The Green Parent
Raising kids with conscience
28 Nov 2011
Natural Approach to Birth
A new, unique, residential weekend offers pregnant women and their partners the opportunity to learn a simple hands-on healing technique in an antenatal event set in an award-winning country house retreat.
The practice of Reiki has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, increase feelings of well-being and help reduce depression. Studies suggest is also helpful for reducing pain and speeding recovery e.g. after operations. All of which make it a perfect experience for pregnant women and their partners who are looking for a simple, natural way to prepare for birth and parenting.
Where this new course aims to help is to enable the partner to bond with the unborn baby, to physically feel a deep connection. “I was so excited the first time I put my hands on my partner’s belly and gave my baby Reiki and felt him respond to my touch. I really believed I was a father for the first time” says Riccardo, 42. “And I cried”.
Melanie Hoffstead, one of the co-founders of Birthing with Loving Reiki Hands recalls how Reiki helped her through pregnancy and birth “At the end of my working day, I’d put my feet up, put my hands on my baby in the womb and sing to him. And tell him that all would be well. The Reiki helped me to ease away the tiredness of the day and give me quality time to be with my unborn child.”
For birth partners who give Reiki to the mother during birth, they find they can keep her relaxed, provide pain relief through Reiki and so feel truly included and useful. They can also give Reiki to themselves during the birth to keep themselves calm and in a positive state.
Melanie also found that using Reiki during her birth enabled her to stay very focused and consciously aware of the dance that happens between the mum and the baby during labour. As a result of using Reiki during birth Melanie, who has been teaching Reiki for over 20 years, went on to teach Reiki to the two midwives who attended her birth and who were so impressed with the calm and centredness they witnessed during her birth. Since then, she has gone on to teach many midwives and pregnant women. For parents who already have children, using Reiki can enable them to comfort their other children in the run up to the birth and help them adjust to the new one arriving.
As well as teaching people how to give themselves and others a Reiki treatment, learning how to use it to sleep better before birth and help the babies to sleep after they’re born, the course includes antenatal education woven through the weekend and a pregnancy yoga class. The courses take place at Oxon Hoath Estate in Kent.
Details: £325 per person including full board, organic and vegetarian, Reiki 1 training, antenatal course and pregnancy yoga. Venue: Oxon Hoath www.oxonhoath.co.uk. More info: birthingwithlovingreikihands.wordpress.com Led by Melanie Hoffstead and Rosemary Pharo.
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