Pregnancy and the elk mating season
In September we went to Rocky Mountain National Park for a few more days of hiking (prior to a few days in Denver for a conference), and it was (is) Rutting season for the elk – which is a 4-6 week mating season. No other time during the year does this happen, the moons and seasons align and the moose just mate. The bull elk (the male) will create a harem of females, and will get 20-40 of them pregnant during this time (and YES, there is a point to this story). The female elk have a long gestation period, and in the spring they will give birth.
And guess what happens when they give birth? They leave the group and go off in solitude and give birth. They are not given an expected due date. They are not given multiple tests to make sure the pregnancy is healthy. They aren’t given multiple ultrasounds, shots, or further tests. There’s no induction, epidural, or c-section. They don’t have sisters, friends, doctors or anyone else telling them how painful or hard (or how wonderful) birth will be. They just give birth. There is no fear. They just do what they are supposed to do.
I think of this story, and I wonder why as humans we can’t do the same. I know it’s not as simple as that, but we really have complicated birth to a great extent. We’ve medicalized it so much, make it procedure instead of a natural event. Sure, I imagine there are some elk that have trouble during birth, and perhaps their babies don’t make it. Perhaps some procedures would have helped, but we don’t know that. We just know that in the spring, hundreds of baby elk are born. And it’s not complicated.
Maybe we humans need to learn more from the elk. Make things less complicated. Make it less stressful. Make it more natural. That’s the way it was meant to be.
Remember, if you are pregnant or know someone who is, chiropractic adjustments and The Webster Technique are incredibly beneficial during this time. Specific adjustments help to balance out the bones, muscles and ligaments, removing stress and twisting to the body. When this happens, the pregnant woman typically feels better (well, we want to say always feels better though we know each person is different); and most importantly, her body starts to function better. Less stress and less tension lead to a better space for the baby to be in. And when this happens, a vast majority of the time the baby moves to the head down position, on the left side of mom. The Webster Technique is all about optimal balance and function.
Let us know if we can help you.
