Chapter 10 - Learn the Basics
Now that we’ve seen the importance of the natural alongside the spiritual, what are some natural things related to pregnancy, labor, and birth that would be truly useful and practical for us to learn? Are there key areas of education that would help us more than others, or do we have to know everything there is to know, including the ins and outs of every possible complication, available test, and potential medical intervention?
Do we have to research everything from nutrition, to episiotomies, circumcision, fetal monitoring, and scores of other associated topics?
First of all, what you will need to research and educate yourself on depends somewhat on where you plan to give birth and what their standard of care looks like, as well as how much knowledge and education they are providing on any given matter.
For the most part, simply having a good foundation in the basics of normal anatomy and physiology, which most women in western culture today do not have, provides sufficient understanding of our bodies and the birth process to be well prepared for pregnancy and birth. By narrowing it down to our original design and function, and learning what is natural and normal rather than man-made or abnormal, we can simplify education about our bodies and birth to an easily understandable, non overwhelming, yet extremely helpful, place.
As mentioned in chapter one, to be true to the original intent or plan of a thing, you must know what that original intent is. When we really understand, and then trust God’s design of our bodies, we’ll do everything in our power to work with, instead of against, that design.
For example, when you understand the design of the female pelvis and how baby must navigate the shape of the pelvis in labor, it’s a lightbulb moment that clarifies why you would want to labor and give birth in certain ways and positions. “Oh! If that’s how my body is designed then this is what I need to do to support and work with that design!”
