The western medical culture has tended to treat a newborn as if they don’t feel anything - or if they do feel pain, emotions, or the anaesthesia of the mother’s epidural, they won’t remember. Unfortunately, this belief and attitude starts the infant off without support or empathy in the world outside the womb. And unless resolved, the individual can carry the effects of this painful experience into all her/his relationships.
If you want to read more about this subject (and much more), pick up the book The Secret Life of Babies by Mia Kalef.
I am saddened when I see the effects of the medicalization of birth on generations of babies, including me. I suspect my mother was anaesthetized during my birth - she has no recollection of it. The inexplicable separation between us, a gap that neither of us has so far been able to cross despite our attempts and desire to do so, may be due to our birth experience. Many women are now choosing midwifery as an alternate delivery for their own babes, and as a career. Practices after birth such as the breast crawl and delayed cutting of the umbilical cord can provide baby and mother with a healthier, more empowered bonding experience.
We, as the Parents and Babes team, are offering the opportunity to re-tell the story of the birth. We facilitate communication as mothers and fathers tell the baby about the birth they hoped to have. The baby can communicate its side of the story by re-enacting the birth s/he wished for, and the one that actually occurred. As the baby lies skin-to-skin with their mother, the infant demonstrates his/her experience during the birth and is invited to crawl up to the breast. This process helps everyone involved integrate the birth experiences. It can be incredibly healing for both parent(s) and baby, and strengthens emotional bonding.
With awe and wonder, Linda White