Spiritual Birth Header Image

Attachment

Bowlby and Beyond: How Emotions Shape Your Baby’s Brain

Mutual responsiveness between Thokozile and her baby

Bowlby’s landmark hypothesis that attachment to a loving caregiver is the core element in optimal development from infancy to adulthood, was a great step in our understanding of babies and children. The questions he raised about the importance of relationships for the growth of a baby’s brain preceded  advances in neurobiological research over the last thirty [...]

Why Homebirth?

Katia, Denis and Marina soon after birth

Women who give birth at home have fewer interventions and higher satisfaction with the experience. This in turn influences the breastfeeding relationship and their bonding and attachment to their babies. Women who give birth naturally at home also suffer less with postnatal depression.

Fathers at Birth

Stephen was at Tyla's birth and was the first to touch her.

Fathers at birth are a regular occurrence in our western world and their presence is encouraged. But preparation is needed for them to gain the full benefit of the unfolding process of changing from a couple to becoming a family. Being with their partners at birth is a profoundly moving event for fathers.

Siblings at Birth – The Travelling Midwife

Lorenzo and Teano

Today I bumbed into a client whose births I attended a few years ago. Karen happened to be driving past the gate as I stepped out of my Cape Town home. Seven years ago in Cape Town, Karen birthed Teano, her firstborn son,  in hospital and was home a few hours later. Second time around, Karen gave birth [...]

Breastfeeding: A Learnt Mammalian Behaviour

Bottlefeeding A Twin Lamb after Failed Attachment to the Mother

This is just a quick post to fill in the gap between our First Kwazulunatal (KZN) Birth and the Twin Birth Story , which I am busy composing. The day after I arrived on the farm after attending the birth of the twins in Cape Town, twin lambs were born to the pet mother sheep [...]

Pics from Aware Parenting Workshop – 07.11.2010

We had a wonderful time at the Aware Parenting Workshop in Cape Town this Sunday the 7th of November. It was lovely to be with all the eager participants to discuss and share insights about the principles of aware parenting.The Cheesecake was fantastic and our gracious host and hostess made us feel very much at [...]

Kangaroo Mother Care in Pregnancy, Birth and Early Parenthood – 2

Kangaroo Mother Care - skin to skin breastfeeding after a homebirth

Kangaroo Mother Care is the skin to skin attachment of the baby to the mother’s chest after birth to optimize the baby’s physiological growth and safety after birth