The processes of the birth patterns

 The processes of the birth patterns / Shaily Feinberg

The birth process is one of the most significant and formative processes of a human being. There are enormous biodynamic forces that gather for this process.

The energy of the Breath of Life, the birth energy of the fetus, is mutually interrelated with the energy of the mother’s Breath of Life, and together they have reached this exciting moment in life.

There is an inherent intelligence that prepares for this stage, this moment, and knows all the following stages to come: What will end in this process, what will happen during this process, and what will teach us in the process about what will happen next.

The focus is on what are the stages of birth and their impact and patterns. We call them: Birth patterns. Patterns that may be centered along the midline and the rest of the body as conditional forces. They will manifest as shape/conditional forces: as a form – movement – quality.

The Birth process and midline:

1. The “bowing” phase towards the mother’s pelvis – flexion.

The head descends forward, and the entire midline stretches downward on the midline.

1. The sideband phase movement to the side -ear to shoulder (right or left)

The head tilts to the side, and with it the entire midline into a sort of banana shape (C Shape).

1. Torsion twisting phase, twisting movement (right or left)

The head rotates and with it, the entire midline winds (winding)

1. The phase of crowning and exit of the head “to the world” – extension.

The head comes out and turns forward and up, and the entire midline is still in a rotation (winding) and begins to release the twist in the opposite direction as in unwinding the entire midline to lengthen it.

This is a deep neuro massage on the baby and the midline.

It is a neuro massage that conveys information and intelligence, a kind of “learning capsule” and preparation for the next stage: the stage of building the muscles in relation to the gravity and all the stages of learning to stand on both feet and begin to walk.

Birth patterns – what are they? 

In each of the stages of birth, there is a possibility of increased compression and getting stuck against the mother’s pelvis.

Situations that will affect the form, the movement, the quality of the baby in relation to his/her orientation between himself/herself and the world/environment, and the establishment of internal and external boundaries.

Already at this stage, there is a pre-cognitive “understanding” which is interpreted as a sensory experience.

An experience that can be safe or unsafe with a survival response of attack – flee – freeze.

The patterns can be assimilated (imprinted) in the midline, affecting our entire development:

1. Increased and interrupted flexion pattern.
2. Right or left sideband pattern.
3. Torsion pattern – twisting to the right or left. Winding
4. Increased extension pattern (+ increased winding)

When there are no full releases to full elongation of the midline, and the remnants of one or more of the birth patterns, the midline remains with the imprints of the birth patterns process: the centered neuro-tissue energy in different areas and axes. These are as “capsuls,” and the entire tissue, nervous, emotional, mental, and energetic organization is organized according to these patterns.

Biodynamic Craniosacral and Birth Patterns and Overall Body Patterns

As Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapists, we have developed the skills to identify and sense conditioned forces  by looking at the body as a whole. 

Common strains:

• One side shorter than the other (sidebend)

feeling that one side of the body is shaped like a banana in a certain direction.

• Midline torsion (torsion): A kind of diagonal pull across the body

Or the head seems to want to “lead” a long spiral movement.

• A feeling of arching back and stiffness in the back of the body. the head is arched back.
• Rounding/twisting around the navel – a kind of deep feeling of deep holding and contraction in the abdomen originating from the navel.
• A feeling of a long, thin body that is more suitable as a pattern during exhalation.

Or alternatively, a short, wide body with feet out as a pattern during inhalation.

All the patterns that are felt that can lead us to a prenatal experience, those experiences during birth and separation from the midline, all of these have an impact on the musculoskeletal system and also mark life statements and patterns and expressions of the psycho-neuro-endocrine system.

• Postural patterns such as lordosis or prolapse or head forward may be emphasized with birth patterns, but they are a little different and have to do with a broader history related to behavior, habits, and survival mechanisms.
• All birth patterns are, of course, related to the Spheno.Basillar.Junction patterns-A central anatomical pivot in the center of the cranium, which constitute a fulcrum for release and reorganization.

processesCraniosacral and birth patterns

In the biodynamic craniosacral work, it is of great profound significance and importance

to recognize the birth patterns, both in their longitudinal and transverse axes. Also, along the entire length of the midline and along the whole body as a whole unit. Since in each of the stages of birth there is an imprint of defense-survival and pre-cognitive state, those imprints may also arise from their “centered-capsulated state” and can be discharged, allowing reorganization. We establish therapeutic presence, a sense of safety, and empathy to witness the Breath of Life system recognize the birth patterns with the birth energy. The consequences of these patterns are immediate in the development of the newborn, such as torticollis, the whole “colic” syndrome, blocked airways, gas, restlessness, eye and ear infections, and more. As the newborn receives craniosacral therapy, these patterns can be released and reorganized around the midline and allow all implications to be released as well.