal quicker and give birth easier ... how were your births? thank you xoxo
My first birth not great, my second was actually amazing. I was completely unmedicated, labored in a warm bath alone with just me and my hubby, and then got out when I was ready to push, 15 minutes later there he was! It was one of those perfect births. I had two midwives to catch him and sew me back up, but other than that just tapped into my power and did it my way <3
I think a doula would help with the support aspect, for women who feel like they need someone to talk to and to help them when they feel insecure, and to uphold their wishes for their birthing experience. I felt pressured into medicating with my first birth even when i said i didn't want to, a doula would have been helpful there!
Yes perfect and what an amazing experience. You are right on about the both babies and thoughts on doula. Plus the doula gives massage and energy. So because I am a Reiki Master teacher that touch is going to be a constant flow of healing energy through the process and even less painful. Also, I’d like to implement some Native American practice in there too. So sage the space and who knows what. There is the moment to walk and dance so maybe do something Native - Healing dance. Dunno. But something will come.:)
Oh that is going to be SO NICE for those mamas, what an asset you will be! I'm sure you'll do amazingly with all that you are bringing to the table, so many healing qualities. Beautiful!
Yay mamas! Thank you for the vote of support and confidence booster!
Thank you so much ES for supporting the contest. We appreciate it so much.
I was half expecting what you and Dawn talked about.
It is amazing what the human body can do indeed.
Hey you are very welcome Mave, anytime!
I am not sure what Dawn and I talked about I thought it was just the term vagina and birth. LOL
You men take everything to the scary level ... it is so amazing! I was never ready to help women in
this capacity but I am now, so it will be exciting!
It is really awesome how the woman's body deliver a baby. I carried my baby for 9 months in my tummy and it is so wonderful feeling. It is just so amazing that God made us woman to deliver a baby. I love your works, keep on reading them. Thanks for recognizing us women who has/have child/ren. Cheers🍻🍻🍻
Hi there! I’m so happy you had a positive experience. I just always hear my mom after all these years cry about how hard it was bc she can’t handle pain. But of course the gift of me was immeasurable lol
God definitely made an amazing creature that is us. Yay! Xx Eagle
Ps. Thank you for reading my work! :)
Haha yes you are an amazing creature!🤗🤗🤗 I know you are also a great woman with strong personality. Kudos🤗👌
why do you say "strong personality?"
A strong personality is a good fighter of life, strong woman indeed. I don't know you personally but based on your blogs I can sense that you are strong woman. 🤗🤗🤗 And you are really great!😘🤗
Ohhhh okay thank you for clarifying. I take string personality as meaning Aggressive, Butt you are more on point when you say strong woman because many of have had to be. :)
Thank you for reading and commenting! Hugs 🤗
Hey @eaglespirit, congratulations on your Birth Doula training! I love the writeup and diagrams.
I can imagine what an exciting experience it will be to help with your first birth. Will light a little smoke in celebration!
Yay! Thank you so much my dear friend ... thank you for reading and your support.
I can't wait for the births, they will start this Saturday ... I shadow twice and then go in alone.
If you know any mamas that practice how we do .. send them my way .. they'll get some great Reiki births out of it and tons of massage love support and empowerment!
I will definitely keep that in mind! I do have a friend who does this work, but she is out of state. Looking forward to hearing more about how this progresses with your new path!
Nice that you have a friend. Nice thing about my start is these are complimentary service s outback of Denver Health foe those that cannot afford one and I will initially shadow 2 shifts then I’m on my own. I’ll start a business in the area soon. Thank you for your support! :)
me reading this while i'm still single can be a bit terrifying, but i'm sure its wonderful too to have your own child. LOL. I don't want to imagine all the physical pain because i'm not at that stage yet. But according to my mother, carrying a human in you is a huge responsibility! The reason why i appreciate my mom more than anything else in the world is also because the 9 months she went through. Mothers somehow deserve respect, love and attention.
yes sorry it can be for a woman not ready ... but rest assured when you are, see if you can get a doula! the doula is ready to be there for you when a family member maybe cannot or if you just want someone neutral who will help you decide what is best for you in the birthing process.
I learned so much that people just do not have the knowledge of the options available, we just think we have to listen to the doctor and we do not. we can totally just do it on our own if we want with medical attention closeby of course. yes mothers def deserve some love!
i would definitely take your advice and get a doula who understand my needs and make me feel better =)
He or she wouldn’t help you figure it what you truly want and think about all the options you have to birth the way you want too. Hugs
Every time I read post like this, it makes me sad since my OB told me that I will never get pregnant but I confident that I will have one! I believe in Miracles!
Dear @itsjessamae. All things is possible with god. Wishing you all the best.
yess amen to that!
if you are young enough, there are many specialists to see what is going on inside .. also the option to freeze your eggs just in case. you never know with technology .. it advances and if something comes up and you can freeze your eggs then it was a wise choice. also many women use their eggs and a male sperm to creatie a baby in another woman. just a thought ... blessings. xx
i actually thinking of that freeze. hehe. by the way thank you!
hope you win!
You are very welcome. Science has come a long way.
Thank you for the win wishes! :)
Your writing on issues to do with all genders that go "through the process of carrying, birthing, and bringing life into this world" is very powerful in the various posts of yours I have come across @eaglespirit. I do not belong to any of those genders, and am at best, responsible only for the 'birthing' of my spirit, and that is debatable in the context of this post, so, well, I'll just head off then, but not without first of all complimenting you and wishing you all the best 🌞 🌞 🌞
i am so confused by your post but what i gather your body cannot give birth and birthing of your spirit is always a constant! we are always working on our soul and ensuring it is on the path for which it came ... in other words the reasons why we are here! thank you for your comment and compliment. blessings xx
I am so sorry for confusion, I wasn't saying much at all. I was being slightly facetious by using "been through the process of carrying, birthing, and bringing life into this world" as a reference to being a woman, and " I do not belong to any of those genders" as a statement of being in a male body and therefore outside that experience, the closest I may come is in helping to 'birth' my spirit. I was kinda responding to what I saw as a humorous way of stating that only women can give birth...."This post is dedicated to all genders who went through...".... Wanted to compliment your writings on issues to do with women - I've read some of your posts and found them to powerful statements. Perhaps I was feeling a bit awkward at the time of composition, and got lost in trying to cover it up through trying to be witty and blah blah......dunno. Thanks for replying and stating your confusion, and for blessings :D
Peace
PS..'debatable' in the context of this post -> here I was backing off, saying 'I'm not laying claim to any of those things just because I may have helped the birthing process of my spirit....
Interestingly enough men who have become women have somehow had a child, no?
Thank you so much for the powerful part! I appreciate your kinda words.
Hey, didn’t you see our #svq contest. You might like it! :) it’s a vision quest lightly based on natives American tradition. I say lightly because it seems not totally run by a NA group. I might be the only one but the originator is super great and an amzomf person.
Witty and blah blah is funny! :)
Ps.so glad you are birthing your spirit! Woop
Eagle xx
I didn't realise that this was possible, thank you for educating me! I now understand your opening dedication is straightup and without the light humour (possibly from a feminist POV and as such a little dig at the 'oppressive' gender :-0) that I had misunderstood it to have :D.
Thanks for being open and receptive. By stating your confusion at my first comment, a misunderstanding, however inconsequential, has been averted...this is beautiful.
I have come across some svq posts, but they have floated past in the Steemy b/ground...I will now certainly take a proper look. I have very little first-hand experience of NA culture and traditions (just the Eastern version lol ie India :). Exposed to some wisdom through Castaneda and few other readings. I am non-partisan and what resonates with Universal Truth does just that!
🕉
It might be, I have not done the complete research although I thought I read a scientific article on it.
yeah i was wondering about the humor, glad the lgbtqi didn't come and attack you. LOL
no worries on the open and receptive, that is me!
yes it is beautiful! thank you and i feel the same about you.
no worries on firsthand knowledge, no one really does but me and they
are winging int and just going by the subject and self expression, for which many beautiful creations are being submitted.
yea, well that is pretty much the NA way, we are all One ... we are all Universal. xx Eagle
LOL, thanks Eagle, see you around xx