The Bliss of Birth

The Bliss of Birth
…or how giving birth can and should be a wonderful experience.

Today I visited the Bumi Sehat Foundation. It is a Birth house in Bali with a beautiful vision and a team of conscious midwives who believe in the power of the pregnant woman and the wisdom of her body and womb during the birth process.
I was welcomed by two lovely ladies at the desk. They wore nice dresses and a big smile. One was carrying a baby who she was breastfeeding and who clearly enjoyed his meal. The other one was carrying a baby in her womb. The joy they and kindness they shared with me was truly touching. These two bright souls then referred me to Ayu; a midwife who’d tell me more about the birthing centre. I felt hugely privileged to be a guest in this warm, safe space for pregnant women and during the whole ‘tour’ I had goosebumps from top till toe. Here is why…

Ayu’s Heart is full of Com-Passion for the women she’s guiding through pregnancy and birth processes. She showed me around and I could feel how the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly staff made me feel at home straight away. No wonder many women -from all over the world- come here to give birth to their beautiful babies.
The centre is brand new and solely built from donations. It has 3 labour rooms and a team of midwives working in shifts of 12 hours to be able to assist the women in labour with as much consistency as possible. Every mother to be gets all the time and space she needs. She can walk around in the private garden, take showers and use all the tools that are available. She’s encouraged to take any position she wants. And she’s empowered in a positive and calm way.
The centre doesn’t use any drugs, so no one gets induced or anaesthetized. The only natural medicine they use are acupuncture and moxa.
The rebozo is used when needed. And babies who turn into breach during labour are turned with the rebozo techniques as well. It has a nearly 100% success rate. Only 1 or 2 mothers per month are being transferred to the hospital. That’s only 1 on 50 to 60 mothers.
The beauty of this all is that every woman here deserves a natural birthing process which means that every baby is born in a natural way. What a gift this is for this new, precious life on earth. It couldn’t wish for a better start.

When walking to the rooms where the new families stay, I was promptly introduced to a mother, grandmother and great grandmother and the new born baby who was lying in bed with his mommy (I didn’t see any separate beds for the babies). They both looked so so peaceful… In total Bliss even! When I asked her when she gave birth, she proudly said: “At 6:20am this morning.” It was 10:00am now... She looked bright and fresh and incredibly satisfied and happy with her experience at this Bumi birth house. This is how all Mothers should look like after having given birth.
The four rooms are all the same. Two beds and open for both local or foreign women. They make no distinction whether you can’t pay for your birth or whether you are a rich Russian woman. True equality…
All women stay 2 days maximum. Breastfeeding is the only way to go. In that way the babies get all the natural anti-bodies, vitamins and fats they need. Every woman is assisted where and whenever needed. And only happy babies and moms leave the birth centre.  

Besides this amazing service that the Bumi foundation offers to local and foreign women, they also offer much more these days. There is a clinic with a Doctor who does blood tests in the beginning of every pregnancy. Every woman is tested on HIV, but there are hardly any positive results.
If there is any issue during pregnancy -breach baby, high blood pressure,…- they start the “Happy Baby treatment”. How great does that sound?! It means that they will offer acupuncture, moxa, cupping, herbal medicine and exercise; always with a hopeful and positive attitude. Almost all the breach babies turn and are born in a natural way.
The clinic also offers fertility programs for couples. Again only the above natural treatments are offered; with great success.
On top of all of this there is pre-natal yoga twice a week and a pre-natal workshop on Saturday. Only couples are allowed. They really believe in the power of the presence of the father too.
Just as the birth centre this clinic works on donation. Local people can give whatever they can. Foreigners pay a suggested donation. It makes it accessible for literally everyone and that was the wish of the Bumi centre when founded. Because every woman deserves a beautiful birth!
 
Maybe more than a hundred slippers and shoes at the entrance of the building show that they opened up the clinic for everyone. They also treat people with different symptoms now -e.g. post-stroke, heart problems,…- which means that they can help even much more (local) people than before. In the open air waiting room I only see grateful faces… Men, women and children of all ages next to the many beautiful big bellies of radiant pregnant women! :-)
Finally those Indonesian women can give birth in a safe space. Knowing that local hospitals induce and anesthetize all women, this centre makes a huge difference!

‘The Bliss of Birth’… because giving birth can and should be a wonderful experience for all.

Feel free to share this article with as much midwives, doula’s, gynaecologists, nurses, teachers, mothers, fathers, teenagers,… as you want. Pregnancy and Birth are magical experiences in Life and it is important to share as much positive stories as possible. Fear and stress are not meant to be part of this. And the warm, calm, safe energy I could feel in this Bumi birthing centre has touched and inspired my Heart and Soul in a deep and beautiful way.

So let’s BE the change we wish to see in the Birthing World :-) and let’s -as caretakers- make little and bigger changes for the general wellbeing of our Mothers, Fathers and Babies. For the pregnant mothers: please, share your absolute dream scenario of how you'd like to give birth (candles, soft music, freedom to move your body,...). In that way doctors and midwives can make that dream come true; together with you.

Together we can make the difference! Thank you.

Sophia Govaerts.

Www.sophiagovaerts.com
www.wombwonderworld.simplesite.com