THE BIRTH OF BONDING - by Sheri Menelli

NiaSadeMomma · #1 (**permalink**) 03-24-2005, 06:28 AM

Something for you reading!

The Birth of Bonding
by Sheri Menelli

What do birth stories during pregnancy, the birth experience and teaching signs to your baby have in common? Answer: all can have an impact on the bonding that you do with your baby. It is reported that nearly 9 out of 10 women have some fear about giving birth. This fear has usually been passed down from generation to generation. Most pregnant women will tell you that they have heard a fair number of birth horror stories during her lifetime. This fear can be so severe for some women that they become terrified of giving birth. They may spend most of their time worrying instead of being excited about the birth. Sometimes those women are so fearful that it is hard for them to bond with the baby during pregnancy. We know that babies in the womb are consciously aware of what is happening based on research from David Chamberlain and Thomas Verney. Babies are aware of touch (hot and cold), music, parents voices, the emotional states of the mother, etc. Pulse rates of the babies rise abruptly when they are exposed to screaming, yelling, loud noises or emotional upsets. According to research done by perinatologist Fredrick Wirth, when the mother feels fear during pregnancy and labor, that feeling crosses the placenta and is also felt by the baby. David Chamberlain documents in his books that many adults who have done regression with hypnosis have shown to have very accurate and verifiable memories of birth. They remember birth. They especially remember when their mothers are fearful during birth. There are several things that mothers can do to improve the bonding with their baby during pregnancy.
• First, avoid or cut short any person who is trying to tell you about a horrible birth experience. Let them know that your baby is listening and you only want positive, joyful birth stories.
• Read positive birth stories from books such as Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth. You may even want to read them out loud to your baby.
• Stop watching the birthing shows that are on TV. Shows like that are trying to entertain through drama. Too many of them end up in tense and unpleasant situations. 95% of all moms can give birth without the kind of interference shown on TV. If you are watching a lot of those shows, you are training your mind to expect that that is what birth is supposed to be like.
• Educate yourself on all of your birth options by reading positive books like the ones written by Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears. The book Birthing From Within is gaining enormous popularity. Many women who are fearful of birth have found comfort in reading that book. Also, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth is a new book that can be very empowering for women.
• Finally, spend time talking, reading, and playing with your baby in utero. Let your baby know that his/her birth is going to be a wonderful experience. You are working as a team for a gentle, more positive birth experience. By creating an environment during pregnancy that allows a woman to trust her body and her baby, a woman can experience a much more positive birth experience for both her and the baby. This will lead to the mom bonding much easier with the baby which will lead to a much healthier and happier relationship for life.

Sheri Menelli is the author of a Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth (October 2004, White Heart Publishing)
For more information contact sheri@whiteheartpublishing.com

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