Calm Birth
by Deborah Jordan
Today, we hear a lot about how meditation creates relaxation but
we rarely hear about how it does what it does. How does it affect
our physiology? Recently, while completing a teacher training for
Calm Birth ä, a guided meditation practice for pregnancy, childbirth,
and postpartum, I was educated on some (50) years of clinical research
of meditation in the West.
Medical research shows increased levels of melatonin and DHEA. Melatonin,
secreted by the pineal gland, is a natural sleep-aid as well as a global
optimizer for the immune system. DHEA, produced by the adrenal glands,
lowers adrenaline and cortisol levels thus strengthening the immune
system and is beneficial for development of the brain, bones, muscles,
normal blood pressure, vision and hearing. Seratonin - the hormone
that the body uses to produce melatonin increases which calms the nervous
system and helps to repair muscle tissue. All of the above are optimal
for healthy fetal development as well as providing overall health for
mother during pregnancy, at birth, and postpartum recovery.
Although
ideally used as preventative self-care, meditation has been found
to have profound benefits when applied to pain management. One study
showed a 56% reduction in cesarean section surgeries and an 85% reduction
of epidural anesthesia among women who meditate regularly. Meditation
increases endorphins, peptides secreted throughout the nervous system,
which act as powerful pain-blockers and as Deepak Chopra noted in
1990 are 200 times stronger than pharmaceutical drugs and are non-addictive.
Women are advised to begin meditation early to build a reserve of
the cumulative physiological benefits in preparation for childbirth.
Calm Birthä empowers women to reclaim their power to birth naturally
with little or no intervention. In addition to aiding natural childbirth,
if a surgery is necessary the practice can be used to reduce the
use of drugs and speed recovery from adverse effects enabling a woman
to be present with her baby as soon as possible after surgery.
Jeannine
Parvati Baker, midwife, childbirth educator, and early proponent
of prenatal yoga was, prior to her recent death, a spokesperson for
Calm Birthä. Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women’s
Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, says about Calm Birthä: “the
practices will transform birth…imprint a peaceful beginning
in both mother and child. The positive impact of this on society
can’t
be overestimated.” For me, meditation and yoga for pregnancy,
childbirth, and postpartum represent my work for peace on Earth – holding
the space for babies to have the opportunity to be born free of trauma.
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