Midwifery Today International Conference

The Epic Journey of Midwifery & Birth

Bad Wildbad, Germany 22–26 October 2008

By Diana Vaptzarova

I thought that there was no more place in my heart for new passions, but within hours of my immersion in a field so new for me, a new passion arose, and much more arduous than the other ones – sustainable living, animals, volunteering and vegetarianism. I was quickly transformed into an activist for natural childbirth!

I learned that midwifery is an art. I learned that a natural birth, without any drugs and even doctors, is the best way for a woman and her child to experience this special moment. I learned that materialism managed to get its hands on this sacred experience and turned it into an unethical business full of malpractice!

I would like to share what I learned with everyone, especially those who plan on being parents or have friends who are future parents! However, I took 30 print pages of notes on my computer and 4 hours of video, so it is impossible to share it all, but I will synthesize it into 5 pages.

Contents:

• ·         What is a Midwife?

• ·         The Rise of the Independent Midwife

• ·         The Shyness of Oxytocin Orgasmic Birth

• ·         When do you cut the cord? Caesarian Section vs. Natural Birth

• ·         The Threat of Epidurals Some Guidelines for Mothers

• ·         Some Reflections on All of the above