Archive : Articles

“Christmas Day” The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or “Christ’s Mass.” It is the time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. As it does not say in the Bible, no-one knows when Jesus was born, neither which day nor even year. One reason for this is that at the time Jesus was born people used the Roman calendar which was different to ours. It is now believed [...]

“Rituals and Ceremonies” by Faye Read During this time of creating new life, one tends to be a little in awe of the powers that be and the miracle that is taking place within us. It is an ideal time to reconnect with some of those ancient traditions, which have somehow been lost in our westernised way of life. The traditions surrounding birth include many different forms of ritual and [...]

“It takes a whole Village to raise a child” by Carol Gioia Forward: I am passionate about this topic and so searched the Net for an article that I thought did it justice.  This article by Carol Gioia really resonated with me, so I’d like to share it with you. Feel free to follow the link at the bottom and rate her article. Enjoy… While the parents have the primary responsibility for [...]

“Bellydance for birth” by Maha Al Musa Maha Al Musa is a mother of three gorgeous children – two sons and a daughter, writer, human rights activist, dancer, doula and lover of all things connected to the divine ‘feminine’. She is of Palestinian / Moslem and Lebanese / Christian background and was born in Kuwait and migrated to Australia in the early 60′s. In 1996, [...]

“The Universal Mother – Making the Connection” by Helen Laing KEEP IT SIMPLE. Avoid making life more complicated than it needs to be. PREGNANCY IS A TIME OF GROWTH – not just the tummy. Work through the emotional stuff that comes to the surface. INTELLECTUALISING WON’T HELP.  It hinders birth. Get real and be honest! PLENTY OF REST. Plenty of exercise and good food. DON’T [...]

“The Birth Environment – Creating Sacred Space for Birth” by Faye Read The birth environment needs to be such that it allows the most natural birth to take place. It should allow you to relax, feel comfortable and safe so that you can release endorphins naturally in this environment, allowing for a good flow of energy and a natural, positive, empowering birth experience. So how do we [...]

“Ecstatic Birth” by Jeanice Barcelo When I use the term “ecstatic birth,” I am referring to a birth experience that is filled with extreme joy, supreme satisfaction, deep love, and spiritual bliss.   Ecstatic birth is a life-changing, cellular shifting, consciousness-altering event.  Some women describe their ecstatic birth experience as transcendent, i.e., an inter-dimensional journey [...]

On behalf of Justine Caines, Secretary of Homebirth Australia and Founder of What Women Want (Australia) Inc. Dear All We have just (and yes I mean in the last 24 hours) been advised that Nicola Roxon will put amendments to the midwifery legislation that will REQUIRE a midwife claiming Medicare to work WITH either an Obstetrician or GP. It is not work FOR (ie in their office) but it will be to demonstrate [...]

A small proportion of women have a totally painless first stage of labour or experience very mild contractions and are unaware that anything is happening until they feel the urge to push.  This may be indicated by a sudden need to empty the bowel.  If your partner should go into labour unexpectedly and you find yourself alone with no time to get help, the following suggestions may be useful. First [...]

Relaxation can help counteract stress and produce a calm mind and body. More than any other time in your life relaxation is an important technique to learn during pregnancy. If you can develop a good relaxation routine now you will be well placed to handle the additional stresses of parenthood later on. There are a number of relaxation techniques available. Yoga is particularly advantageous during [...]