Birth Guardians: Denise Hibben

Today’s profile of Denise Hibben is part of our series profiling people who work with pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period (prenatal massage therapists, childbirth educators, OB/GYNs, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, labor & delivery nurses, pediatricians, etc.) and are Pagan or work with a Pagan community. Check out the previous Birth Guardian profiles. If you would like to be a part of the series please send an email to paganfamilieseditor@gmail.com.   Now, on to Denise’s profile.

What kind of work do you do with pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period?

I am a Birth Servant and Traditional Birth Attendant. I serve mothers and their families in whichever way they choose me to serve, whether that be supporting them during pregnancy, birth and postpartum as their Traditional Midwife, as a doula, as an educator, or as a friend supporting them through their birthing journey.

In what ways does Paganism affect your work?

I am a Servant to the Great Mother through helping and serving her own during their birthing journeys. Birth is a very sacred, safe, life affirming function of Women that has been relegated to a scary, dangerous, overly medicalized event. Through my vow to Harm None, I help mothers to birth on their terms.

How can we honor what is sacred in childbearing?

We can honor what is sacred in childbearing by remembering that birth belongs to women. No one else. Not doctors, midwives, doulas or hospitals. Only Mothers. We can also change the paradigm of birth from the overly medicalized, technocratic model that is so common today back to the holistic realm of women by remembering what our ancient foremothers knew… That birth truly is safe, that many of the problems we see in birth are directly related to the unnecessary interventions that are used on most women. That Birth is a birthright of women and through birthing on our own terms and not fearing a natural, powerful sacred process, we can, truly heal the Earth.

If you could tell Pagans one thing about pregnancy or birth, what would it be?

That Birth is a safe, normal and beautiful part of The Sacred Feminine. When we honor birth as the sacred act that it is, We honor the Great Lady.

Find Denise Hibben on the web at http://peacefulbeginningsbirthservices.yolasite.com/