Childbirth as a Portal
We know that pregnancy and childbirth is a time of profound transformation for women. Beyond the physical changes we experience, giving birth affords the opportunity to let go of our past selves and emerge as something new.
But could birth be just as powerful for fathers and co-parents? How about our communities at large? What if everyone could tap into the wisdom and energy of new life, using it as a source of power to let go of what no longer serves us and rise up as a new iteration of our creative selves?
Today, I’m taking a deep dive into the idea of birth as a portal. I describe the new research by Ruth Feldman on the neuroscience of parenthood as well as Amy Henderson’s thought leadership around the transformative power of being a present and active caregiver. Listen in for my invitation to let go of old identity markers and embrace a new way of being, drawing on the power of birth to level up and welcome a new way to show up in the world.
The Startup Pregnant Podcast Episode #087
Some quotes from the episode
- “I started to learn just how powerful birth can be and that this process of transformation, of unwinding of the self, of letting go of something that’s passed and embracing what is growing or becoming new inside of you, is incredibly powerful.”
- “The transformation that happens at the time of birth and in the welcoming of a new child, the postpartum years, is as powerful for the fathers and the co-parents as it is for women who are giving birth, as long as they are present and active in the lives of the children.”
- “The other time when transformation is available to us, when our brains undergo profound transformations, is surrounding the birth of a child.”
- “If you take on a caregiving role … your brain has the same potential for plasticity and your neurobiological system will start to sensitize and transform.”
- “Every time a human is born, there is the opportunity to release and let go, to rise up anew, and to birth a new section of your creative self.”
- “What could you let go of? What can you shed?”
- “[Birth is] also a time for a new self. It can be a time to embrace new ways of being, new ways of operating, new ways of showing up in the world.”
- “Just like that, something new and beautiful and intense and unique is arriving in the world. So, I ask you, what’s arriving in your life right now? What are you welcoming in?”
- “I invite you to welcome the new—and release the old.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality by Kimberly Ann Johnson
- Amy Henderson’s Tendlab
- Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience
- ‘Neural Plasticity in Fathers of Human Infants’ in Social Neuroscience
- ‘The Neurobiology of Human Attachments’ in Trends in Cognitive Sciences
EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER
Community makes all the difference. So, at Startup Pregnant, we have launched a mastermind program for women who are interested in going deeper around questions about parenting, motherhood, and business. To apply for the Spring 2019 session and receive my free email series, go to https://startupparent.com/mastermind.
All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: https://startupparent.com/sponsors.