Squatting position | Spiritual Birth

Birth in South Africa January 27, 2011March 8, 2013 by Marianne Littlejohn

Birth in South Africa: Indigenous Traditions

I promised a few months ago to post more on indigenous traditions in South Africa. Well here comes a snippet. It’s a pity western women are so afraid of birth. We hardly believe birth is normal any more and are SO afraid of the pain or anykind of discomfort. We have devised all sorts of gadgets to help us manage our babies, so as to free ourselves from what we perceive as the burden of giving birth and taking care of them.

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.