Are you interested in joining A Journey of True Midwifery?
Are you interested in joining A Journey of True Midwifery taking place from 12 – 17 May 2025 in Southern Portugal but you have some questions or would like to just get a feel for the course, the facilitators and the content? Ruth Ehrhardt, Samara Hawthorn and Alex Khula invite you to a free information session call this Wednesday the 12th of February Please fill in this form to sign up for the call and we will send you the link to join the call an hour before we begin. Thank you and looking forward to meeting you. Much love, Ruth, Samara and Alex A Journey of True...
Read MoreWhat is it About Birth? (video reading)
What is it about birth? It is as though time suspends itself and something unique unfolds from within the labouring woman. She has purred, sighed, breathed, whimpered, cried her way through her contractions, these life giving pains which make her rock her hips, make her moan and groan, make her eyes roll back in her head, make her sweat, make her hate, make her angry, make her one, make her have to give in, give up, surrender. And as she surrenders something primal is unlocked and this, this essence, this power takes over, her body is no longer her own. She sits on the loo, or she squats, or she kneels, or she lies on her side.She grunts and moans, red slime drips down her thighs, she feels overwhelmed. She may stand up, she may look up, she may feel with her hand as the head of the baby slowly stretches her perineum. She seems more alert now. There. Present. She may crouch down, or breathe, or gasp, or moan, or scream as her baby’s head emerges, not quite believing the sensation of this slimy little head stretching stretching stretching her wide open. The head emerges and hangs, almost lifeless. The world holds its breath. Then a splutter, or a crackle, or a bubble of spittle and a grimace. Then slowly, slowly, the baby’s head turns – as though ready to face the world and with a newfound power, the little body ejects itself, swimming forth in a gush of blood and water and shit. Again, it is as though time has suspended itself as the baby, still aquatic in its features and colour, begins to move, sometimes throwing its arms back and stretching its back like a ballet dancer, and sometimes uncurling slowly slowly slowly as though waking from a deep sleep. A gurgle, a crackle, a soft cry. Slippery body, oily white vernix, blinking eyes, stretching fingers and toes. Cord pulsating. Body breathing. Mother touching. Stroking. Smelling. Kissing. Whispering. Crying. Laughing. Grateful. Astonished. Astounded. Holding. Loving. Ecstatic. Triumphant. Perfect. Beautiful. Primal. Sublime. What is it about birth?...
Read MoreEducational Expectations of The Silent Birthkeeper Course
Coming from a Montessori background I feel very aligned with the philosophy of freedom of choice and freedom of movement and this has always fed into how I hold space for birth. For me, it has always been more about creating a safe environment for birth that meets the basic needs of the labouring woman as opposed to dictating, managing, guiding or coaching. A space where the labouring woman can find HER unique way in her mothering journey. I feel similarly about the education of those attending births. I do not feel it is up to me to dictate to you what the right way for you to attend births is but to rather create a space where you can explore and learn at your own pace over a year, in a closed group, meeting regularly to share and discuss. You can expect to immerse yourself in the following over the 12-month journey together: ⁃ What is ‘True Midwifery’? What does it look like? ⁃ A deep look at our collective and personal history as birthkeepers ⁃ Exploring and finding clarity on this path ⁃ Ceremony, dance, tradition, meditation, and song ⁃ Preparing an ideal learning environment for yourself and supporting one another ⁃ Listening skills ⁃ Self Care ⁃ Birth Stories, storytelling, and learning from birth stories ⁃ The Basic Needs of a Woman in Pregnancy, Labour, and Birth ⁃ Basic midwifery skills, terminology, and record-keeping ⁃ Antenatal/Prenatal care ⁃ If you are assisting at birth, what is your role in labour, birth, and postpartum ⁃ Immediate postpartum care of mother and baby ⁃ Introduction to care and assessment of the newborn ⁃ Breastfeeding ⁃ Cultural competency in childbirth and care of women ⁃ Sexual Abuse Triggers in Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Postpartum ⁃ Pregnancy and Birth Complications ⁃ Difficult outcomes, grief, and death ⁃ Homeopathy and herbs ⁃ Connection and support within your birthing community BOOKINGS CLOSE 4 NOVEMBER 2024 For more information see...
Read MoreI hardly know where to begin to describe the impact of The Silent Birthkeeper course…
and the deeply safe and nourishing community that comes with it – has had on my life. I just gave birth to my firstborn. Having had the immense blessing of having my pregnancy unfold in tandem with this course. Currently he is nuzzled up against my chest in our dimly lit birthing cave. He’s 5 days old. I’ve felt the calling towards becoming a traditional birthkeeper ever since I was a little girl, listening to the tales of my grandmother. Of how the women of the frozen tundra gave birth, close to the fire, safely nestled inside their tents, with their sisters and grandmothers humming outside. The men out hunting, seeking an offering for a safe passage of the new soul. Never until now though, have I actually been present in a birthing space. The arrival of my baby boy was my initiation. Both to motherhood, and to the deep deep certainty that supporting women to feel empowered, loved and safe during conception, childbearing, childbirth and beyond – is a prayer I’ll devote my life towards. I’ve experienced first hand the impact that the teachings, love, support and wisdom offered through this course and its wonderful teachers – can have on a woman journeying towards motherhood. As well as on a birthkeeper at the very beginning of her path. It has taught me why birthkeeping matters. The importance of self care as we aim to care for others. I has made me realise how common it is for women to birth without having the basic needs of a woman in labour met. It has made me ask around among my own friends, sisters, mothers – and learn of their birth stories. Listening to them has made me realise even more the extent of the unspoken trauma that so many women experience during birth. Their feeling of loneliness. Of isolation. I am so deeply grateful to Ruth, Lana, Samara and all the wonderful guest teachers coming to us from all over the world. Showing up in this deeply held container to share their stories, their work and their experience with us. Truly it is such a gift. The teachings I’ve received and the friends that I’ve made here,I will carry with me for the rest of my life. – Noo, Artist, Mother and Silent Birthkeeper 2023-2024 Welcome little one! Your magnificent Mama! For more information or to book your place on the upcoming Silent Birthkeeper one-year immersion please see...
Read MoreWant to know more about the Silent Birthkeeper course?
Are you interested in learning more about the Silent Birthkeeper one-year online immersion with Ruth Ehrhardt? The one-year online course is limited to a small group of people, as it is a personal journey we take together. It is an opportunity for you to spend time with yourself, delving into your relationship with birth, what it means to be a guardian of birth and what it means for you to attend births. The course is held within a tightly held container, and we do our best to honour the unique journey that each person undertakes. One of the beauties of the Silent Birthkeeper space is the diversity of the participants, not only from a cultural perspective, but we have people joining us from all corners of the world and so we get to gather in a monthly virtual circle from different seasons, time zones and hemispheres. The course begins on the 14th of November 2024. Early bird pricing closes on 30 September 2024. Bookings close on 4 November 2024. For more information see...
Read MoreTrue Midwifery is a safe space for ALL birth attendants…
True Midwifery is the home of The Silent Birthkeeper One Year online Immersion and a variety of other courses and workshops are offered online and in person in countries around the world. One of the visions of True Midwifery is to offer a safe space for birth attendants around the world. In a similar way that we want to offer safe spaces for mothers, and babies True Midwifery endeavours to be a safe space for those who guard and protect birth. Sadly there is a lot of fractioning, disparity and othering in the birthing world and the True Midwifery learning spaces endeavour to bridge that gap and to honour that no matter in what capacity we are attending births, we hold at the centre of our calling, the guarding and protecting of the mothers and babies. So we welcome anyone who is interested and feels a connection to birth. Part of what we celebrate in the True Midwifery space is the diversity of the community, not only cultural diversity but also the diversity of what the participants bring into the space. To find out more about the Silent Birthkeeper course see...
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