Birth, BodyTalk & FreeFall: Maëlle's Birth Story

Mar 04, 2011

When I sat down to write our birth story and realized how much BodyTalk and FreeFall has helped us it hit me, our story starts WAY before labour and delivery. My husband Ryan and I are both BodyTalk practitioners and have been involved with BodyTalk for many years. This past August we decided we would like to start having kids. Like true BodyTalkers we started doing sessions to help prepare my body for baby. We thought for sure that we would likely have to try for about 3 – 6 months just like all our friends, but as you can guess when everything started to balance out we were pregnant within 3 weeks. Needless to say it was a bit of a surprise! We should have known better.

During my pregnancy I was very fortunate to take lots of time for baby and me as I was working full time at BodyTalk and was able to make a schedule that worked for me. It was so wonderful to be able to rest when I needed it and really take time to grow a baby. I know that being so relaxed was a big part in our baby being so relaxed as well. I did have morning/all day sickness but other then that I was very happy and healthy. I had many BodyTalk sessions for me and baby and spent lot of time talking to baby. We had decided right away that we were going with a Midwife and having a home birth. I was so excited to do things completely natural, and our Midwife was very excited for us to be using BodyTalk through the whole pregnancy and delivery.

Part way through the pregnancy we found out our baby was sitting breach. That night Ryan gave me a session and using body vivaxis we helped baby turn. It was the most amazing thing as I could totally feel her turning. We also found out that she really loved sound. So Ryan read to her every night and played music to my belly all the time. She would kick and move and was very happy. Two weeks later when we had our ultrasound to check her position it was no surprise that she was right where she needed to be.

Closer to the end of our pregnancy we were tested for Group B Streptococcus and I tested positive. We did not want to have antibiotics during labour so we worked very hard to get rid of it. I tested positive for it twice and before the third test we used the Body Chemistry vials and were able to clear it up.

Through our whole pregnancy we had planned for a home birth and I had arranged with our close friend and BodyTalk Instructor Allison Bachmeier to be there for us and give us BodyTalk sessions during labour. I was so excited about the whole labour experience and felt very prepared. I had told myself that I would fly through it and in my head I said only 4 hours of labour. A couple of weeks before I gave birth Allison was having a FreeFall study group and suggested, since I had done FreeFall 1, that it may help to further prepare me for labour and delivery. I was super excited and gladly joined. It truly was an amazing experience to participate in FreeFall exercises pregnant. To feel the heart pelvis energy move right through you and baby is incredible. During the letting go exercise I became very aware that though I thought I was able to really get to a place of release I wasn’t quite there yet. I remember reflecting on this for many days after the study group and really using MindScape to go in and practice the letting go exercise over and over. As our due date approached I was so confident in my work that I was feeling more prepare and excited for labour then I was about what I would do after. Our midwife was so impressed as today many women fear labour, due to media and horror stories we here from our friends. I knew that our experience would be different.

The day I went into labour was beautiful. I had a full day of clients and started my morning at 9am out of the city treating horses. I was not expecting it at all as it was a full week before my due date. I had just got to my clients house when I needed to go to the washroom, and from there it never really stopped. Being this is our first child I had no idea that this was my water breaking and continued on with my morning. I had two incredible sessions on their horses and was able to tune into both animals with amazing clarity. I truly think that both horses knew what I was not paying attention to, because they both seemed to be much more calm and relaxed around me then ever before. After visiting the washroom for about the 7th time in an hour the voice in my head that was screaming your water is breaking, finally got heard. To my surprise again my client said she was sure that’s what was happening and had wondered when I was going to quit! So I packed up and headed back to the city to pick up my husband.

I was still second guessing that this was real as I was in no pain and didn’t have any contractions. Unfortunately our primary midwife was not on call that day and so I had to leave a message for the other very busy midwife. Because it was our first and she was unaware of all the work we had been doing she was not expecting me to need her right away, but that’s where she was very wrong! By the time we got home and had some lunch I was really wondering if I had made the wrong call. It was now 1pm and I had one contraction and was feeling great. Because I was a little bit stressed that I had made a false alarm, Ryan suggested a BodyTalk to help me relax. Not long after that the contractions started. They were very easy to move through and I just kept breathing and walking around what seemed at the time our very TINY kitchen! By 2:30 I was having regular contractions and decided to ask Allison over. She was able to be there right away and started into sessions for me as soon as she walked through the door. I was also able to have my sister and Ryan both with me; the three of them made an amazing support team.

I had wanted to have a water birth so I spent most of my time either walking or in the blow up pool. Allison had just taken Structural Integration, and there where many times on my lower back she was able to release the block that I could feel building. For any of you who have given birth you will know the experience is sort of a blur. There is a space you get in and stay focused in and the rest of the world seems to melt away, until the pain gets stronger. In those periods of increased pain I can distinctly remember the BodyTalk! There were walls I remember hitting and thinking I could understand why people would ask for drugs, and before I could say anything I could feel Allison moving energy. We did emotional releases of fear from the pelvis, we needed to put Wood element into the lower back for more energy, I had a special talk with my cervix and was able to not only work through the pain but see it in my mind, relax and release. These were just a few of the many things that came up. I constantly used breath, movement, sound and all of my FreeFall tools to help progress through the contractions. During one contraction I remember telling all three of them I that I knew this one was big and I was going to need their help to get through. I had Ryan holding one hand, my sister Kim holding the other and Allison doing a sub session on baby and the same time doing a structural integration release on my lower back. So you can see why I was so excited for labour I had the best team in the world.

By 4pm my contractions were less then a minute apart and lasting more then a minute long. I was no longer comfortable in the pool and found relief oddly on the toilet. By this time we still didn’t have our midwife yet and my three helpers were half joking half seriously talking about who was going to deliver the baby. But to everyone’s relief our Midwife Debbie showed up at 4:15pm. By now I was ready to push and she didn’t believe me. After a very quick check to find I was fully dilated and ready, the panic set in as she rushed to get all her stuff ready. I remember telling Allison I couldn’t wait my body was telling me push now. It was very strange to me as by this time I was no longer in any pain. Each contraction came and I began to focus on downward movement. By 4:45pm I was totally ready even though Debbie was not. I laugh on this now but she asked me, I think to reassure me that things weren’t going as fast as I thought, to reach down and see if I felt something. I replied yes a head and I think I scared her! By 5:00 our primary Midwife Nooshin was there (she made a special trip just for us) and I had moved to my bed to start pushing. I remember Allison and Ryan both working on me with support and BodyTalk and thinking to myself just listen to your body. I was on my hands and knees and really allowing my pelvis to release with each push, and with each push I knew when to push a little more and when to back off. With about three good pushes we had a new addition to our family.

Maëlle Elizabeth Moellenbeck was 6 lbs 12.5oz and didn’t make a sound. She was so relaxed and calm right from the start. From the start of my contractions till the time of delivery was, you guessed it 4 hours. We left the umbilical code uncut for several minutes as I held her skin to skin. You cannot believe the energy flow that that was, heart to pelvis, and Wei Qi were on fire for Maëlle and I both. The midwives even commented on her beautiful pink skin color. Ryan and I both held her skin to skin and it was amazing for both of us.

We then had a little bit more help, as we were able to let our dogs back into the room. We have a Jack Russell and a Rottweiler who love her dearly. It was very apparent as when I first started breast-feeding she was having a hard time latching and both of them came right over and began to lick her head and feet and she right away latched on. As a farm kid and a very active AnimalTalker, I thought it was so fitting that my day started with horses and ended with my dogs.

Our baby girl Maëlle is now just a little over 4 months old and has been immersed in BodyTalk. She is so smart, strong and beautiful and progressing far faster then other children her age. We were so fortunate to have BodyTalk and these amazing people in our life. It has made being parents so easy and enjoyable. There is no greater tool then when a parent can help their child and anytime we have fussy days BodyTalk is right there to help us understand our child's needs better. I truly wish every woman could have the birth experience I had, as it was the most beautiful act of feminine strength. Ryan and I are both very much looking forward to our next BodyTalk Birth. "

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