Spiritual Birth - The Spiritual Art of Natural Birth - Part 2

Aware Parenting Babies and Children Breastfeeding Doula Homebirth Human Rights in Childbirth Kangaroo Mother Care Natural Birth Pregnancy and Birth Information Spiritual Midwife The Travelling Midwife May 25, 2019June 4, 2019 by Marianne Littlejohn

Second Hand Gran

2nd Hand Gran

Second Hand Gran is a new eco fashion and ethical project I have started on Instagram – @2ndhandgran – a page dedicated to recycling and reducing waste by encouraging creativity and reuse of clothing. Clothing is something that we are all consumers of. Second Hand Gran works two ways. Firstly I am an earth loving …

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Birth in South Africa May 25, 2019May 28, 2019 by Marianne Littlejohn

Instinct during Birth

Instinct during birth has all but been driven underground in modern obstetric hospitals. Women who want to squat, crawl, kneel, hang, lean against the wall/bed, stand, sit on the toilet bowl (because a birthstool is unavailable) are prevented from doing so. It does not suit the medical attendants aka doctors and midwives for women to …

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Birth in South Africa April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 by Marianne Littlejohn

Standing up for Birth

On one occasion, I accompanied the doctors and medical students, a group of about 15 medics, on their rounds, in a maternity hospital. We came to the bedside of a woman lying on her back on a hospital bed, attached with leads to a cardiotocograph (CTG) machine, which was measuring the unborn baby’s heartbeat.

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Babies and Children March 21, 2019April 2, 2019 by Marianne Littlejohn

Understanding Babies: The First Three Months

Newborn babies are unique and it is easy to meet their needs when you understand what those needs are. Listening to babies and understanding them takes time and practice, especially when you are a first time mother.

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Homebirth Natural Birth December 3, 2018 by Marianne Littlejohn

To Give Birth, a Woman has to Unlearn what She has Learnt

Birth as a Releasing

Women spend years learning to behave in certain ways in order to ‘fit in’ to society. Giving Birth acts as a gateway to rediscover blocked parts of the self that enable a woman to reclaim her life force.

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Natural Birth Vaginal Birth After Caesarian(VBAC) August 24, 2018August 27, 2018 by Marianne Littlejohn

Can Labour Go Backwards?

Sometimes labour and birth can go backwards, stall or slow down when the mother is tense or frightened. It is important to meet the needs of each individual woman and birth.

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The Travelling Midwife April 2, 2018April 1, 2018 by Marianne Littlejohn

Life Has Seasons

Family in St Albans

Life has seasons and changes occur in ways and at times we least expect. Change at any age is like being born again. It is both a process of letting go and new discovery.

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Women need to prepare for natural birth in every aspect of their lives, including the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical areas of their being. A woman deserves the right to choose her companions as well as where and how she will give birth to her child.

Pregnancy and birth are normal life events for most women. To this end, interventions should be kept to a minimum wherever possible. A baby who is born gently and welcomed by warm, caring parents receives the best possible start in life.

Women who are well prepared in their minds, bodies and spirits can experience birth as a profoundly moving and empowering event.