Meet Hellena and Currawong

[Minerva]

How is it that so many of Hellena's midwives have psychic powers and know exactly when the birth is going to happen?

[lilith]

How is it that so many of Hellena's midwives have psychic powers and know exactly when the birth is going to happen?

Cause she's so super special and in tune with the universe that she draws these amazing people towards her. Until she has a massive falling out with them.

[Blahblah]

I may regret asking this but what is "sexual birth"? And if it's what I suspect, why does she say that this is their first sexual birth when we all, unfortunately, can't get umbilical cord sex out of our heads?

[Patsy]

I may regret asking this but what is "sexual birth"? And if it's what I suspect, why does she say that this is their first sexual birth when we all, unfortunately, can't get umbilical cord sex out of our heads?

I think it's exactly what you suspect, and it was their first - this story is about the birth of Spiral-Moon, #4, the twins (cord sex) are #6 and 7.

My question: does placenta cake mean what I think it means? After a week of lotus-ing, the placenta and cord fell away, and they had a placenta cake... which is pictured, and does not resemble a placenta in any way. Does the name indicate... an ingredient? And if so... er,usually lotus birthers rub salt and essential oils into it to prevent smell... did they have salty placenta cake or rotten placenta cake?

[Blahblah]

^^ aah. Ok. Got the offspring out of order then.

And no, not going to even think about placenta cake. But, if I did think about it, I'd ask whether they told the other kids what was in it.

[Patsy]

^^ aah. Ok. Got the offspring out of order then.

And no, not going to even think about placenta cake. But, if I did think about it, I'd ask whether they told the other kids what was in it.

Apparently they talked about it for years to come, so if it was made of placenta I'm sure they knew.

[Blahblah]

I just googled placenta cake and found out that the midget wonky toothed alien host Tom Cruise ate Suri's placenta via cakes.

I can't stand him so it is almost an affirmation of my dislike for him that he and Hellena have something in common.

[miffy]

spunoutpost.blogspot.com.au/2009/12/how-to-work-towards-empowered-caesarean.html

She talks about the positive experience she had during a caesarian in a hospital. Yet she goes back to home birth VBAC with unlicensed midwives???!!!

[happy atheist]

This birth story was a lot less detailed and horrifying than the more recent ones. It sounds like they just had sex in an effort to get things started, or to move them along a bit. I don't think that's all that unusual if the water hasn't broken yet. The rest of the "sexual" nature sounds more like she means "sensual." If it's just her and Currawong staring into each other's eyes, then it's actually kind of sweet. It makes them feel connected.

She's still super nutty, though.

[BoomerLynn]

I just googled placenta cake and found out that the midget wonky toothed alien host Tom Cruise ate Suri's placenta via cakes.

I can't stand him so it is almost an affirmation of my dislike for him that he and Hellena have something in common.

Wait, people really do this? :shock: I can't seem to find any way to express my thoughts on this other than EWWWWWW!!!!!

[ILoveJellybeans]

Yes, some people eat the placenta after theyve given birth. Sometimes as it is, but some parents choose to get creative. I cant imagine it being very nice, especially after a lotus birth where it is all rotting.

If I ever have a baby, I will throw the placenta away without looking at it. I dont like the idea of eating anything that fell out of my vagina, and I dont see a reason to paint with it or anything.

[Jinger Jar]

I have talked to women who have given birth during wartime, when food shortages were fierce and everybody was at least mildly malnourished. They ate their placentas. They weren't making a statement about how progressive or artsy or hipster they were; they were trying to ensure their babies got enough breast milk to survive.

I don't have a problem with women cooking up and eating what I consider medical waste. Bon appetit, I say. But please do not expect me to partake in your placenta l'orange, and if you ever serve it to me without my consent (a-la The Naked Roast Sitter), do not be surprised if I become violent.

[Minerva]

Wait, people really do this? :shock: I can't seem to find any way to express my thoughts on this other than EWWWWWW!!!!!

Yes. People usually either cook it up like meat (because that's what it is) or have it dried and put into pills (possibly so they can ingest it with as little thought of what it actually is as possible). But some people get creative and cook it into desserts, apparently.

Personally, I'd probably poke at mine a bit, because how often do you get to see an organ that came out of your body? I'd probably leave it with the hospital staff, though, so I won't have to deal with it rotting in the trash can.

[happy atheist]

If you ate it, wouldn't that make you a cannibal?

I looked at mine but didn't touch it. I was more interested in holding my baby.

[dora]

We buried ours, which is pretty common in New Zealand, and traditional among Maori people. We planted trees over them at my parents' house. It's probably kinda hippy and crunchy, I wasn't going to keep them but changed my mind and the last minute and thought why not. After we did, my dads right wing very traditional neighbours did the same.

I kind of like the idea of waiting until the cord stops pulsing to cut it, I don't think I would want a meaty placenta hanging around for a week though. My husband doesn't want to cut the cord this time because he feels it would be unfair to our twins, since he didn't have the chance to cut their cords. My twins were born two minutes apart, by emergency c section.

[wild little fox]

Ewes and does (goats) eat their placentas. Sometimes horses do, too. It is instinctual.

I could see mothers doing it in hard times, but I find it icky to do it just to be trendy.

As for Tom Cruise, he is just flat out foul on so many creepy levels!!

No babies on my end, but I love the idea of returning it to Mother Earth. Planting a tree sound lovely, especially an oak.

[Dutch_girl]

Every time I read the blog I'm amazed how much she talks about sex..

I feel sorry for their kids 'cause they look like people who have really natural and LOUD sex.. in a small house.. :shock:

[miffy]

I'm starting to wonder if she extends the truth a bit on her blog. The oldest daughter doesn't seem to hate her, so she can't be THAT bad.

[lilith]

I think the crazy has ramped up over the years. The eldest daughter went to school for at least some years, and Hellenna was in her "radical lesbian feminist" phase for most of her childhood, and part of a wide and supportive lesbian community in Katoomba. She also got very lucky with names - Jess.

It does seem she had a lot more stability and normality than her younger siblings, but she still (understandably) fled the crazy nest as soon as she was able. I'm glad she's still a part of her younger siblings lives.

I don't think Hellenna is an uncaring mother like Lauren. I think she's self absorbed and pretentious and startlingly irresponsible at times, but she seems to be a caring mother who enjoys her children. It doesn't surprise me that her daughter continues to have a close relationship with her.

[Minerva]

So have they moved in with the hoarder, yet?

[Wolfie]

Unfortunately, Australia is following in the footsteps of America, where birth is concerned. Allowing women little choice in the birth that she wants. This is why many women choose to birth at home.

I hear people say this all the time, yet I have yet to meet somebody who wasn't allowed to have the birth that they wanted unless there were actual complications.

And anybody remember Elle......

[lilith]

I hear people say this all the time, yet I have yet to meet somebody who wasn't allowed to have the birth that they wanted unless there were actual complications.

And anybody remember Elle......

QFT.

The Australian system allows you to have the birth you want, it just doesn't necessarily pay for it.

Lauren was allowed to have her unattended unsanitary free birth, Hellenna was allowed to have her umbilical cord sex birth. Nobody prevented it, they weren't charged with anything after the fact. There is no anti homebirth agenda in Australia, just a sensible allocation of resources. The vast majority of women birth in hospitals and birthing centres (who do all they can to facilitate the family having the birth experience they desire) so that is where public funding goes. If women wish to homebirth they can pay a private midwife or even go unattended. There is (rightly IMHO) some talk about regulating homebirths more to prevent unqualified midwives from being the sole birth attendants. Some of that talk is coming from within the home birthing community. It has come about after the deaths if infants who would have lived if their mother had transferred to hospital. That's not an anti homebirth agenda or about denying families choice about how and where they birth, it's about advocating for safe births for all women.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

I think the crazy has ramped up over the years. The eldest daughter went to school for at least some years, and Hellenna was in her "radical lesbian feminist" phase for most of her childhood, and part of a wide and supportive lesbian community in Katoomba. She also got very lucky with names - Jess.

Hmm my aunt & her wife/partner live in the Blue Mountains. I wonder if they knew her? They went through a vegan stage so paths may have crossed

[August]

No, she needs to retain her hair to dread it, otherwise she won't be accepted into Lauren's super cool alternative lifestyle club and will have to languish in middle class anonymity, despite her awesome yak hair weaving and placenta totes.

Oh my god, you're right, I nearly sentenced her to a life of conformity. I'm so sorry, Little Fox. How are your underarms?

[Blahblah]

QFT.

The Australian system allows you to have the birth you want, it just doesn't necessarily pay for it.

Lauren was allowed to have her unattended unsanitary free birth, Hellenna was allowed to have her umbilical cord sex birth. Nobody prevented it, they weren't charged with anything after the fact. There is no anti homebirth agenda in Australia, just a sensible allocation of resources. The vast majority of women birth in hospitals and birthing centres (who do all they can to facilitate the family having the birth experience they desire) so that is where public funding goes. If women wish to homebirth they can pay a private midwife or even go unattended. There is (rightly IMHO) some talk about regulating homebirths more to prevent unqualified midwives from being the sole birth attendants. Some of that talk is coming from within the home birthing community. It has come about after the deaths if infants who would have lived if their mother had transferred to hospital. That's not an anti homebirth agenda or about denying families choice about how and where they birth, it's about advocating for safe births for all women.

A lot of the debate has been about whether it is the right of the mother to have whatever birth she demands even if that seriously jeopardizes her unborn child. There is a very fine legal line at the moment around when a baby is a person (and an inquest is legally allowed) based on whether it showed signs of life after delivery. A true stillbirth does not allow an inquest.

In one of the Lisa Barrett births an attending paramedic detected electrical activity in the heart of the baby ( which never got to draw a breath) and this electrical activity was enough for it to be declared a live birth. The baby in this case was extremely large and experienced shoulder dystocia and got stuck for 20 minutes halfway out. This was long enough to cause death. The baby's heartbeat etc had been normal throughout the delivery.

Here are the coroners findings about jurisdiction if anyone is interested.

http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/CoronersFin ... Ruling.pdf

And this is the inquest into the deaths themselves:

http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/CoronersFin ... Oliver.pdf