I notice that there is going to be a 2nd Edition of the lotus birth book. This is good news and they are launching a new website www.lotusbirth.info. There is nothing like getting it out there that the placenta is part of the birth process and worth deep consideration.
The mail I received however sounded a little like a religious piece of writing rather than good information. Now in the past I have been told I’m not very spiritual (not in a good way!). Maybe I am not because I felt there was no need to dress it up with any testimony. Even the paeds are starting to come on board with the advantage of delayed cord clamping. This means we are only 50 or so years away from them agreeing with this.
The other thing that may have coloured my view is the serious money making side of something that really should just be in the public domain. You see when I was setting up the retreat I invited everyone that I would love to meet and hear speaking. We can’t pay people, in fact they pay to come along, just at a reduced rate. Everyone agreed except Rachana who wanted paid flights, accommodation etc. When I explained that it wasn’t really the way I had no reply. I am finding it a little difficult to get over my disappointment. Except for Gloria all other speakers are Aussie, speaking to other Aussies who share the same philosophy. I would have thought it perfect. Maybe I’m just being too sensitive and she is saving herself for a better opportunity and it’s not about the money at all.
I would love to know for sure tho’
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when is this retreat? I’m embarrassed that I didn’t see this before.
Lisa I think you have raised a good point here. The delayed cord cutting, not cutting (or clamping) the cord until some time after the birth of the placenta, is one of the most important changes in midwifery practice I have seen in my 30 or so years of practice. This has happened hand in hand with the more gentle approach to the newborn baby, which I think was happening in the 1980s with the research into sucking out the baby, and the effect that had on initiation of breastfeeding. The Innocenti Declaration from UNICEF and WHO in the early 90s encouraged everyone to consider birth from the baby’s perspective. Then Michel Odent taught us about not managing third stage …
When I read about lotus placentas, and saw women going through their rituals and drying and salting them, I saw it as consistent with the mood of the day, but very marginal, and not professionally significant. I don’t understand the implications – people in the know use words from other religions and I often wonder if they know what they are saying either.
I think we have a long way to go in this journey, but I for one am very happy to have learnt a new way for the birth of the placenta. jj
Hi Pamela, http://www.homebirth.net.au/2008/11/homebirth-retreat-3.html
Click on the picture to enlarge for more detail of date etc.
I have great respect for Rachana and what she brings to the midwifery practice. I would not call her work religious at all, however she does approach the lotus birth from more than just a physical perspective. Her work also considers the impact on the consciousness of the baby, and how that plays out in their life over time. You could call that spiritual as distinct from religious.
People who have met some of the lotus birthed children from her community have commented on how clear, confident and complete they seem. It’s almost intangible but it is noticed. So it seems that the benefits of lotus birth is more than just the obvious.
Based on my first edition copy, I would highly recommend the book for anyone who believes that we are more than just flesh and bone. It covers a broad range of benefits of having a lotus birth and gathers information from extensive resources.
Hi Julie, As I said I am pleased that the information is out there. There are lots of lotus birthed children not just ones in her community. I was not down playing the value of the book or of lotus birth was mearly commenting on my view of her email.
Joy, I am curious as to what words from “other” religions lotus birthers use? I have found that it is difficult to talk about lotus birth and to explain it to people who don’t practice it themselves because there is a lack of words to describe why it feels important.
My partner and I (and our best friends who had a lotus baby shortly after us) felt strongly that we did not want to cut the cord, but we weren’t sure why. It just felt wrong to us. We had no words, just a shared sense.
The greatest benefit of lotus birth in my opinion is how much it forces mother and baby to stay slow. In this day and age I found it hard to justify to myself and others lying in bed with my baby all day everyday for the first week of her life, lotus birth gave me permission to follow my instincts when social pressure could have caused our first week to be very different.
Thanks Sazz, I agree on the benefit of a lotus birth whole heartedly. I also think it’s not the midwives right to chose but absolutely the woman’s which is why it is important for the information to be in the public domain for everyone to make the decision for themselves.
I have my own opinion of lotus birth but I do not push my opinion on a birthing woman
I will be having a lotus placenta for baby no 2. for me, it will make me more focused on my new bub, as i am a person which cannot stay still for long, i am always doing something, and thats not what i want for my next bub. i want the optimal start to our brestfeeding especially. That’s what lotus birthing means to me!
Perhaps she just gets too many requests to attend conferences, and is unable to manage it in schedule. It does give the impression of someone with poor manners though.