Halley's Waterbirth (1988)

Like the comet under which she was conceived, Halley's arrival planetside was truly a event. What is cosmic about Halley's waterbirth is that we had the sense of perfect order-the original meaning of the word cosmic-ORDER. All things were in their right place. Also in the more common definition of cosmic, it was like bringing heaven into our home to purebirth Halley. In our homemade hot tub, Halley's arrival had the full support of the cosmos in attendance. She was born underwater. When she emerged, it was with open and exploring eyes. Not the passive arrival haze through which an demeanor is considered optimum but BEYOND newborn alert to conscious. Like the difference from having reflexes to initiating movement-being self-motivated. Halley made swimming motions and felt her mama's heartbeat from the outside in the fluid water world which was her first earthside matrix. She appeared to have been born without any trauma but in trust fulfilled; the way conscious beings in this century-of-the-child have hoped. We named this one Halley Sophia-Holy Wisdom-as she looked so very whole and wise to us-pure enlightenment. She radiates a promise for humans actually achieving our namesake becoming real human BEINGS, rather than the ubiquitous human DOINGS. Halley is a harbinger of the species-people who arrive here untraumatized, united with the original love which called them forth. Fully conscious, connected to their feelings without drug stupor, retreat from primal pains or maternal/paternal separation. Halley did not cause her mother suffering when she was born. She was not pushed through anguish and therefore has no imprint of her mother/self matrix. This is another indication of the new species-imagine a primal psychology which includes the imprint, for both men and women, of co-creating tremendous, somatic pleasure during birth. The implications for a template of sexuality based on ecstasy, rather than extreme pain, are provocative. Would we see less sado-masochistic behavior in sexuality? Would rape decrease if men and women felt less like the cause, or at least, an involuntary accomplice of suffering at birth? The psychological complex from hurting mommy at birth to later sexual diseases is not often considered as connected. However in my experiences as midwife and researcher, collecting stories of conceptions, births and subsequent sexual experiences, a connection, causal or not, is apparent. Also as birth is metaphor for all movement into ground, when it comes time for Halley as a young woman to leave Mom's house, she will be able to gracefully depart for the primal imprint of joyous leavings already deep within her (our) soul. We have been introduced to the ample benefits of waterbirth in the person of our second son, Quinn. This fifth baby, like his sister Halley, was born ecstatically underwater. (see Prenatal Yoga & Natural Birth, 2nd edition 1986 for Quinn's birth story). We noticed some advanced developmental aspects (e.g., early teeth), but have been especially impressed with his awareness and sensitivity (including paranormal abilities). Whereas Quinn was born in a souped up version of our bath tub, Halley, our sixth baby, arrived in a deep redwood tub built especially for the birth and enclosed in a solar greenhouse by her father. Fresh oxygenated air, beautiful plant friends around the various altars and wall hangings adorned her birth room. (Many Blessing-Way gifts for the coming baby were placed in here to remind us of the loving friendship circle into which Halley was to be born.) This birthing hot tub had the advantage of allowing me complete submersion while standing (up to my neck that is-no, I didn't birth Halley totally underwater with a snorkel and face mask!) The best advantage of this custom built hot tub is that my lover, Halley's father, could be in the same element-we could share our birth as a holy trinity more readily with my husband in the water with us. …