On Holistic Health, Midwifery, and Birthing

Article I wrote in response to midwifery legislation like SB2661. Holistic health considers multidimensional aspects of wellness. When it comes to holistic health we are looking beyond the physical body. Its addressing the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual pieces of health. We should take that holistic idea into pregnancy, especially when considering indigenous wisdom. We know physical health, values and beliefs, relationships, emotional wellbeing, and spirituality all affect pregnancy and birth. Often issues and chronic conditions we face as teens or adults can, in fact, be traced to brain and nervous system patterning. Your birth period outlines our your sense of self, an “imprintation” you could say. If distorted, it can create the inability to trust the world around us. We walk through life with these patterns. All rooted in the experiences we had at conception, during womb life, in birth, and in those first crucial hours afterward. Healthy holistic pregnancy and birth means comprehension of the interconnected whole. This is one role of the midwife. A sacred trust to guide the birthing process in a holistic way. Today, in Hawaii, this sacred trust is being challenged by secular globalization agendas. This secular global agenda leans towards commerce, NOT culture. Deep ancestral knowledge, culture, and spirituality continues to be industrialized by institutional health doctrine, status quo, restrictive policies, and finances. In Hawaii, there is an ongoing struggle against midwifery, particularly indigenous  midwifery practices (pale keiki) and the State of Hawaii.Practitioners who have been caring in our community for generations are soon to be discredited by the State of Hawaii if they do not meet a certain licensing process. This requirement created by the State of Hawaii takes time and finance which many of our local midwives to not have the current capacity to do. Also raises the question of power and control within the birthing sphere. Furthermore, states like Oregon who have already gone though this kind of licensure restriction have now passed exemptions to it. In other words, Oregon wants to reverse of what our state is stepping into. We need to support the holistic health and birthing movement. We need to support our midwives here in Hawaii. They are the carriers of indigenous wisdom and technology. Midwives in Hawaii are taking a stand against laws and policies that will deny their rights to the practice, deny their rights to pass on sacred tradition. Midwifery is a culture which is foundational for our society. Let us support our foundations. These are just platforms for a sovereign Hawaii. It is not contingent upon other states. We need to create laws and exemptions to further empower our people, not polices to control. Holistic health raises our collective human consciousness. In letting go, let’s base our relationships on sacred, localized practices. Changing the lives of the future keiki. One birth at a time. Support the Podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/samperaltaPodcast co-production and music by Sam Litchfield: samlitchfieldmusic.com learn more about midwifery legislation like SB2661: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2661&year=2022