Remember the Elephant Midwives

By Gemma Nealon; Midwife and Natal Hypnotherapist

Elephants have midwives too.  In the wild they have midwives who surround them in a circle during their labour & birth, protecting the pregnant mother, whilst swaying along with the labouring elephant. The elephant midwives may care for the pregnant elephants throughout their long gestation of over 21 months, during labour & birth, and throughout infancy. In labour, the elephant midwives may stroke the birthing mother and make sounds along with the labouring elephant. Within the circle of birth, the midwives protect the mother elephant and assist the newborn to be released from the amniotic sac, stand up &  take its first steps. The wisdom of the elephant midwives, demonstrates the power of birth attendants, be it birth partner, doula or midwife, supporting women during labour and birth, to protect the birthing mother from unnecessary disturbances, isolation, and fear.