Celebrating Life and living it
My mother, Margie Polden, was a pioneer in the field of Women’s Health Physiotherapy, a groundbreaker and an inspiration. She loved her work and was dedicated to supporting and empowering women, before, during and after childbirth, and in meeting challenges of later life.
As children, we grew up hearing about women’s pelvic floors and all their other “bits” over the supper table. Enthusiastically-told stories of pregnancies and births often peppered daily conversations, as we shared what had happened that day at school, who said what to whom etc. It was normal, natural: for me pregnancy and birth were always a part of everyday life.
My mother had an uncanny gift of being able to bridge gaps between people. With her feet firmly in academia, she could nonetheless speak everyone’s language. She created wonderful connections between women and medical staff, doctors and midwives, midwives and physiotherapists, with the sole purpose of providing excellent care and support, with women at the heart.
I feel privileged and blessed to have watched an extraordinary woman work and grow, fuelled by her passion and calling, at such an informative time in my own life. I am in no doubt that the roots of my own Birth Passion were nurtured and nourished by my amazing mother and all she stood for in her life.
Mum, I feel you with me, alive in everything I do.
For me, birth is a recurring metaphor in life. It takes meaning from birthing babies and also our journey towards self-actualisation. Birthing ourSELVES fully and more authentically as women, as men.
Life moves. We gather the seeds of experience and learning and grow in awareness as we go. Each life journey is totally unique, so no two birth experiences will be the same.
Birth is steeped in mystery; we never know where it will lead. Often we resist its calling. Afraid of what we might meet en route; we tell ourselves we’re not ready, that we need more time.. When we do step across its threshold, we step towards the unknown, knowing there is no turning back. We meet parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed. We come through with the spoils and marks of our labours. We are forever changed.
Birth is powerful and profound. It can bring us to our knees, take us to our limits and beyond. Fear and self-doubt may rise as we hit a wall and bump up against our belief systems. We want to run away, give up. We convince ourselves it is safer to stay small in our perception of who we are and what we can do.
Yet, as in any hero or heroine’s journey, there are very precious treasures to discover and to take with us. Each birth offers up opportunity to grow. To discard what we no longer need. It asks us to pay attention, to step more honestly into ourselves.
Trusting life and opening to new possibilities. We discover the joy, lightness and flow in self-realisation. We celebrate our BIG-ness!
In so doing, our quest is simple: to become more human, more authentic, more present, more empowered: celebrating Life and living it.
