🌿 When we look at serving women in the sense of a traditional midwife what do we see? Our modern version of a midwife is perhaps rather distanced from the true ‘with woman’ perspective. Traditionally ‘call the midwife’ was in that literal sense; birth, death and in between, the midwife, red tent, with woman and the feminine. This podcast I am so delighted to talk with this amazing woman Jenny Blyth. Jenny is a co-founder of Birthwork, Author and producer of some amazing materials covering all things maternity care. Jenny talks about her 40 years experience and how by picking up a copy of Spiritual Midwifery in 1980 may have changed her life.
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Jenny begins her story by talking about the pregnancy and birth of her first daughter some 37 years ago, as you can imagine things were very different back then. Jenny saw home birth as a very new concept while in the Sunshine Coast area of Australia, yet she knew that she wanted something more than what was offered. The first appointment she had with was completely supported by her doctor showing empathy and understanding in the fact that she wanted to birth at home. Jenny, during her pregnancy also found a copy of Ina May Gaskin’s book Spiritual Midwifery. This book was only in publication for a few years, fresh off the shelf and Jenny found this may have paved the way to where she is today. So Jenny planned home birth, they planned this at her mothers place that had a phone and was closer to the hospital. However, things eventuated in a different light, baby become before they expected and they were not at her mothers place so they drove straight to the hospital and had baby with 2 hours. Now think of birth in the 80’s you usually stayed at the hospital for at least a week. However Jenny was home within a few hours. They felt safe and comfortable to go home. Really interesting to hear this journey for her first birth.
We talked about death and birth and the creations of the altered states around this. Deep connections, with baby is profound and this travels to the realm of death to. Being supported in this space to really feel into these altered biological states.
Next pregnancy for Jenny saw her learning massage and body manipulation training. She was finding that around the community there was not much acknowledgement and support around the body experience and the amazing nature of what birth could bring. With out trying to throw her own experience into this Jenny talked to many women. Jenny witnessed her first birth as an assistant with her friend and how this extended into her next birth journey. This birth had a lot of masculine energy with three men present. Jenny describes this as being comfortable with this and it was a wonderful experience.
We talk about Jenny’s journey apprenticing with a home birth midwifes around the mid to late 80’s. Jenny was learning skills from this midwife that she could use to better prepare women in their pregnancy journeys.
Third baby saw another birth at home and this time Jenny felt very fine for it to be just the children and her partner and she was completely OK with this. Her five year old daughter at the time held the torch for Jenny while she birthed, having siblings at the birth was well remembered by Jenny as a profound experience. We talk about her daughter now with her own children and how being a part of ‘normal birth’ has shaped her perceptions into her own birth journeys. Jenny talks about the deep emotional impact of seeing her daughter grow her baby in her womb and being present at her birth.
We talk then about Jenny’s birth projects books and film Birthwork, Down to Earth Birth Book, The Big Stretch and A World of Birth workers. Birthwork was the first publication that was really about all the experiences that Jenny encountered that we may not seem to be talking about. These projects were essentially a download of Jenny’s work and experience. She self published and found it was an easier process in regards to editing.
We finish up the episode dipping into Jenny’s wisdom and experience on birth. All goodness that has gone into her wisdom over the past near 40 years!
From Jenny
“When you feel really blessed and fortunate in life, there is a real capacity to want to give back to others”.
“This will be the most intensely uncomfortable body experience that you ever have in your life, then WOW”.
“Seeing my daughter growing her belly and becoming a mother herself was life changing.”
“Birth opens your energy field to understand what it is to be human”.
“I don’t have anger towards the system, its just something that has evolved”.
Resources:
World Birth Hub – Stream Jenny’s DVD and Networking – http://worldbirthhub.com
Birthwork & Down to Earth Books – http://birthwork.com/birthwork-shop/
Dianna Paul Movies and Resources – http://www.lovedelivers.org
Connect with Jenny:
Website: http://birthwork.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Birthwork-214774115231058/
About Jenny
I’ve been working with natural birth for over 30 years, supporting women through pregnancy, birth and early parenting in SE Queensland, Australia. I am endlessly inspired by the mothers and families I serve; by ongoing interest in bodywork and touch; by Buddhist philosophy and psychology; and by the fact of our precious existence on our precious planet.
In 1994 I initiated the annual Women’s Dreaming Camp – designed to cultivate joy and self-expression through combining eco and adventure therapy with performance and creative art. It has been running now for 18 years.
For the last 10 years I have presented Birthwork Workshops. These wisdom-in-action workshops explore the many facets of working with birth. They also promote the reality of peaceful and compassionate birth through growing self-awareness & skills. They are open to midwives, doulas, parents-to-be, and bodyworkers – in fact anybody!
I also run Birthwork Workshops with the wonderful Fiona Hallinan. Together we facilitate the experiential Parts 1 & 2 – Creative Ways of Making Space for the Baby. We love teaching together, and we enjoy the immensely rewarding dynamic created by having a mix of professionals and parents and support people – interacting, touching, and communicating with each other. We are also excited to be passing on what has been invaluable to us.
With filmmaker Alieta Belle, I have co-created 2 films about natural birth called The Big Stretch and The Big Stretch Sequel.
My two books Birthwork and The Down to Earth Birth Book came about because when I’m not driving about the countryside, I live a quiet life in the bush. And I also happen to be methodical. Both these conditions are conducive to picking away at projects uninterrupted. My life partner Warren and I now have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.
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