Women in pregnancy and birth continually reach out to midwives to communicate and share their thoughts and feelings in a multitude of verbal and non-verbal ways. They want to be heard and understood about the physical, mental-emotional and spiritual challenges they encounter on their journey to motherhood, without necessarily addressing them in a direct way.

The further the pregnancy advances, the more a woman’s inner world usually reveals itself to the alert observer. Layers of self-protection and pretence gradually peel away to illuminate and expose the “raw self” and the sensitive state of mind a woman encounters towards the birth of her child.

During the actual birth-work, it soon becomes apparent to a holistically skilled midwife whether a woman has been able to reach some sort of resolve within herself that puts her in an empowered position to embrace the birth with all its challenges, or whether she is very much at loose ends, aimless and frightened in her approach.

What are some of the signals women reveal, and how can they be interpreted? In what ways can the midwife respond to those clues? What might happen if she doesn’t respond appropriately?

After completion of this workshop

• You will be able to recognize and interpret some of the unspoken signals and messages being sent out by women during pregnancy and birth.
• You will have an understanding of the basic observation and communication skills needed to pick up these clues and address them appropriately and sensitively.
• You will appreciate more clearly the consequences of a caregiver’s inability to interpret and address a woman’s unspoken messages.
• You will have designed and practised some approaches that can assist women in navigating their inner world more successfully, creating a solid path for clarity, empowerment, resolve and, ultimately, better birth and motherhood.
• When you return to work you will find yourself to be more observant and mindful in spoken and unspoken interactions with women. This will add a unique and intriguing dimension to your work.

For further details of this workshop, please contact BirthRite Head Office (Germany).