It Takes a Village
By Shannon Geoghegan

  I have heard it said many times, “it takes a Village to raise a family.”  In both my professional and personal experience, I have watched many friends and clients navigate the challenging waters of pregnancy and parenthood. I have attempted to be a resource, a support, a nurturer, a practitioner and a witness to this remarkable, transitional and miraculous time in a woman’s life. I have massaged many pregnant bodies offering comfort, peace of mind, connection with self and their baby and some relaxation. I have taught many new moms how to massage their newborns. I have also been blessed to join some of these women in labor and be a part of their care as they birth their babies.

Being a member of a Village during pregnancy is good work. It fills my heart and soul to be a part of such an intimate and precious part of life’s journey. Those experiences have left me in awe of what we as women do for each-other, ourselves and our children. We are Powerful Ladies, especially when we are nurturing each other and our selves, because this, in turn, nurtures our children  who are our hope for a Peaceful future. I have been taught and believe that our pregnancies and our births do matter. Our first moments here do matter; our time in the womb does matter. Nurturing matters.

Prenatal care today in our communities tends to be the standard medical/technological offerings. There is a new trend towards health and wellness that is also affecting the way we go about birthing and self care during pregnancy. More people are seeking choices such as doulas, prenatal massage, acupuncture and other modalities of wellness – all of which are focused on self-nurturing and embrace the reality of a Village.

There is a Village of support available to us all. You may have to pay for some of it, seek it out, ask for it, create it- but it is there. This Village i ncludes friends, family and anyone who helps us thru life’s transitions . The women that I have watched and learned from all were surrounded by supportive women, and have had an easier time on many fronts than those that I watched who did not receive any help.

My own journey to pregnancy was not an easy one - funny how the universe works! After years of massaging women through their pregnancies, including many women through various stages and challenges with infertility, I had difficulty getting pregnant. As I tried with my words, my prayers and my hands to soothe my struggling clients’ bodies and hearts through such a trying, frustrating and painful time, I had no idea that these strong, brave, beautiful women would be paving the way for me.

It was now my turn to be on the receiving end of a nurturing Village. All that I had studied and experienced for the past decade was now being put to the test. Could I surrender? Could I slow down? Could I Receive? Be Peaceful? Let go? It took a Village. My gratitude to the women in my life is overwhelming. We were blessed to be able to birth our babies at home. Four midwives, four girlfriends, my husband and my mother all helped me birth and welcome our son and daughter. It took a Village.

We joke that most people get pregnant in their bedroom, and give birth in the hospital. We got pregnant in the hospital and gave birth in our bedroom. So be it. There are many ways to dance this dance…

There was a Village in our home that weekend the twins arrived. Then the village continued. Meals that were left unannounced, the visitors, the women, the neighbors, clients, friends and family, The Village. It takes a Village. If you don’t have one, ask for it, the women around you will show up. Angels are everywhere I am coming to believe. I have seen it, experienced it and will do my best to continue it. We are each others Village…

For more information about Doulas please contact www.dona.org (Doulas of North America) or www.alace.org  (Association of Labor assistants and childbirth educators)

Benefits of prenatal massage:

• Reduces stress & promotes relaxation through emotional support and physical nurturing
• Reduces edema and high blood pressure, increases blood and lymph circulation
• Facilitates hormonal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary and other prenatal physiological processes
• Reduces musculoskeletal pain and strain
• Improves infant well being

Benefits of using a Doula during labor:
There are in-depth studies stating many impressive statistics about the decreased labor time, decreased use of medications, decreased medical interventions- all which can be found in books such as “Mothering The Mother how a Doula can help you have a shorter, easier and healthier birth” by Klaus, Kennell and Klaus. In short, when a woman is cared for in labor by another woman along with her partner- doctor- midwife- whomever the team may be, she usually has a more positive emotional experience during labor which leads to a more positive birth experience.

Shannon Geoghegan is a licensed massage therapist, certified birth doula, infant massage instructor and mother to 15 month old Liam and Grace. She is co-owner of Natick Massage & Healing Arts. 508-653-5500 or visit www.natickmassage.com 

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