A Book Review
…”Throughout the world until the eighteenth century, the vertical delivery was the most prevalent way to give birth.”…
Women Giving Birth – Astrid Limburg and Beatrijs Smulders – Holland Midwives
I never tire of reading birth books. My public library system has an amazing number of them. I found this book to be most interesting in that they make quite a case for vertical birth and then they go one step beyond to ask parents to consider first touch. This seemed profound to me. I make a living through touch and value it as a critical basic need. Most of us do not get enough. First touch is not something I had considered until I read this book! Here are some quotes from the book.
…“Because the arrival of your baby can be overwhelming, it is advisable to go into delivery with some idea about how you want the first contact with your child to proceed.”…
…“ After the delivery, you will find that you need time to recover physically as well as adjust to your child. It is important for the midwife to melt into the background, creating more space for the first encounter. In this initial orientation, both parents and the child must assimilate brand new impressions.”…
…“Once you have more or less recovered physically (JAL note: the first moments after birth), you and your child can adjust to each other gradually. The vertical delivery facilities this process; in an erect position, you are face to face with your child. The urge for contact is felt strongly by the baby. In a supine delivery, the child really exerts itself to turn and even lift its head toward the mother as she talks, an almost impossible task for a child lying on his or her mother’s chest.”…
Parents are the first contact for the baby. Some parents also want to determine who gets to say announce the sex of the baby. Who gets to cut the cord – if and when? These seemingly simple acts can have great emotional/spiritual significance for the family. The photos of most of the births show the mother resting on her partner’s knees by her arms. The partner is sitting in a chair. There may also a birth stool supporting the mother. Water birth can also facilitate first touch.
Parents and midwives please consider vertical birth and first touch for your births.