Water was ever my salvation
I dreamt of birthing a child
Into a deep blue pool
Glistening
With love
(Sulis)
We begin our lives afloat in the womb and an aquatic existence is part of our evolutionary origin. Perhaps this is why immersion in water, especially warm water, is so soothingly familiar. Wild water delights us too, as is so clearly visible in the above photo of a friend and her first beautiful baby.
Recently, some truly astonishing aquatic work with babies and parents has come to my attention. From Russia at the Birthlight Center, from the UK at Aqualight Babies and from France at Blue Vitae. All these websites tell the story in images far more effectively than words ever could.
Just as this mother's story does too: Pregnancy is heavy!
The extract below comes from an article I wrote when I began my own aquatic bodywork practice. I wanted to express how valuable this work can be at every stage of our life cycle. For example, I've always loved seeing how a big grown man may experience his origins when floated in the water!Swimming during pregnancy, water births and postnatal water sessions for mother and baby have been found valuable in supporting the challenging experience of birth.
Alternative forms of hydrotherapy based on Watsu (or water shiatsu), offer another special mode of support for the mother. Drawing on the principles of Eastern medicine and taking an holistic view of health, this fits well into any environment that sees childbirth as a natural process.
Watsu-based aquatic bodywork involves being floated and gently mobilized in body-temperature water. The buoyancy of the water and the skilled support of the practitioner allow for a greater degree of physical relaxation and movement than is possible on land, especially for a pregnant person.
The mother often finds the fetus relaxes too and that her connection with her baby is enhanced. The deeply nurturing holds of this form of aquatic bodywork give the mother the opportunity to explore also the emotional and spiritual aspects of being pregnant.
Working in the water with a pregnant person requires some special considerations. Quite often the water needs to be a little cooler than body temperature to ensure that the generally warm mother does not overheat when her circulation and breathing are stimulated by the session. During the first trimester and after seven months, care is taken not to disturb the establishing fetus or to bring on premature labor, respectively.
As the pelvic ligaments of a pregnant woman are more lax than normal, loosening movements in this area are modified to avoid over stretching. However, the many stretches that relieve tension in the spine due to the unaccustomed distribution of weight are much appreciated. The even hydrostatic pressure, especially over the legs can help reduce fluid retention and improve venous flow.
Best of all is the feeling of weightlessness and grace in movement that restores the woman to delight in her own body.
Water Chi Watsu (water shiatsu) has its origins in Chinese medical theory, which sees the body as dependent on the free-flow of life force or 'chi'. There are many forms of chi and, interestingly, water chi is the energy acquired from our parents at the moment of conception and passed on from mother to child. This energetic continuity between parents and child may be as important as the genes inherited.
Perhaps it conveys to the child just how much it is wanted or how comfortable the parents feel about this addition to their lives. Although this aquatic therapy works outwardly on the physical body it also helps to balance the psyche - meeting our need to feel touched by and connected with others.
Trauma healing Many non-pregnant people have recalled their prenatal and birth experiences during a water session. Unresolved birth trauma in adults may affect their lives, relationships and parenting skills profoundly. See below for some recent posts on this topic.
A special adaptation of Watsu called Prenatal Journeys has been found to be very powerful in healing old birth wounds in adults. Movement patterns that reflect our evolutionary development, body postures reminiscent of, say, a curled embryo or advancing labor, and body points such as the umbilicus, are explored in order to release and revise prenatal shock reactions. For some people this has profound and life-changing effects.
But wouldn't it be so much better, if in working in water with pregnant couples, the unborn child could be given a greater chance at a beautiful birth. Water is the most natural medium for a newborn who, if delivered into it, will just swim about like a little dolphin. This fearless freedom is the birthright of us all.
Related links:
The body speaks its trauma: nonverbal and preverbal expression in water
