One kind of learning comes from books. But the learning necessary for you to participate  completely in your birth must come from you. In making birth art or journaling, just bringing an image to light can be surprisingly revealing (and sometimes healing). Listening to it speak to you can tell you even more. Dreams, reverie and art all carry messages from the unconscious…

An active, gentle exploration process not only brings overlooked resources and strengths to conscious awareness, but identifies obstacles and inhibitions that might prevent you from using them.

Birth art doesn't have to be pretty, colorful or carefully planned. It is as raw, honest and spontaneous as birth itself. 

It is important to notice how you approach making art, because it is a metaphor for how you approach doing things in your life, especially things you are unfamiliar with, such as birthing. Do you say, "I don't know how to do this!" and hesitate, or give up altogether (leaving it up to "the professionals")? Do you find yourself comparing yourself and competing with others? Or can you be curious and say, "Let's see what I can do!"?

Your art, like your labor, doesn't have to be perfect. Just give it your best effort. 

Excerpted from the book, Birthing  From  Within

Within this section, you will find galleries of art by expectant and new parents, by birth professionals, and by Pam England. You can read stories about how the creative process during and after pregnancy (painting, poetry, dance, music, sculpture, and more…) inspires and informs. We also offer some art processes that you can try. If you like this way of learning about yourself and birth, we invite you to also read the BIRTHING FROM WITHIN^® book and the Keepsake Journal, where there are many more processes for your exploration.

If you have images and stories about your creative exploration during pregnancy and postpartum, we would love to see them, and be able to share them on this site. Please contact us if you are interested in sharing them with us.