The Developing Child

By Carol A. Lampman

We know the fetus is experiencing whatever is going on with the mother. This is the good news or the bad news as the case may be.

In an ideal world I would focus my attention on creating a pleasant and harmonious environment for the developing child. This could look like connecting with the fetus, sending love and messages of welcome. This can be especially important if the pregnancy was not planned or initially unwanted. In the altered state of breathwork, this can be done fairly easily.

In many first pregnancies, there can be a lack of connection to the fetus. It feels unreal that this is happening at all and in spite of her changing body, the mother- to-be feels flat and unattached to the baby growing inside. This kind of work is very important and can be very powerful or very gentle, as the case may be.

Now, in a not so ideal world this work is even more important. If the mother is upset, sick, distraught, or confused, then these messages are being registered by the fetus as well. So, the goal would be to create harmony by releasing what is in the way of creating that peaceful environment.

During pregnancy and through delivery, many of our own issues may emerge, especially around birth or mother. In this case breathwork is the perfect vehicle because of its connection to the body and its stored memories. The client is treated the same as your other clients except I recommend you stay with the circular breath and not go into fast and full. If that happens spontaneously, then that is fine. Tetany and other signs of hyperventilation should be watched for and avoided as much as possible.

If I have an ongoing or regular client who becomes pregnant during therapy, then I do some of the connection work and suggest that she take some time off. This is the time to go home and prepare for a blessed event. It is not a time to take on one’s deepest issues, unless they are activated by the situation itself. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it at this time. If something comes up, then that is a different story. I am available and have worked with women right up to delivery. The best part would be to do the water work with the new baby and the parents 2-3 months after birth.