Birth with ruh

Imagine going through labour feeling fearless and excited, confident in your trust in Allah's  plan, and in your body's ability to give birth!

What if You could go into labour feeling empowered and informed? 

You can feel yourself get increasingly nervous for the big day, as your baby grows from a “sweet pea”, to a “sweet potato” and then a “butternut squash” and beyond. 

Your body is working hard, but you’re not sure if you’re prepared for what’s coming. 

You see the picture-perfect images at your midwife’s clinic of moms who seem to be at so much peace in their pregnant, or newly postpartum bodies with their new babies, and wonder how you too can feel that serenity when all you can think about is “how the heck am I going to get this baby out?!”

You hear your sister-in-law talk about her 48-hour-nightmare-labour as she suffered for 24 hours before screaming for an epidural. You feel the fear of going into labour and experiencing contractions yourself, rising. 

You just finished your appointment with your midwife who has briefly gone over how to identify you’re in labour and when to call her, but your journey home is riddled with many unanswered questions and concerns.

You’ve devoured multiple books and spent countless hours scrounging the internet for articles on the topics of pregnancy and birth, and it’s only left you feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information and opinions out there. What’s the right strategy for you? Is there even a right or wrong strategy? How do I know I’m making the right choices? You don’t feel nearly as ready as you were hoping to be, for what’ll happen in the delivery room.

Despite all of the apprehension... you’re determined to do the best you can for your baby - the new little piece of your soul, growing in your blessed womb. Right from the moment when they are conceived, until the moment you will first hear their beautiful voice, you know you want to do right by them. And do right by yourself. 

You know that this baby is a trust from Allah swt. A gift that is now your responsibility to nurture. And you know that tarbiyah of this child begins from when they’re still growing in your womb.

You recognize that there is a gap between the information that you’re receiving from well meaning friends and family, your health care providers,  the numerous literature you’ve consumed on the topic of birth, and what you feel deep in your bones. 

Here’s the thing- we’re not just physical and emotional beings, we’re also highly spiritual. And when you’re  birthing, you’re in a state that is closer to your Creator. The duas you make when you’re in labour are Mustajab (readily accepted). THIS is the missing link. 

You haven’t been exposed to a holistic approach to preparing for childbirth that includes the physical, mental, emotional, AND Islamic perspectives.

Your healthcare providers barely have time to go over the basics of birth.

Your friends and family explain birth to you in ways that are very subjective and it makes it hard to understand what YOU can expect when it’s YOUR turn to give birth. 

The literature you’ve consumed about childbirth seems extremely objective, and cold even. 

The Islamic aspect of birth is reduced to a few quick rituals done after your baby is born. 

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Isn’t it about time that you finally overcome the fears and mysteries that surround birth? Isn’t it time to question what we’re consuming when it comes to portrayal of birth  in the media? Isn’t it time to arm yourself with the skills and knowledge you’ll need to own your birth experience, on your terms?

You deserve to be so fully supported and empowered in this life-changing event, that you’re able to embrace this miracle of birth for what it is.

You deserve to be able to make informed decisions regarding your birth, your body and your baby-regardless of whether you opt for a home birth, or a hospital birth. 

You deserve to feel safe, comforted and supported while you’re in a state of utmost vulnerability. 

It’s time to stop dreading the moment of going into labour and begin to look forward to it with renewed faith, excitement, hope, and optimism, insha Allah!