Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah Buckley

Author:Sarah Buckley [Buckley, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-83203-0
Publisher: Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Published: 2012-12-26T00:00:00+00:00

Choosing a Natural Third Stage

A woman’s choice to forgo preventative oxytocics, to clamp late (if at all), and to deliver the placenta by her own effort, all require forethought, commitment, and the selection of birth attendants who are comfortable and experienced with these choices.

A natural third stage is more than this, however. We must ensure respect for the emotional and hormonal processes of both mother and baby, remembering how unique and critical this time is. Odent stresses the importance of not interrupting, even with words, and advises that the new mother should feel unobserved and uninhibited in the first encounter with her baby.6

This level of noninterference requires skill, experience, and confidence, as well as support from mentors and institutions. However, as I argue, attention to these nonmedical elements is essential for a safe natural third stage.

Lotus birth, in which the placenta remains attached to the baby until the cord separates naturally over several days, gives us another way to “slow the fire drill” after birth,171 and allows our babies the full metaphysical, as well as physical, benefit of prolonged contact with the placenta. Like a good midwife, lotus birth secludes mother and baby in the early hours and days, ensuring rest and keeping visitors to a minimum.172 (See the essay “Jacob’s Placenta,” this page, for more about lotus birth.)

Third stage represents the first meeting between mother and baby, creating a powerful imprint on their relationship. When both are undrugged and quiet, fully present and alert, new potentials for love and trust are invoked for mother, baby, family, and the world we share.

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