Through the Labyrinth Blog
Black Lives Matter
Birthing From Within extends our deepest condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and all of the other far-too-many victims of state-sanctioned racist violence. We are aware that there is nothing new about this phenomenon: indeed, state-sanctioned, white-supremacist violence played an integral part in the founding of the United States, and…
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Monthly Letter || Mother’s Day: Complexity and Community
Every month, Birthing From Within sends a letter to our membership and the public, containing our reflections on happenings in birth, in the world at large, and in our organization. See a selection of our monthly letters on the blog here; sign up to receive our newsletters directly in your inbox. Dear friends, In many parts of the United…
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Birth Preparation and the Covid-19 Pandemic
It probably goes without saying that the past several weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic have brought a furious storm of information, along with the need to figure things out on the fly and make decisions at warp speed. This is especially true for those preparing for birth or helping others prepare for birth. As a…
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The Land and the Story: Dreaming Scotland
To explore how to use stories to prepare for and heal from birth – and make meaning of other parts of your life – expecting and new parents can reach out to a Birthing From Within mentor or doula, and birth professionals can register for Birthing From Within training. Stories called me to Scotland. Legends of ancient…
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Monthly Letter || The State of the Organization
Every month, Birthing From Within sends a letter to our membership and the public, containing our reflections on happenings in birth, in the world at large, and in our organization. See a selection of our monthly letters on the blog here; sign up to receive our newsletters directly in your inbox. Dear Friends, As we assemble this newsletter, the…
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Medical Decision Making in the Childbearing Year
In her new book, Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal, BFW co-owner Nikki Shaheed writes that “while it is important for modern birthing parents to have an understanding of birth and the maternal healthcare system before their baby’s arrival, it is also easier than ever to become so overwhelmed by all of the books, blogs, articles, films, and…
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A Statement on Becoming a More Equitable Organization
Every month, Birthing From Within sends a letter to our membership and the public, containing our reflections on happenings in birth, in the world at large, and in our organization. See a selection of our monthly letters on the blog here; sign up to receive our newsletters directly in your inbox. When Pam England wrote Birthing From Within in…
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Meet the Mentor: Charlene Hamilton
In our ongoing Meet the Mentor series, you’ll get a chance to meet some of our amazing Birthing From Within Childbirth Educators and Doulas. You’ll learn a little bit about their Birthing From Within work – and, just for fun, get a glimpse into their personal lives and opinions! Today, let’s meet… Charlene Hamilton Charlene…
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Resources for Studying Birth Justice and Anti-Racism
This list is in service of furthering birth justice by acknowledging and addressing racism and white supremacy in birth in our culture. This is by no means an exhaustive list; it will be updated frequently. We are open to suggestions and/or feedback on these resources. Books White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to…
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BFW Dictionary: Shared Terms for an Equitable and Anti-Racist Framework
Equitable Adjective. Fair and impartial. Antiracist Adjective. Opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance. — Oxford Dictionaries online The following terms and definitions are intended to serve as building blocks towards an equitable and anti-racist framework. The majority of this text was provided to Birthing From Within by Aimée Brill of Village Birth International. If you…
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Ways to Change Birth in Our Culture, Part 12: Acknowledging and Addressing Racism and White Supremacy as Birth Professionals
In 2010, Pam England wrote a series of pieces about ways in which we can change birth in our culture. The Birthing From Within leadership and blog team has chosen some of these pieces as inspiration and jumping-off points to create a new 12-part series about changing birth in our culture that reflects current understandings within the…
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Meet the Mentor: Christy Cozby
In our ongoing Meet the Mentor series, you’ll get a chance to meet some of our amazing Birthing From Within Childbirth Educators and Doulas. You’ll learn a little bit about their Birthing From Within work – and, just for fun, get a glimpse into their personal lives and opinions! Today, let’s meet… Christy Cozby Christy…
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