07/10/2024
Soo....
I’m sitting here naked in an air BNB in Zurich Switzerland quietly doing my work when 4 strangers burst into the room. They just opened the door and came in ( and it a small room).
They all started talking loudly in about 3 different languages, in think German, Swiss and Spanish.
My response of ……Wait !,
I’m Naked !,
I need my clothes !,
Who are you ?!!!!
WTF !!!
was lost in the kerfuffle of lots of words in many languages.
It sounds funny and it sort of was, but there wasn’t much laughing happening, just lots of words. Lots of speaking and not much understanding.
I grabbed my dress and with many hand signals and little words we resolved the issue of a forgotten pair of shoes.
And I reflected on the similarities to birth ( of course).
Of being always prepared for the unexpected, of lots of words and not much communication, ( or lots of observations and not much deep listening)
Of life and chaos and humans having needs and the clunkyness that can happen.
I’m 7 weeks into a 10 week teaching journey in Europe. Deeply grateful for the amazing midwives, doulas, gynaecologists, obstetricians, bodyworkers, physiotherapists I’ve met all trying to change birth in earth.
Of the global and shared experiences of love and also frustrations of being with birth in big institutions, of lost communication, of physiology supported and also deeply limited by birthing environments, policy and communication.
Globally we all share the same heart, the same care to help birth go well.
Globally we all see the skills and presence and knowing of being with birth slipping away.
Globally we all see and hear things happening to women and babies that should NOT be happening.
Globally we all feel the pain of that
Globally we are all doing out best to bring more reverence and loving care to birth
Globally we are losing the practical hands in skills of how to do this.
I have been reflected on the beauty of potency.
To boil something down to its essence.
Like a sun dried tomatoe,
A remedy
A simplified, magnified powerful essence.
I am trying to become more potent.
To boil down, simplify and offer the powerful essence of what I know of working with birth for 23 years, of working with bodies and the internal pelvic space, of being with birth and birth workers around the world.
And here are my offers to you:
Potentised , boiled down to be simple and yet powerful essence of being with birth.
Come and join me and others around the world to keeping speaking and grow. The ancient language of Birth Craft , as an act of self nurturing and a political act of keeping this ancient, necessary and powerful language alive before it starts to disappear.
STARTING SOON –
JUMP IN
BEGING NOVEMBER 10 2024.
Home sweet homebirth online- Developing confidence in homebirth
A 4 week online course, 1 Zoom call a week online course.
Begins 10 November 2024
https://learn.claireecclestonmidwife.com/p/home-sweet-homebirth
Research demonstrates the benefits of well supported home birth include:
-higher vaginal birth rates,
-less need for pharmaceutical pain relief,
-reduced perineal trauma,
-healthy microbiome,
-easier breastfeeding and bonding,
-lower rates of birth trauma
and reduced post-natal health challenges for both birth givers and babies.
Many Midwives and Doulas now report not feeling prepared to confidently support homebirth and conventional training provides limited pathways to do so. As a result, precious ancestral knowledge and birth skills are being steadily lost while birth trauma for the birth giver and for the care provider is on the rise.
Our world needs Midwives and Doulas who are confident, connected and empowered in the ancient arts of home birth.
This course is designed to support Midwives and Doulas to provide care that is evidence based, and not only clinically safe but also honours the safety of sovereignty of the birth giver and respects the rhythms of labour and birth.
The course will cover;
• History and development of homebirth practices
Module 3 - Finding the beat of physiology
• Science of supporting physiological birth
Module 4 - Moving with care
• Evaluating home birth and assessing risks
• Discerning use of intervention
• Considerations for water births
Module 5 - Being in the groove
• Trauma informed care for all people
• Shared decision making and models of consent
• Practicalities for home birth
Module 6 - When the music changes
• Reviewing emergency skills at home
• Case studies and birth stories
Module 7 - Dancing between the worlds
• Transfer from home to hospital
Module 8 - Resting in stillness
• Practitioner self reflection and self care
• A library of resources for parents and care providers
• Connect with a community of global birth workers
• Playlists to listen to and inspire.
Come and join us online , here is the link for booking :
https://learn.claireecclestonmidwife.com/p/home-sweet-homebirth
Birth Craft- initiation will run online for 9 weeks from 1 June to 31 July 2025
Birth Craft is a deeply transformational journey following the myth of Inannas descent into the underworld. We journey deeply within our own inner transformation into the forgotten, ancient and crucial skills of working with birth, the skills hidden in the dark, the skills not taught in most modern midwifery/ doula skills.
Skills of indepth observation, communication, self responsibility and power dynamics, intuition, instinct, discernment ( decision making ), dealing with grif and loss.
Here is the link for bookings:
https://learn.claireecclestonmidwife.com/p/the-birthcraft-initiation
Check out the Spinning Babies website here to book into a workshop
Spinning Babies (R) in New Zealand will be in 2024
Dunedin 28 November
Auckland 2 day workshop 6-7 December
Gisborne 9 December
Link:
https://lms.spinningbabies.com/Customer/BrowseWorkshop.aspx
This year I have birthed Birth Craft in person workshops.
Birth Craft is 1 day workshop to recover and remember the ancient skills of working with birth.
We cover :
Heightening your senses to hear the inaudible and see the unseen in birth
Skilled touch Touch - vaginal examination and abdominal palpation
Respectful birth emergency care
Skills to support birth to happen with ease and swiftnesss if required in resolving shoulder dystocia, managing postbirth bleeding and respectful neonatal resuscitation with the cord intact.
Auckland Birth Craft
In person workshop
13 December
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/birthcraft-the-art-of-midwifery-skills-tickets-945584547837?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile
Womb Craft
14 December in person in Auckland.
Some hospitals have Caesarean rates up to 40%, vaginal tears after birth are around 80%-90% and episiotomies are nearly 40%.
Yet there is little talk or resources for healing post birth.
Post birth scars can have ongoing effects such as ongoing pain, and numbness, painful love making, incontinence, bladder and bowel issues, prolapse.
There are simple and easy things we can do to support our bodies capacity for wellness and comfort.
Womb craft Is a workshop for learning about postbirth scar healing.
For mummas, midwives, doulas, physios and anyone who works with birth.
A day to learn the anatomy of postbirth scar tissue and simple effective techniques for healing.
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/womb-craft-an-introduction-to-birth-scar-healing-tickets-805463140937?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=organizer-profile&utm-share-source=organizer-profile
Internal pelvic release
15 December
I will also hold an additional workshop the following day delving into in-depth pelvic anatomy and to learn skills and techniques to for internal pelvic release work.
We will address
Birth experiences
Prolapse
Incontinence
Pelvic pain
The skills offered help with improving pelvic comfort and balance. integrating birth experiences and reawakening nerve sensation
This workshop will involve hands on practice to to the level of the persons willingness.
Please email me on clairehomebirth@gmail.com for bookings more information about this workshop.
I will also be available for 1:1 or couples sessions in person or online from 23 October
I offer Womb Craft ™
Which covers:
Craniosacral therepy
Scar tissue remediation
Somatic s*xology
Pregnancy body work
Couples sessions
Birth preparation
Link for bookings here;
https://www.claireecclestonmidwife.com/bookings
Much love
Claire
