category: Blog
I love all of the progress I am seeing in the pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding world right now. There is a multitude of options for pregnancy and birthing classes out there like Sacred Birth, Birthing from Within and Hypnobabies, just to name a few. We have over 21,000 Board Certified Lactation Consultants out there to help breastfeeding Mommas and to spread breastfeeding awareness. I definitely think that we are heading towards more understanding surrounding birthing options and for that I am thankful.
.
Saying that, I still believe there is much more work that needs to be done. We need to continue with what we’ve been doing: exposing women to what pregnancy, birth and postpartum can look like when we don’t interfere too much, but I believe we also need to approach it from another perspective as well.
.
I believe that if we start educating teens about their bodies and all of its many functions we can develop a sense of confidence and awareness that will affect their choices for the rest of their lives.
.
We need to make sure teens know that their bodies aren’t dysfunctional and that their monthly cycle isn’t a curse. Lets give them tools like seeing the monthly patterns their bodies go through (as explained here), how sanitary products can affect the way they feel (Yes! Women who use organic cloth pads and menstrual cups report fewer discomforts) and how they can work naturally with their bodies and any issues they might experience.
.
If we helped teens feel proud of themselves inside and out, it would consequently effect the choices they made regarding how they treat their body and how they allow others to treat their body.
.
Perhaps the new campaign for natural pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding should be advocating body awareness to teens. When a woman is ready to have a baby, many times her mind has already been set about what birth looks like. If we can reach that woman before those imprints are set, she will have the opportunity to have a more informed and empowered birthing experience, not one based out of fear.
