Birth Language

The language a woman uses during her pregnancy and birth is important for her empowerment. When you hear the word “contraction” how does your body feel?  Does it open up like a flower blossoming new life or does it contract and shut down in defense?  What words come to mind when you hear the word “contraction”?  When I ask women these questions they will often say things like they feel their body shutting down and the words “pain”  and “fear” come to mind.   The actual word contraction means to “make small” and we all know there is nothing small about birth and motherhood.

I encourage the pregnant mommas at Nalu to use words that support the birth they would like to have.  For example, instead of contraction what if used the words “sensation” or “surge”?  Words that invite your power and ability to birth to your baby.  A contraction is feeling the power of your muscles squeezing together to help push the baby out.  The contraction is really your power in action.  It is the power surge of birth and life.

Recently I had the incredible honor to care for a doula when she was starting to have surges. I shared with her what I knew she probably already knew but as a gentle reminder that the language of birth is important and contractions can also be called surges or rushes. She told me that she calls them waves. She told me her mother taught her growing up near the beach that you never turn your back on a wave. You always face it. It was such a powerful share and touched me deeply. We then practiced facing the waves of her body by breathing with the waves, allowing to be carried by them and the power of birth.

Here is what America’s midwife had to say about using the word rush instead of contraction:

“I felt free to change some of the language surrounding birth as a way to help women cope with labor pain. I have a master’s degree in English and was aware of how language can condition our response to a physical/emotional/spiritual process such as labor. I began to use the word “rush” instead of contraction. Why use a word that suggests tightness and hard muscles when successful labor will require expansion of the cervix.” ~ Ina May Gaskin, “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth”

With great love and care we begin to examine the words of birth and begin to replace the words with meanings that empower us and reflect the true magnificence of who we are as women.