Letter From The Founder    



I remember being little—hardly old enough to read—and taking books from the birth section of the library to hide in dark corners while devouring what I thought surely must be mature content. Birth has always fascinated me.

I gave birth five times in my twenties, and reading and writing about birth emerged as a central passion of my life. But when I turned thirty I went through a crisis of purpose (a life-shift which was as embarrassingly predictable as it was fiercely experienced), and I soon feared that my passion for wellness in birth was an interest that needed to be left behind on my quest to do my small but signature part—whatever that would be—to help heal the earth.

Ironically, putting aside a decade of investment in this academy helped me to realize (or perhaps to remember?) just how much I actually believe in the importance of birth-workers. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “peace on earth starts with birth,” which sounds cliché if it were not for all the major sciences which are all just starting to discover how and why birth so profoundly affects our babies, our bodies, our families, and our cultures.

On my quest for a greater life purpose I remembered back to years spent at The Kings College when I was studying Politics, Economics, and Philosophy. I had been fascinated by several bodies of research that explained why societies at every measurable level could not sustain prosperity when they systemically tolerated the oppression of women. This happens not simply because women constitute half of most populations, but also because of the critically important role maternal care plays in the neurological development of the unborn through age five which is hugely determining of their life potential. And the quality of care given to small children, is directly—and demonstrably—affected by the wellbeing of their mother.

I had known all along that societies heal themselves and flourish when mothers are well, but I suddenly realized that if I wanted to give my life to ending injustice and to help bring about a shift toward peace and prosperity, that any contribution I had to make would be most strategically invested into mothers specifically at the time of birth. Anyone who is aware of how we culturally handle birth in American or of the international crisis of mothers dying preventable deaths in childbirth understands why we need an Academy such as ours, and why we need it now.

I joined forces with the most innovative, genius, influential, and passionate people I could connect with in order to establish Brilliant Birth Academy, because I am contenting for a world-wide shift toward human flourishing that starts with wellness in birth. I believe this shift can happen in one generation. This generation.

I trust that if you are here reading, that this valuable resource has found its way to a someone who will steward the wisdom here for the flourishing of lives yet to come. And for that, I have immense gratitude. Thank you for being a part of creating a world that is better for mothers and better for us all. Let’s begin.

 

Brilliant Birth Academy Founder

New York City
August 2015