Basic Instinct 3

BASIC INSTINCT PART THREE
TERESA ROBERTSON, RN, MSN, CERTIFIED MIDWIFE AND BIRTH INTUITIVE, GIVES YOU
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE CONNETION WITH YOUR MAMA—OR PAPA—BEAR WISDOM

CULTURAL MYTH: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND IT WILL
KEEP ME SAFE AND IN CONTROL
Many childbearing women adhere to the myth that knowledge will
keep them safe. The birthing practices of the ’50s and ’60s—when
women were completely anesthetized—interrupted and fractured
the transmission of our oral knowledge and wisdom about pregnancy
and birth in our culture. As a result, in the ’60s and ’70s, written information about natural childbearing arose out of the desire for families to regain this knowledge base. The challenge inherent in written knowledge is it often does not incorporate the aspect of integrating inner wisdom. Absolute right ways and wrong ways to approach something emerge as truth. So, the practice of looking outside of ourselves first for the answer and accepting an external expert’s written statements as our truth may impart knowledge, but it may exist without the wisdom needed to authentically integrate that knowledge. To navigate the ever-changing and complex world we live in, we need to learn to integrate and temper our knowledge base with our inner wisdom.

I experience this often with clients who utilize the Internet to allay their fears. Yes, they may get their questions answered; however, in the process of finding their answer, they are exposed to frightening options they were never aware of. Now there are new potential scenarios to fear. Conversely, I have worked with clients who have interfaced the knowledge of the Internet while being aware of and connected to their inner wisdom and intuition. These clients find their answers, know when to stop researching and find the experience to be empowering. When you go shopping for knowledge or information, be sure to bring your mama or papa wisdom radar and check in with her/him as you research.

MAKE THE CONNECTION: EXERCISE CULTIVATING A DIALOGUE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MAMA AND PAPA BEAR WISDOM
Throughout this article, we have discussed and periodically revisited the first step in accessing mama and papa bear wisdom by grounding. The next step involves dialoguing, connecting and interacting with your inner source of intuition and wisdom. As you develop this relationship, you will learn to feel comfortable and trust its messages in everyday life—so when the big decisions come along, you can then access your wisdom source with established trust.

This next exercise will give you the steps for cultivating this dialogue and relationship with your inner wisdom. The key to remember as you journey through your pregnancy is to balance the time you spend researching and learning with time spent reflecting on how all of this makes you feel. There is not a specific right, wrong or perfect path to follow. The action you pursue is not as important as how it makes you feel in your core. Your body has all the knowledge and resources to create and nourish a healthy baby—and you need to trust this biological fact. You also need to listen to your body when something seems out of the realm of normal and your body and/or baby is asking for some extra care. This information comes not from a place of fear, but from a knowing that something is not right—versus fearing that something is wrong.

THE EXERCISE: GO DEEPER TO CONNECT WITH YOUR WISDOM
Note: If the answers to these questions come from your head, then you are most likely not using your mama and papa bear wisdom. The language of intuitive knowing is not logical. As such, the more you approach this with amusement and have fun with it like a game, the easier the answers will flow.

Our intuitive knowing often comes as a strong and persistent knowing, a feeling in your body, such as from your gut or your womb space, a whisper or a strong sense or feelings of warmth or cold.

Take your time with these questions. You might want to ask one at a time or go through the entire list. You also might want to take time in between questions to draw your understanding of your messages.

Start by grounding. Be aware of your body and how it feels. Be aware of your breath.
You may want to create soft eyes by keeping your eyes slightly unfocused or you may wish to close your eyes.

Now, invite your mama/papa bear wisdom to join in conversation. Say hello to her/him and thank her/him for coming forward.

Ask her/him:

	What do you need?
	What do you know or want to share with me?
	Where do you reside?
	What signal do you like to use to get my attention?
	How can I quickly connect with you?
	Do you have a name?
	What conditions make it easier for you to connect with me?
	What conditions help me to trust and hear you?C
	What gets in the way of the communication?
	What can help to re-establish the connection?
	How can I validate you?

Be patient with yourself. Some of the answers may come to you later, as your day unwinds or even in your dreams.

Complete this conversation as you would any other and agree to another time when you will reconnect.

Open your eyes and be aware of your surroundings.

Stretch and breathe.

In closing, remember that the secret key to tapping into this innate wisdom is to go deep inside of yourself with all of your questioning and embrace that part of you that loves yourself and your child so very deeply. From this place, your answer has the opportunity to clearly unfold.

Remember that your child(ren) will always be your most powerful teacher, full of compassion, love and amusement. Your child does not expect for you to be perfect. What he/she does need is for your choices to be coming from a place of connection to your inner knowing and heart space.

There is no place for fear-based decisions. In any situation, there is always a choice to use one moment to move yourself into a place of trust, safety and clarity. All the time you need to make that transition is the time it takes to take a deep breath.

Know that you are your child’s mother or father and that from your own personal wisdom, you will create correct actions as you act from your intuitive knowing and a loving heart.

CLICK HERE TO READ BASIC INSTINCT PART ONE.
CLICK HERE TO READ BASIC INSTINCT PART TWO.

Teresa Robertson, RN, MSN, certified nurse midwife, has been involved in the realms of women’s health, birth and alternative healing for the past 29 years. During the past 12 years, she has shared these integrative tools of healing and knowing with numerous groups of clients and professionals.

As a birth intuitive, she is uniquely qualified in bridging and integrating the often confusing and sometimes contradictory approaches offered to a client by both her medical doctor/provider and her alternative health care providers during pregnancy and/or fertility promotion. Teresa utilizes numerous concrete mind/body/spirit techniques and tools, including connecting with your unborn baby. Her integrative approach is concrete, supportive and empowering.

Teresa’s work in fertility and pregnancy as a birth intuitive has been endorsed by Dr. Christiane Northrup in her best-selling books Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and Mother-Daughter Wisdom.

To sign up for a free teleclass on cultivating your mama and papa bear wisdom, go to www.birthintuitive.com.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Professional Support Group Organizations

American Association of Birth Centers
www.birthcenters.org

Association for Pre- & Perinatal Psychology and Health
www.birthpsychology.com

American College of Nurse-Midwives
www.acnm.org

Midwives Alliance of North America
www.mana.org

Books and Magazines

Mothering magazine
www.mothering.com

“Effects of Hospital Economics on Maternity Care”by Susan Hodges with Henci Goer.
Reprinted from Citizens for Midwifery News, Spring/Summer 2004

Mother-Daughter Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, MD

Pregnancy as Healing, Volumes 1 and 2 by Gayle Peterson, MS, MSW, and Lewis Mehl, MD, PhD

The Biology of Belief by Bruce H. Lipton, PhD

The Tentative Pregnancy by Barbara Katz Rothman

DVDs

The Business of Being Born
www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com

Birth As We Know It
www.birthintobeing.com

Orgasmic Birth
www.orgasmicbirth.com