Conscious Conception    Conscious Pregnancy    Doula Support    Miscarriage Support

CONSCIOUS CONCEPTION
The Ultimate Invitation

Conscious Conception is the loving, intentional process of inviting a child into your family. The specific course of this process varies from family to family, depending on present circumstances, cultural traditions, spiritual beliefs and practices, as well as past experiences and current health. The invitation for some couples, includes daily prayer as well as physical, mental and emotional preparation; for other couples, the physical detoxification of their bodies and home environments is appealing. Whatever the journey, it is beneficial to begin preparing for your child anywhere from three to six months before trying to conceive. You will be better primed to receive the child of your dreams.

CONSCIOUS PREGNANCY Pregnancy is a magical time of incessant growth. Development happens relatively quickly and each moment has an important influence on a baby’s development and the relationship between the baby and his or her mother. Ideally, during pregnancy, a mother has time to nurture herself and her baby. This freedom to rest and reflect, take walks in nature and appreciate life allows a mother and her baby to bond before birth. Honoring pregnancy as a sacred time, communicates to a baby that he or she is important. It helps the mother prepare for her changing role and responsibilities and it often paves the way for a positive birth experience. In our fast-paced culture, it is important for pregnant women to set aside time for themselves and also time for their relationship. A baby that is welcomed into a loving family will thrive.

DOULA SUPPORT
Nourishing the Nurturer

Doulas are the ultimate caregivers: supporting pregnant women and their partners as they nurture and welcome their babies into the world.

Just as doulas advocate for their clients to live consciously, they must also advocate for their own balance and well-being. Attending births every month can become draining if a doula does not replenish her inner resources. One way for a doula to nourish herself is to discuss and process her work-related and personal experiences with other women. In this environment, the joys and frustrations of witnessing and supporting birthing families can be shared and released, so that each doula may deepen her understanding of herself, her clients, and the births she attends.


MISCARRIAGE SUPPORT
Grieving Un-lived Lives

When a baby dies in-utero or shortly after birth, most women and their partners feel devastated. Initially, after learning that their baby has died, bereaved parents may feel shocked, despondent, angry, guilty and isolated. After the initial shock has dissipated, the couple may feel depressed. They may act out their feelings in destructive ways, if they do not have a means to process their grief. Rituals, such as a funeral, tree-planting ceremony, and/or a memorial for their baby may help the parents and their community of family and friends to express their loss.

The depth of a parent’s grief is not quantified by the age of their baby when she or he died; the parents’ attachment to their baby, desire for their child, circumstances surrounding the pregnancy and the parents’ past experiences with death, all contribute to their experience of loss and grieving.

A grieving couple may not feel comfortable expressing their feelings, nor asking for help, yet it is vitally important for women and men who have experienced a miscarriage or the death of their baby after birth to receive support.

Awareness and expression of mourning paves the way for acceptance of profound loss. Grieving is not a linear process; healing takes time, patience and the willingness to accept help when needed.

Attending Individual Psychotherapy Sessions or a Miscarriage Support Group can be helpful.