Welcome to

WARNING: this article contains pictures and graphical photos of a birth, labor and delivery. You may be chocked by their explicit nature.

This new set of homebirth photos shows us that breech babies can be homebirthed too if the necessary precautions are taken.

I believe no further commentary is needed as the pictures talk for themselves.

Haptonomy is the science of touching and feeling, defining how we deal with ourselves, the others, and the world that surrounds us. Haptonomy was founded by Dutch researcher F. Veldman, these days residing and working in France, where resides the only school for the different Haptonomy therapies: Haptopsychotherapy, Pre-and Postnatal accompaniment, Haptosynesis.Haptonomy is all about awaking the baby to the world that surrounds it and helping it to assume itself with confidence and trust. It can and should be started from conception and up to the seventh month after birth; after that date it is considered to be too late to start an haptonomy accompaniment.  

While in utero, the fetus is able to feel throught out its own skin and the tension and softness of the mother’s womb the world surrounding both of them. Even before he grows ears, it can feel the father’s voice though tissue vibration: if the father comes in the room where the mother is and all is well between them, the inner tissue in the womb (from the uterus to the perineal diaphragm) will relax and become softer and warmer. The baby will instantly become aware of this and thus of the father’s presence.

If the father talks to the baby and places himself near the mum’s belly, the fetus will move forward to him. With this knowledge, Haptonomy will help the parents communicate and build a strong, intimate and trustful relationship between the them and the baby-to-be, up to the point to invite the fetus to become pro-active and play by teaching it up to 3 different bouncing “games”. And it is very important that the father plays along, has Haptonomy is based on this trinity.

Haptonomy allows the fetus to grow strong and confident and actually easies labor work, but it does create a trauma to the baby: he comes to feel cold, hungry, tired and sour – several times a day. Postnatal haptonomy will help the parents and the baby build – or re build- a relationship between the three of them and the world based on trust and confidence.

 This is achieved thanks to the same tools as in prenatal care: touching. Parents will learn how to stimulate the baby and how to let him hold his own head (actually the total opposite parents are usually told). You get then to see these babies holding their own head themselves and absolutely aware of everything around them, their open hands showing how relaxed and confident they feel, smiling and calm when not laughing.

These babies will grow up with a strong and solid character that will need to be calibrated, as self confident and taking all responsibilities, balanced individuals.

Haptonomy is the science of affection and communication though touching, allowing awareness and conscious of self being and the world surrounding, and how the baby interacts with it, with confidence, affection and trust. The communication that is built up between the parents and the baby from the very first time they approach it, since conception, is priceless intimacy.

I’ve recently purchased a Nokia e65 for a number of reasons, mainly to help me keep organized and synched with my professional calendar, and have a GPS / satellite navigation and a phone in an all-in-one tool. It really does the job and is small enough to let himself be forgotten until its next duty comes.

However I wasn’t happy with the look and feel of the device as per its default theme, so I put one together, as I wasn’t able to find one that fitted my taste on the Internet. I suppose pregnancy themes for Nokia phones are not the most demanded over there…

  By no means is it perfect, but for me, it’s good enough to keep the inspiration coming. I’m aware of some annoying details and I might get the time to correct them in the future, but for now, here it is a free to use release.  I’ve tested it only on my e65, but I suppose it should work on any s60 3^rd edition symbian based devise.

Right-click on the image and select “save as” in order to download.

Enjoy!

Birth stools are probably one of the essentials of home birth specialized midwife. You may have seen some kind of urinal like low chairs in old pictures of traditional births, or commonly used in Africa still nowadays. These birthing chairs are called birth stools or birthing stools.   

Birth stools help the mum-to-be have rest between contractions when on a squat position. They are not aimed at being a permanent sit during the whole delivery. Whilst in a contraction, the patient should kneel to a squat position or grip the handles to heave her hips, rising into a semi-arch position. That will ensure the best physiological position for the baby when delivering with the help of one of these birthing stools.

They’re becoming harder and harder to find for those of us who don’t leave in the US, but on the other hand, they last a life time. Those I like most are oak made, and I’ve seen some wooden models that can be un-mounted for easier transportation (that’s a good idea!).

Like for the squat position, I feel that the use of birth tools needs to be approached during the whole pregnancy to ensure its best usage. Preparation is needed as it is for all physically demanding challenges.