One thing is certain we are all the same. Every human being has the same number of bones and muscles. We all have a mouth, nose, two eyes, and two ears. Our physiological processes are exactly the same as well. When it comes to childbirth every woman carries their baby inside their body and when it comes to giving birth one contraction follows another, until finally a baby exists out of our birth canal.
Some people believe that we need to recognise and accept our differences before we acknowledge our similarities but primarily we are the same.
There is no doubt we think differently, have different beliefs, speak different languages as well as wear different clothing, make different foods and have different homes. We even have different ways of managing the same physiological processes.
But when it comes to childbirth there are few variables to the experience. This means there must be ways to prepare for childbirth that transcends our ethnic differences and skills we can use universally to cope with the naturally occurring pain of contractions.
The one aspect of childbirth that we must acknowledge and work with is the role of pain during labour. When any woman has contractions that are not painful she gets on with whatever she is doing at that moment. Of course, she is aware that this is the day she will give birth, but painless contractions aren’t too much to fuss about.
And some women have that painless labour until their baby comes out. However, this is less common than having a period of painful and often very painful contractions. Everywhere in the world there are women faced with, dealing with, and trying to cope with birth pain. For those of us who have experienced birth pain we know it can be very, very intense.
Having a universal set of birth preparation skills and labour management skills can definitely cross all ethnic boundaries. Every woman would benefit from knowing exactly where to soften and relax inside her pelvis because every human has the same pelvis and soft tissue. We all have the neo-cortex that can intentionally direct attention and action from our mind to body. This is one of the abilities humans all share.
When we intentionally connect our mind to our body this is called ‘skill’. Every woman can intentionally soften inside her right hip, left hip, inside her sacrum or inside her pubic bone. By doing so she creates more space for her baby and reduces internal tension that often leads to increased pain when a contraction happens.
What is fascinating, amazing and real is the fact that human men can do the same thing. Depending on who the woman’s support person will be, whether her family or husband, everyone can do the same thing. This way people can work together to help her cope with labour pain.
There are so many ways to prepare our birthing body such as learning to keep our sacrum mobile (Kate’s Cat), creating side-to-side opening of our bony pelvis (Hip Lift) or creating space back-to-front (Sacral Manoeuvre) and these skills can all be learned by all pregnant women.
We can also learn the four Types of Breathing and which ones we use when we are relaxed or in pain. And why it’s so important to use human willpower, determination and choice, and to use relaxed breathing during painful contractions.
Our differences will flourish around our pregnancy and birth as we each celebrate our diverse ethic backgrounds. Creating a universal set of skills to be used during pregnancy and birth in no way lessens our cultural importance.
Good relaxing and breathing skills just blend into our ethnic backgrounds because on a deep level we do recognise our humanity.
Often when women birth, they become aware that they are part of an unbroken line of childbirth, reaching back far into the past. We know that women have given birth forever in the same way. It is during childbirth our oneness is made so obvious and unquestionable.