The January 2012 Birth Workshop in Kwazulunatal went well thanks to the hospitality and generosity of our hosts Emma-Lynn and Gavin Fyvie at Summerhill Stud. They opened their home and we were able to bask in comfort and were shaded from the summer heat. Participants were eager to learn the theory of birth and (more…)
The Travelling Midwife: A Homebirth in Clarens
Ane’ de Witt was adamant that this time round with her second pregnancy she was going to give birth at home in Clarens. Clarens is a pristine village in the Maluti mountains of the Eastern Free State, named after the village Clarens in Switzerland by General Jan Smuts of South African history. Clarens is situated about 20km from the Golden Gate Nature Reserve (more…)
Foetus Ejection Reflex and Fathers
The foetus ejection reflex is a term rescued from obscurity in the work of biologist Niles Newton by Dr Michel Odent. It refers to the reflex that mice and all animals have when they give birth to their offspring in a secluded environment. Mammals need to release a flow of hormones, particularly oxytocin, to initiate and sustain (more…)
Natural Birth Workshop January 2012, KZN
Marianne is holding a Natural Birth Workshop in Kwazulunatal on Saturday the 14th of January 2012. The workshop will be both an introduction to first-time parents and a refresher for second-time-around parents. It is ideally a couples workshop, but anyone is welcome, with or without a partner. (more…)
Natural ‘Undisturbed’ Birth: The Travelling Midwife
What is an undisturbed natural birth? Natural Birth is an involuntary physiological process that occurs when labour commences, progresses and culminates in the expulsion of a baby from a mother’s womb. I had the privilege recently of being present at this kind of birth on a smallholding one and a half hours drive away from Cape Town. The expansive countryside set the tone for (more…)
Champion of Mothers
“For when it pleased God, He separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace”
Mieke came to me at 36 weeks of her pregnancy referred by a friend who had successfully achieved a vaginal birth after caesarian section (VBAC). Mieke had tried for a homebirth with her first pregnancy, but after long and lengthy pushing, transfer to hospital and no progress for hours, a caesarian section was the chosen course of action. Mieke’s recovery (more…)
Preparing for Pregnancy
Preparing mind, body and spirit for pregnancy before conception is vital. The numbers of women who are struggling to conceive is increasing in the west and desperate couples are seeking surrogacy in other countries such as India or Brazil. On the other hand, women in third world countries become pregnant all too easily and are at risk due to undernourishment and poverty. Not to mention the everyday stresses of city life, the airborne pollutants, fluoride in the drinking water, and work deadlines that add to the burden (more…)
