From: shava@hermes.oit.unc.edu (Shava Nerad Averett)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Childbirth
Date: 8 Nov 92 18:34:53 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

In article <Bx3zEA.AAx@acsu.buffalo.edu> oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>In article <lfb0ndINN1gi@news.bbn.com>, dhardin@bbn.com (Dawn Hardin) writes...
>>In article <Bwu3s5.6Iu@acsu.buffalo.edu>, oispeggy@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>>> In article <ler7cbINNq35@news.bbn.com>, dhardin@bbn.com (Dawn Hardin) writes...
>>What I haven't seen, and what would be very interesting, is some discussion
>>of using childbirth as a way to raise power, or using magical means to 
>>deal with labor.  
>
There is a very interesting survey of religio/cultural treatment of pregnancy,
childbirth, and early infancy in the beginning of The_Well_Pregnancy_Book
(don't have biblio citation right here...) and a "short history of babies"
in The_Well_Baby_Book, which you might find relevant.

>>I had read this after reading the other discussions
>>about using sexual fluids.  Think about how strong your (or your partner's)
>>blood and amniotic fluid would be.  
>
>Sexual fluids sound interesting whereas blood and amniotic fluid?
>Not to eat it I hope.  (Yes, I know I'm a priss about some things.)
>
It is common in MANY mammals to eat the placenta after birth (no pun 
intended).  Cats are actually aware enough of this, that they get agitated
if you clean up after them before they get the opportunity.  More than a
few human societies have a ritual cuisine set up for the placenta -- often
it is made into a stew or soup.  Biologically, it makes a lot of sense
to eat it -- you put a lot of effort into it, and you are going to need the
energy and nutrients.  But, I think I might pass, m'self...;)


>>A book that might be
>>interesting although it comes from a sorta-christian viewpoint is 
>>Ima Mae Gaskin's _Spiritual Midwifery_.  One of the things that it
>>suggests is looking at childbirth as a sexual act, where the mother
>>should be sexually aroused in order to be as comfortable as possible.
>
>Makes sense to me, though its probably hard to achieve in a 
>hospital setting, and while going through labor.  

I'm hoping to give it as much a shot as my limited (and my husband's
more extensive..;) modesty will allow.  Hey, it's *my* show, not the
dr's and nurses, and if they can't cope, tough.  But it's one of several
reasons I *don't* want my mom attending the birth...!

>This 
>book also reports that some women, if they go through unmedicated 
>labor, experience a birth climax (orgasm) that is even stronger 
>than an ordinary orgasm.  Never heard of that before.  
>
Also traditional -- if not orgasm, then exstacy -- in a number of 
cultures.  Remember the old rule about dose/set/setting?  Women in 
judeo/xian/moslem cultures have a tradition that causes them to 
*expect* pain -- any powerful feeling will be experienced as pain
in the presence of fear.  Personally, I have noted that the expression
on a person's face in orgasm is very little different than during
a paroxysm of something less pleasant.

Fear of loss of control vs. surrender is, I hypothesize, one of the 
watersheds of the birth experience.  Many humans are very much afraid
of just being mammals, or of surrendering their ego to experience in
any way soever.  I'm looking forward to my approaching delivery (less
than 2 months now!), to test this theory...

-- 
Shava Nerad Averett				shava@unc.edu
/*  all original materials (c)1992, Shava Nerad Averett, and have nothing 
    significant to do with the University of North Carolina, a mostly owned 
    subsidiary of the NC Legislature, a mostly owned subsidiary of NC DOT. */
Newsgroups: alt.magick