Birth Art
A Big Thank You to Jackie and her daughters Scotia and Dagny for sharing their birth art. In honor of their new addition, Lee Magnus, born 1/12/11
I ran over to Jackie's apartment one evening after her OB told her she'd be having a c-section the next morning because her fluid levels were too low to go into labor. I brought over art supplies and asked the family to create their own image of birth.
Erica
I made an inner heart resembling the womb and the child still growing there. The small shells that surround it are Jackie and her family, protecting this child and awaiting his arrival. The flowers surrounding are my doula love.
Jackie
She draws symbols and mentions she doesn't know why they came to her, yet they are somehow a part of her strength and trust, and the big love she is bringing to this birth.
Scotia
Scotia is exploring the abstract in her first birth art image. She as well uses the shells as a symbol of the family waiting for their little boy to arrive.
Dagny
Dagny asks, "Is this for baby brother?"
Dagny
Yes, she loves birth art and gets to do another!
"One kind of learning comes from books. But the learning necessary for you to participate completely in your birth must come from you. In making birth art or journaling, just bringing an image to light can be surprisingly revealing (and sometimes healing). Listening to it speak to you can tell you even more. Dreams, reverie and art all carry messages from the unconscious…
An active, gentle exploration process not only brings overlooked resources and strengths to conscious awareness, but identifies obstacles and inhibitions that might prevent you from using them.
Birth art doesn't have to be pretty, colorful or carefully planned. It is as raw, honest and spontaneous as birth itself.
It is important to notice how you approach making art, because it is a metaphor for how you approach doing things in your life, especially things you are unfamiliar with, such as birthing. Do you say, "I don't know how to do this!" and hesitate, or give up altogether (leaving it up to "the professionals")? Do you find yourself comparing yourself and competing with others? Or can you be curious and say, "Let's see what I can do!"?
Your art, like your labor, doesn't have to be perfect. Just give it your best effort."
Excerpted from the book, Birthing From Within
An active, gentle exploration process not only brings overlooked resources and strengths to conscious awareness, but identifies obstacles and inhibitions that might prevent you from using them.
Birth art doesn't have to be pretty, colorful or carefully planned. It is as raw, honest and spontaneous as birth itself.
It is important to notice how you approach making art, because it is a metaphor for how you approach doing things in your life, especially things you are unfamiliar with, such as birthing. Do you say, "I don't know how to do this!" and hesitate, or give up altogether (leaving it up to "the professionals")? Do you find yourself comparing yourself and competing with others? Or can you be curious and say, "Let's see what I can do!"?
Your art, like your labor, doesn't have to be perfect. Just give it your best effort."
Excerpted from the book, Birthing From Within