London - For most expectant mothers, it is probably not their idea of the perfect way to give birth. But the latest trend for some women is to have the didgeridoo played to their bump – or even do away with the midwife and rely on dolphins instead.
They are just some of the unusual methods mothers are turning to, a documentary reveals. Women are spending upwards of £650 (about 11 000) for sessions including body painting, dolphin swimming and sound therapy.
Some mothers-to-be even use crystals to divine information about their foetus because they do not trust ultrasound scans.
Dorina Rosin and her husband Maika Suneagle, who run a spiritual healing centre in Hawaii, tell the Channel 4 documentary Katie Piper’s Extraordinary Births how they use the rhythm of music in the hope it will make Miss Rosin’s labour easier.
Mr Suneagle is seen playing a didgeridoo to his wife’s bump. Miss Rosin is planning a dolphin-assisted birth and was filmed swimming with the creatures.
“There’s probably no place more stressful than a hospital,” Mr Suneagle says, adding that birth “doesn’t even need to hurt”.
Kimberly Nelli, who gave birth to daughter Naiya alongside dolphins in 2011, tells the programme: “Children who have been born after being exposed to dolphins are dolphin activated, clicks and whistles come out of them in the beginning, before they can speak they are making dolphin noises. My daughter is telepathic and she can communicate with the dolphins. She tells me messages the dolphins gave to her.”
Miss Nelli set up the Conscious Pregnancy Retreat in Hawaii after having Naiya. She admits, however, that having a baby alongside dolphins is not without risk.
“You are in the middle of this big ocean, there are sharks around, fish, jellyfish,” she said. “A lot of pregnant women can’t even swim and are scared to death of the ocean.”
Jacque Gerrard, Royal College of Midwives director for England, said: “It is not a method we would be advising.
“You can never say a birth is low risk until it’s over so we would always advise having a skilled, trained midwife present.
“If you are without medical help in the middle of the ocean and something goes wrong, what do you do? It’s leaving the mum and baby open to real vulnerabilities.”
Daily Mail