The Birth of Kinship in Creation + Why You Should Be a Birdwatcher

Welcome! If you are reading this shortly after I post… then you are here at the start of Kinship in Creation. Like right now! And if you know me pretty well, then you know I've been a doula for a while but things have always been low key. I am still low key, but I’m trying to make my doula business less low key, if you know what I mean. 

It’s been so fun to be able to look back on life so far and see how certain twists and turns have led me to something so specific. It is also humbling, because I see God’s gentle hand, subtle direction, and so much grace. Today, however, I'm just here to tell you about birdwatching.

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Actually, not really. I am not a birdwatcher, but I am amazed by them.

[by the way, this reflection is inspired by the book The Gift of Birth: Discerning God's Presence During Childbirth: Windley-Daoust, Susan. There are some spiritual reflections and journal prompts in this book that I found helpful as I prepared for the birth of my third.]

It is remarkable to be in the company of a birdwatcher. They can be in the middle of thick woods and yet they hear individual birds. They see a little bird way up in a tree and can tell the exact species and whether it is male/female, if it's in molt, etc. On the other hand, if I am in the same woods... I am tripping over roots. I am distracted by the passing chipmunk. I hear only a cacophony of birds singing. I cannot tune in to the one.. I am too busy pushing branches out of the way.

Now, let's compare a birdwatcher to one who seeks the Holy Spirit (if you do not know the Holy Spirit, maybe consider an ideal such a peace or contentment.) One who can stand in the midst of what some may call "chaos" and yet tune in to peace. Someone who knows where the roots are and avoids tripping. Someone who sees through the thick branches, who sees through the bad to the good. To the peace.

A birdwatcher looks for signs: bird calls, flutters, darts of color, to point to the elusive bird. To find the spirit, to find contentment, one must first look for senses of wonder, peace, and joy.

Especially in pregnancy and labor, it is so important to remain in the spirit, to remain in peace. If you find yourself focusing on the branches in the way, the chipmunks on the ground- refocus. Use your bird watching skills, put on the binoculars, and rest in that peace. (p.s. now you know the why for the bird in my logo.)

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Fun fact- your level of stress during labor affects the outcomes. Your body produces oxytocin during labor to help with progress, but it cannot if you are stressed or do not feel safe. From an article from Evidence Based Birth, "Swedish oxytocin researcher Kristin Uvnas Moberg writes that the doula enhances oxytocin release which decreases stress reactions, fear, and anxiety, and increases contraction strength and effectiveness. In addition, the calming effect of the doula’s presence increases your own natural pain coping hormones (beta-endorphins), making labor feel less painful (Uvnas Moberg 2014)."

Well that’s it for now! If you come back soon, I’ll likely be writing things that I've learned over the years about birth, faith, motherhood, etc. When I’m meeting with doula clients, I have so much information and so many different stories I want to tell, but being sensitive to their needs, I hold back and we call it an early night. I figure if I have all my extra things on here, maybe I’ll better help my clients. 

Love, 

Maire

bald mountain with my first son and newly expecting my second