Children at Birth

What sort of scenario does the mind come up with, when you think of children at births? Does it make me a bad mother or Tapuhi, when I take my daughter to the births I attend? Possibly in some people's minds but this is what makes what I do unique. It's about whānau and breaking down the misconceptions, walls and stigmas attached to birthing. Like me she attends birth and brings the energy of a innocence with her. Am I worried about what a 4 year old sees? No, because I know from experience that she only sees what she wants to see. She doesn't lurk around to catch a glimpse, or huddle in the corner feeling scared. In fact she's quiet an active participant, touching mamas puku, letting me know through mama's birthing calls that baby is coming. Often she's humming away in the background and more recently she's almost doing the welcome Karanga.  In everything I've done, from Mirimiri, Romiromi, land clearings, house clearings and blessings, she has been there. A helpful innocence, that grounds me in situations trying on the heart strings. She's observing, learning and taking in as much as her senses will allow. There is no violence in birth and it shows her how natural childbirth is. She isn't taught some text book idea or sex education class kind of birth. First hand knowledge is becoming the key to education, therefore she is fully aware of the function of the female body. The female body during birth and therefore she shows no fear, she has a sense and confidence that although beyond her years. She is grasping the beauty and naturalness of birth. She knows what the placenta is and it's importance in the growth and life of a baby. This is my gift to her and my way of educating future mothers.