30 days of peace

July 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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By Janet Callahan Not every pregnancy goes according to plan. After 5 years of on-again, off-again fertility treatments, my son came crashing into the world by emergency c-section at 27 weeks and a day, weighing only a pound and seven ounces, thanks to pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. With that kind of delivery, there isn’t time for setting the mood – no candles, no soft music, no labyrinth or birthing tub….just panic. The spiritual side of that sort of birth defaults to praying, … [Read more...]

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A big week at Pagan Families

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Lotus

I totally missed that Pagan Families turned one year old last weekend.  I have a really good excuse, though.  I was celebrating my daughter turning one week old. While she sleeps on my lap I'm taking the opportunity to celebrate the first year of this website, and to fill you in on some other exciting news. On May 26, 2011 I announced that Pagan Families: Resources for Pagan Pregnancy and Birth was born.  In the past year I've been blessed to be able to publish the writing of some really … [Read more...]

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Book Review: Pagan Pregnancy

April 24, 2012 By 2 Comments
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It is important to think of pregnancy as a process, not a condition... pregnancy changes you and your life on a deep level. - Arin Murphy-Hiscock I am aware of exactly one book available for purchase right now specifically on the topic of Paganism and pregnancy.  Arin Murphy-Hiscock wrote Pagan Pregnancy: A Spiritual Journey from Maiden to Mother years ago, and the book was finally released as an ebook just a few months ago.  As soon as I saw the news I enthusiastically set to work … [Read more...]

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Birth Guardians: Ben Houshour

February 27, 2012 By 2 Comments
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Today we continue the 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. Our first profile featured Jane Hardwicke Collings. If you would like to be a part of the series please send an email to paganfamilieseditor@gmail.com. What is your name? Ben Hoshour What … [Read more...]

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Ten Moons: The Inner Journey of Pregnancy, Preparation for Natural Birth

February 7, 2012 By 5 Comments

A review by Niki Whiting I admit I am completely intrigued by the idea of shamanic midwifery. Jane Hardwicke Collings, an Australian, has forged this path, combining traditional midwifery with shamanic concepts and work with the Divine Feminine. She trains other women, midwives and doulas, in this process, which, from her websites, is more of a set interpersonal skills and mindset, than an actual magical system. I was sent the e-book version of Collings's book on preparing for natural … [Read more...]

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CDC data: home birth on the rise

January 26, 2012 By 2 Comments

The CDC released new data today on home births in the U.S., finding that "the percentage of U.S. births that occurred at home increased by 29%, from 0.56% of births in 2004 to 0.72% in 2009."  This increase mostly represents non-Hispanic white women. The report says "Women may prefer a home birth over a hospital birth for a variety of reasons, including a desire for a low-intervention birth in a familiar environment surrounded by family and friends, and cultural or religious concerns." We … [Read more...]

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Birth Guardians: Jane Hardwicke Collings

January 16, 2012 By 6 Comments
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This is the first in a new series, inspired by Radical Doula Profiles, 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.  If you would like to be a part of the series please send an email to paganfamilieseditor@gmail.com.   What is your name? Jane Hardwicke … [Read more...]

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Review: Birthrites

January 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Birthrites

Birth is the archetypal rite of passage for a woman, containing the essential elements of any ritual: separation from normal life, a profound transition during which the participants occupy a timeless time, followed by re-entry into society in a changed state.  It can also be seen as a holy sacrament; the entry of a soul from another plane into this earthly dimension. -- Jackie Singer, Birthrites Birthrites: Rituals and Celebrations for the Child-bearing Years was a fortuitous find for me, a … [Read more...]

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The Pagan Health Survey on Pagan pregnancies

October 20, 2011 By 5 Comments
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Did you take The Pagan Health Survey last year?  The results of this survey were interesting for many reasons, including the little bit they tell us about how Pagans approach pregnancy and birth. Cultural anthropologist Kimberly Hedrick conducted the research using participant-observation, interviews, and an internet survey with 1,598 respondents.  She presented her results at the American Public Health Association conference in Denver, Colorado in fall of 2010 and the Pagan Studies … [Read more...]

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Responding to Ina May: The sacred is multiple

September 15, 2011 By 5 Comments

Editor’s note: I asked some of our regular contributors to each respond to a quote from midwife and natural birth advocate Ina May Gaskin.  In her new book Birth Matters Gaskin wrote: Birth… matters because the journey through pregnancy and birth offers an irreplaceable way for women to explore their deepest selves – their minds, bodies, and nature… There is a sacred power in the innately feminine capacity of giving birth.  It is one of the elemental, continuing processes of nature … [Read more...]

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