In the Belly of the Goddess: Belly Dance
for Pregnancy and Birth
By Cathy Moore, CNM
I began belly dancing the same year that I finished my nurse-midwifery
training program. At the time, I had no idea that there
was an association between this dance form and birth. I
guess you could call it a bit of synchronicity that a midwife
would find herself pointed in the direction of studying
an ancient dance form whose origins are rooted in childbirth
preparation and ritual.
I was studying belly dance with a group of women, whose
mission was to explore the deep feminine power and spiritual
connection inherent in this dance form, and to share their
discoveries with other women. My belly dance teachers informed
me that there was a link between belly dance and birth.
This assertion made intuitive sense to me, but it wasn’t
until about a year later that I had a personal epiphany
regarding this claim.
Belly Dance and Birth
There have been a number of women, most belly dancers themselves,
who have made the correlation between this dance and childbirth.
Most often cited, is Morocco, a NYC dancer and scholar,
who in a series of articles written in the 1970’s
related her personal experiences of being awakened to this
connection, and of her experience of attending a traditional
birth ritual in the Middle East which confirmed for her
that belly dance is indeed a birth dance. Rosina-Fawzia
Al-Rawi, in her book Grandmother’s Secrets, describes
birth customs still practiced in contemporary times in Arab
countries which include the laboring woman being surrounded
by her female friends and family who belly dance with her
to support the labor process. Barbara Brandt, the founding
mother of The Goddess Dancing?, was one of the first in
the Boston area to talk and write about the belly dance
and birth connection. She collaborated with area birth professionals
to present a series of workshops exploring the link between
belly dance and childbirth. And Delilah, a dancer from Seattle,
has written about her personal experiences as a pregnant
belly dancer, and also produced a beautiful video featuring
herself dancing in the third trimester of her pregnancy
as she embodies Isis, the Great Mother.
My personal realizations
I had my first personal understanding of the connection
of belly dance to birth when I was learning to shimmy. The
shimmy is a quick vibration-like movement of the hips, chest,
and full body. I had struggled with the shimmy for a while,
as many students do, and when I finally “got it”,
and could feel the wonderful looseness and relaxation of
the muscles of the pelvic floor, I knew instantly that this
move was intended to move a baby down the birth canal.
As a midwife, I have the great privilege to observe human
labor and birth on a regular basis. Any of you who have
had the opportunity to witness a birth know that this is
one of the most amazing displays of female creative power
that you will ever see…The forces at work are nothing
less than awesome. In my observations of laboring woman,
I began to see for myself that the movements used in belly
dance actually mimic many of the physical and emotional
manifestations of labor in a woman’s body.
In the early phases of the first stage of labor, the mood
is one of excitement, anticipation and welcoming of the
onset of labor. Many women, if left to their own instincts,
choose upright positions and naturally move their hips and
pelvis in circles and crescents. Rhythmic movement is understood
by midwives as evidence that the laboring woman is coping
well with the labor progression. These movements help to
disperse the pain, and are often prescribed by midwives
especially when the woman is experiencing back pain. Many
midwives believe that moving the hips also facilitates the
baby finding the optimal position for entering the birth
canal.
As the labor progresses to the active phase, and contractions
become stronger, the woman goes deeper into herself. An
emotional turning inward which resembles the mood of the
chiftitelli, the slower movements of a typical 5-part belly
dance routine, is observed here. Floorwork, dancing on the
floor, is often employed during the chiftitelli, and illustrates
many of the positions women assume when actually giving
birth. In ancient birthing traditions, a shallow depression
would have been dug into the earth to receive the baby,
and the birthing woman would lower herself to the floor
and position herself in such a way as to gently release
the baby into this hollow.
Most women, as they enter the phase of labor known as transition
– a time that is considered to be the most intense
of the entire labor, will often display an uncontrollable
trembling in their limbs and entire body. A natural shimmy,
brought on by the labor itself!
Another amazing observation for me, when I really saw it
with my belly dancers eyes, is the way the woman’s
abdomen begins to spontaneously undulate with the uncontainable
urge to bear down that signals the beginning of the second
stage of labor. Undulations are the slow, snakelike belly
dance movements of the arms, abdomen and torso. I have seen
this phenomenon even in women who opt for epidural analgesia.
She may no longer feel the urge to push because of the numbing
effect of the epidural, but her body knows that it is time
for pushing!
Belly Dance as a prenatal exercise
Some
of the same women mentioned earlier who have written about
the belly dance and birth connection, have also suggested
that belly dance may have been the very first childbirth
preparation exercise. Morocco, in her research into prepared
childbirth classes such as Lamaze, found the exercises taught
are similar to, and in some cases exactly the same moves
taught in belly dance classes. Barbara Brandt, in her collaborations
with birth professionals, also explored the usefulness of
belly dance as a childbirth preparation exercise.
The basic posture for belly dance, with the knees slightly
bent, the pelvis tucked under, and the heart lifted, is
excellent for counteracting many of the common discomforts
associated with the physical changes to her body which a
woman experiences during pregnancy, especially in the last
trimester as she approaches her due date.
The hip and torso movements provide exercise to all the
muscles of the abdomen and the muscles of the pelvic floor
involved in birthing in terms of both strengthening and
improving flexibility.
Belly dance benefits for pregnancy
From my personal observations the potential benefits of
belly dancing for a pregnant woman are many, and I will
list some of them here:
More and more, research is showing that regular exercise
in pregnancy benefits both the mother and her baby. Regular
exercisers can expect to have overall shorter labors and
less need for interventions such as C-section. Studies show
placental blood flow is increased with moderate exercise.
This means the growing baby gets more oxygen and nutrients
delivered to it throughout its intra-uterine life.
Unlike many forms of fitness where the emphasis is on muscular
contraction, belly dance balances muscular contraction with
expansion or muscular lengthening, similar to yoga. This
results in both increased strength and flexibility. In our
culture, many of the forms of physical fitness in which
we participate, emphasize only muscular contraction –
for example “rock hard abs” or “buns of
steel”. For birthing, a woman needs muscles that are
not only strong, but that are also flexible enough to expand
and lengthen in order move the labor along, and to facilitate
the birth.
Also, like yoga, and Tai Chi, and other forms of exercise
which emphasize the mind body and spirit connection, belly
dance improves body awareness helping the woman to be in
tune with her changing body and her growing baby. These
are essential elements for a pregnant woman whether she
desires an un-medicated birth experience, or plans to make
full use of current modern pain management techniques such
as epidural analgesia.
Healthy body image is another benefit for women who belly
dance. So many women, whether pregnant or not, have experienced
a wonderful acceptance and appreciation of their bodies,
as they learn the movements of belly dance which are essentially
natural to the female body. Any woman who lives in our modern
culture, and especially pregnant women who often hide under
tent-like clothing, can benefit from the “my body
is great!” affirming messages inherent in belly dance.
Because, at its ancient roots, belly dance tells the story
of woman’s life-giving power, it is a natural for
pregnant woman who are at the peak of their creative power.
Through belly dance, a woman celebrates her fertility, sensuality
and abundance and affirms the fullness of her being.
Pam England, a nurse midwife and author of the book Birthing
from Within, which I recommend that all pregnant women
and birth professionals read, talks extensively about the
importance of active, creative self-expression to the birth
process. She and I both agree that belly dance is one of
the many avenues for this creative self-expression that
is essential for the pregnant woman in achieving her goals
of self-discovery and “birthing-in-awareness” (England
and Horowitz, 1998). Giving birth is a rite of passage,
and belly dance is one powerful tool a woman can use to
re-claim pregnancy and birth.
In summary
Belly dance is an ancient dance form rooted in childbirth
that offers many benefits for contemporary women seeking
to re-claim their power during this significant rite of
passage.
About the author
Cathy Moore is a certified nurse midwife in practice at
Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She has
over 17 years experience in women’s healthcare, and
is a member of The Goddess Dancing? belly dance troupe.
For a full list of references and to contact the author
visit her website www.thegoddessdancing.com
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