INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
Katie Förster shares her journey to becoming a doula and the transformative experiences she had during her own births. She emphasizes the importance of preparing both the mind and body for birth and highlights the role of somatics in birth preparation. Somatics is the idea that our body is intelligent and can store trauma, but it is also the way to move through it. Katie discusses the power of curiosity, tracking sensations, and mindfulness exercises in connecting the mind and body during birth. She also emphasizes the importance of honoring individual choices and finding the most impactful preparation methods that feel good for each person.
TAKEAWAYS
Preparing both the mind and body for birth is essential for a positive birth experience.
Somatics, which focuses on the intelligence of the body and its ability to store and move through trauma, can be a powerful tool in birth preparation.
Curiosity, tracking sensations, and mindfulness exercises can help connect the mind and body during birth.
Honoring individual choices and finding the most impactful preparation methods that feel good for each person is key.
Proper nutrition and movement, especially after a cesarean section, are vital for a full and healthy recovery.
SOUND BITES
I walked away with just like this wind, like just like beneath my wings, right? It was just like a whole different experience becoming a mother after having such a positive birth.
Somatics is the idea that our body is intelligent, that our body is both the place that we put our trauma and like our struggles, that it can store those things. And that is also the way to move through them.
Can I just be curious about what's happening? Can I be curious about how it feels to have my stomach grow? Can I be curious about these new feelings of guilt that I'm feeling?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Katie's Journey to Becoming a Doula
03:21 The Transformative Power of Birth
04:03 The Role of Somatics in Birth Preparation
09:18 Curiosity and Mindfulness in the Birth Experience
13:47 Honoring Individual Choices in Birth
16:14 Nutrition and Movement for Postpartum Recovery
TALKING POINTS
doula, birth, somatics, preparation, mind-body connection, curiosity, tracking sensations, mindfulness, individual choices
RESOURCES
Waking the Tiger - Healing Trauma
Resilient- how to grow an unshakable core of calm, strength and happiness- Rick Hanson PhD
"Allowing yourself to be vulnerable during birth doesn’t mean you are weak. It means you are strong enough to accept help, listen to your body, and trust the process."
Katie Förster
Katie has been a birth doula for 7 years and has always been fascinated by the psycho-somatic aspects of birth. The births of each of her 4 children were transformative in their own way and she loves support women as they prepare for the life-changing threshold of becoming a mother (or a mother-again)
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