Good luck to the BOLD Red Tent in Terressa, Spain this Friday!

I'm sending all the women who will be telling their birth stories at the BOLD Red Tent in Terressa, Spain this Friday a big BOLD hug!

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Another Super Model supports improved childbirth

I haven't seen Christy Turlington's new film No Woman, No Cry yet, but I"m told it's premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC this month was fabulous.

It's so important for the whole world to know that while childbirth in the US needs our attention so do mothers in developing countries who often die needlessly just because proper supplies are not available. Let's help these moms out too!

If you don't know about the White Ribbon Alliance you should. Check them out. Make a difference for women's maternal health globally. It may feel like only our street, our town, our friends, family and our country matters, but really in the end we are all connected and when one mother is saved from dying needlessly in childbirth we can all walk a little taller.

BOLD Fort Wayne - you rock!

Here are some photos of the REAL Jillian starring as herself in BIRTH! I'm told there are many more to come...these were just taken by her husband on his phone! Great job, Ramone!

Take a Nap, Make a Better Birth Choice

For those of you who have read my Mothering Magazine blog you'll know my new obsession lately is napping. Not just any nap, but a yoga nidra nap.

I'm so nap-happy this year that starting on Mother's Day I plan to commit to taking one nap every day for a year. And I want you to too. (email me: Karen@mybodyrocksproject.com or follow my Mothering blog to find out how!).

The science is out there: naps can be life-changing, increase productivity, elevate mood and a yoga nidra nap can do even more - including helping moms with childbirth trauma heal. Naps are that important.

But this post isn't just about napping. It's about birth choices. To paraphrase Dr. Christianne Northrup who spoke at BOLD's first year performance kick-off Labor Day weekend 2006:

"I want to know why women are more interested in a Prada bag than they are in having a powerful birth experience?"

I think I know. As I mentioned before on this blog, it's a cultural thing. We're so wacked-out busy these days that tuning into our bodies is unimaginable and unattainable for many. And if you're pregnant and not tuned into your body you can forget about making positive birth choices.

I"ve interviewed so many mothers about their birth stories, heard thousands of moms tell their birth stories at our BOLD Red Tents and most women who did not make birth choices that were in line with what their bodies told them had bad birth experiences. Of course moms who are in tune with their bodies and make choices from that place can also end up with a bad birth experience, but that actually doesn't happen as often you think. Why? Because, as Dr. Northrup pointed out, moms who are in tune with their bodies and well-read on childbirth today and know they want a natural birth will chose homebirth or a birth center with a reputation for following the midwifery model of care. And mothers who are not in tune with their bodies and not well-read on childbirth... will chose a Prada Bag.

So what if you're a pregnant mom who is well-read on childbirth but not tuned in to your body? You're super busy, may even take a prenatal yoga class, but you haven't slowed down to ask your body: what emotions or beliefs are inside of me around childbirth? What needs to be explored before I give birth?

This is where yoga nidra steps in nicely. Yoga nidra is a meditative technique that helps you invite messengers in your body for "tea and conversation." Ultimately it helps you discover the stillness inside of you. And when that stillness is in place and all your messengers have been heard then making positive birth choices that are right for you often follow.

But here's the best part about yoga nidra, the reason I think every prenatal, new, and "old" mom needs to be doing regular yoga nidra: in a group (or even individually) all you have to do is lie down to receive it. Isn't that the-bomb-for-moms?

This week I had a mother of an 8 month old in one of my weekly yoga nidra classes tell me she just needed to lie down. That's fine, you can fall asleep doing yoga nidra and you still gain benefits! Another mom this week told me she felt a tingling through her body similar to when she has done Qigong. Yes, it's that powerful!

And while a group experience is different than an individual session, both offer ways moms can become more in touch with their True Selves. For pregnant moms, I am convinced this will translate into making authentic birth choices that will result in a better birth.

So consider joining me starting Mother's Day for this napping revolution! One nap every day. I can't wait to see what personal - and childbirth - transformations unfold.


PS: For the month of May I am offering 1/2 price private yoga nidra sessions by phone for any pregnant, new or "old" mother! Click here to learn more and contact me.

BOLD Fairbanks celebrates their success!

I was so excited to see this email in my inbox this morning from BOLD Organizer, Maite Agopian in Fairbanks, Alaska:


The 3 performances were great! people laughed, cried (our "Lisa" was just amazing and had real tears coming out when she talked about her story)..people didn't know what to expect at all and they were all very surprise to actually see such a performance, they felt it was real and informative and simply great.I think it is a very very convincing first time event!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Talkback discussions after the performances were really interesting. we had different people every time, and focused each time a little bit on something different. so attending the three discussions was really interesting. and what really came up is that Fairbanks seems different than other places in the US. the birth center has a big (positive) impact locally, the hospital did improve a lot, specially in the past 2 and a half years (they have a bath tub for example), and midwives and the hospital do work together. so the choice is out there, but of course a lot could still be done, specially with the teens coming from the rural villages pregnant. it seems that they have a ridiculously high percentage of C-section when really they are fit and young and it shouldn't be that way. but they lack information a lot!!!!!! so this really can make us think a perhaps there is something there to work on here, locally.

Congratulations, BOLD Fairbanks - you ROCK!

(I'm hoping to post a few photos soon!)

BOLD Fort Wayne, Indiana Stars The Real Jillian!

This weekend - April 17 - audiences in Fort Wayne, Indiana will have the pleasure of watching the play with the character of Jillian played by Jillian De Moya...the real Jillian! What a thrill. Jillian lives in the Fort Wayne area and anyone who knows her can attest she is quite a natural actress and is always a thrill to watch.

Good luck BOLD Fort Wayne...and good luck Jillian! You ROCK!

PS: I should also mention that in addition to Jillian their cast will feature Barbara Harper, an internationally known waterbirth and gentle birth educator. Barbara has performed in the play in many different locations - New York City, Bermuda, Florida. You rock too Barbara!