Omtara’s Birth –
“How Simple It Can Be”

Date: 25th October 1997. Sequence: Sixth overall.
Location: Third homebirth (medically unassisted).

     Saturday had dawned beautifully and I awoke spontaneously at 6.30 am. I had slept like a log after a busy Friday which had left me feeling pretty exhausted. I felt really relaxed as I stretched and turned to roll out of bed, with the idea that I was going to do an hour’s yoga and meditation before making breakfast for the 12 hungry residents on our farm. At 37 weeks pregnant I had felt a few kicks in different places in my abdomen, but hadn’t had any of the usual Braxton-Hicks evening contractions as with all the previous pregnancies.
     Just as I moved to get up, the familiar wave of a contraction rose up inside my belly, and my bed was flooded with the clear liquid of my fore-waters. As soon as I managed to get out of bed, mild contractions started to come on, so I woke my Shiva and the kids to tell them the news. But after a few contractions the labour seemed to stop. I knew from past experience that my labours often went in fits and starts, so this was not of much concern to me.
     To pass the time, I decided to get on with my normal day. I prepared breakfast for the mob and then afterwards went for a walk around the vegie garden, during which time there were a few contractions, but nothing very strong. I knew that it was best to keep active to keep the labour progressing.
     On returning to my room at about 8 am, I found it cleaned and aired with incense burning and the sun flooding in. The usual accessories needed for my homebirths had been assembled – a plastic table cloth, several big cushions, some towels, a big mixing bowl, jug of water, cup, face washer, dental floss and a pair of scissors. The kids – aged 9, 8, 3 and 2 at the time – were all playing around in their rooms or outside in the yard. My Shiva and my teacher were off on the farm somewhere getting on with their day, obviously unconcerned about what was to happen.
     So I just settled into my room for the journey ahead, enjoying the soli-tude and focus that labouring alone affords. I started doing some squats using the window ledge for support to help strengthen the contractions and open my pelvis. Occasionally the kids would scamper in to ask “when is Omtara coming out?” or something else completely unrelated to my situation. Sometimes they would refill my cup or re-wet my face washer.
     By about 9.30 am things were still moving haphazardly. Without any regularity of contractions or growing intensity of pain, I had no idea of how dilation was progressing, not that it really mattered. I could sense that the baby would be born soon but it was somewhat puzzling that my intuition would tell me this, when there were no rational signs of progression. Just as I was considering this thought, my teacher came in. He must have sensed my quandary as he straightaway said – “Just relax and get out of your head”. After he left, I moved onto my hands and knees over a mass of large cushions, closed my eyes and just watched my breath, using the Ujjayi Pranayama to