Guest Blog: Kulshan Gill

Kulshan Gill hails from Alberta, Canada, and is one of our recently certified Calm Birth instructors. 

As part of the certification process, Kulshan wrote an essay on the importance of Calm Birth in society. We were so taken with it, we asked if we could post it on our blog-- and to our delight, she agreed!

Thank you, Kulshan, and congratulations on your certification! We can't wait to see what you do with your ambition!

Importance of Calm Birth in Society.

In many cultures across the world, Pregnancy and Childbirth is a time of celebration and welcoming new life. It establishes new hopes and dreams for the future, a new era, start of a new generation.

From past centuries to modern times, pregnancy and childbirth are occasions to validate fertility and prosperity of a clan, a tribe or as a nuclear family. It’s one of nature’s miracles where not only the woman can be in touch with her core being and centre of creation but also everyone around her establishes a connection with a new developing life.  Pregnancy is also a time to nourish, to rest, to reflect and create positive communication between the mother and her unborn child, which after childbirth will develop into a deeper trust between mother and child. After all, prenatal care sets the stage of a child’s future physical, mental and emotional health. Women generally tend to take better care of themselves during pregnancy; thereby bringing along a great opportunity for them to also learn more about their changing body.

For centuries, women helped other women through pregnancy and childbirth, be it midwives, doulas, physicians, mothers or grandmothers. They provide physical, mental and emotional support during this time. However, we have come a long way with changing times and lifestyles. Today, women are considered more or less equal counterparts in running households, managing successful careers, becoming political leaders etc. With this evolution, the traditional role of women has also seen a drastic change. There is an increasing number of evidence that shows women, in the present time and age, are far more stressed and burnt out than their counterparts in a traditional household role centuries ago. This effect is being seen in women’s health with difficulty in conception, difficult labour and childbirths, and increased numbers of premature births and caesarean sections. Studies show that women who are highly stressed or are not supported during their pregnancies have a higher rate of adverse outcomes and unhealthy babies.

Even though modern medicine has developed new tools and technology, and maternal care has improved from what it used to be, we still lack the care which addresses the holistic mind body balance during this beautiful phase in a woman’s life. Medicine has come a long way in providing excellent care for physical symptoms but somehow it has fallen behind in providing mental-emotional support. This is evident with the rising rates of post-partum depression. Medically, mental health can be taken care with pharmaceutical aids but it only goes so far. This is when programs such as Calm Birth play an important role in the wellbeing of the mother and baby.

Calm Birth is an evidence-based program which uses proven mind-body and breathing techniques to bring a sense of calmness and relaxation to the mother and baby. It also helps with alleviating anxiety, fear and pain associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Practice of meditation during pregnancy creates a sense of self- awareness for the pregnant woman and also makes her feel empowered. This helps her go through the process of pregnancy and childbirth with more ease. Women develop a strong connection within themselves, which in a lot of ways improves the quality of health for them and the baby.  Techniques taught during the program such as Practice of Opening and Womb breathing are not mere exercises: they enhance the overall potential and experience of giving birth. As they become more centered and develop their awareness, women experience a renewed sense of energy and vitality in their bodies. Calm Birth meditation is not only for the mother, but an opportunity for both parents to experience the strong mental/emotional connection and sense of bonding with their unborn child.

Currently, Meditation – Mindfulness practices and their benefit on overall health and wellbeing is being extensively researched, despite being an ancient practice in certain cultures. This ancient wisdom provides a new dimension to childbirth. The present day childbirth education classes provided to new parents limit the education content to a very medically oriented physical sign/symptom model of care. To provide a more holistic approach, it is imperative to incorporate program such as Calm Birth. It should be part of childbirth education. Such programs empower women to trust their innate ability in bringing new life into the world, and to trust their creative potential and establish awareness in pregnancy and childbirth for generations to come. Calm Birth is a platform which provides a woman with the right tools to explore her true creativity, her womanhood and the feminine energy goddess she holds within, to create the human being and the human race.

Kulshan Gill is a Certified Life&Wellness Coach. Her educational background also includes training in Family Medicine from India and Bachelor of Naturopathy from Canada. Her special interest and main focus of practice is in Mind-Body medicine, Stress management, Meditation & Women's health. Learn more about her and her practice at divinelotuswellness.com