Getting To Know Calmbirth Educator Lisa Bowra

 

I am excited to be teaching Calmbirth at NBH and to give families tools to navigate pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period with a sense of ease knowing they have all they need to birth confidently and calmly as they advocate for the birth they desire.

 

Calmbirth empowers families to recognise that remaining calm and relaxed in labour, they can encourage their bodies to birth as they were designed to. Giving them a birthing experience that is joyous and empowering.

My Name is…Lisa Anne Bowra.

I work at…Northern Beaches Hospital in Birth Unit, the Postnatal Ward, Midwifery in the home and Antenatal Clinics at times and of course in Antenatal Education

My life in five words…Hectic, fun, noisy at home, rewarding, supportive, busy at work.

The best thing about where I live…the beautiful natural environment, beaches and proximity to so many different areas in Sydney and my proximity to family and friends.

What I do to relax when I’m not working…stay busy with my 2 kids, spend time with friends and their kids, starting to camp and go to family friendly caravan parks which my kids love

I can’t live without…my kids, diet coke, coffee and chocolate and seeing the ocean frequently.

The person or traits I most admire is…In a midiwife, is the ability to simply be with woman, not do or intervene, just support and inform her, advocating for the birth she desires. As a mum, I feel similarly…the greatest gift I can give to my kids is to simply spend time with them making memories.

What I love most about being a Calmbirth Educator…seeing the realisation in women that can be in control of their own labours, that they can use relaxation to change their psychology around birth so that their physiolog follows suit and gives them the birth they desire without anxiety, stress or fear.

If I had to describe my own birth experiences in 3 words…The unexpected and challenging at times with my first but then triumphant and liberating with a maternal assisted caesarean for my second (sorry not 3 words!)

The 3 essential things you need to take with you into labour are…your support person, your breathing techniques and relaxation and a good music play list

My most memorable moment at as Calmbirth® educator…Hearing that my first CB couple had a beautiful water birth using only their relaxation techniques for analgesia

A favourite quote…“Knowledge is power”.

If you had to describe how seeing a baby being born makes you feel…being born makes you feel like a brand new student midwife seeing birth for the first time

My next Calmbirth courses are: 28th July and 4th August at the NBH.