Don't Retract Pack

Elephant Mother's Birth

I adore elephants. And the way they birth in the wild is truly remarkable. We could probably learn a thing or two from them. While they stay calm, and typically birth their babies in the quiet of the night, they also do so peacefully surrounded ONLY by an encircling, protective group of female elephants. Each older mother will turn her back to the birthing mother, so as to keep away any intruders, and allow her privacy, security, and comfort during her birthing time. It is the mother who checks over her baby, initiates and cares for this little one's first moments earthside. She makes sure her baby is breathing, able to stand/walk (to escape if need be), and starts to suckle for those first drops of liquid gold.

Occasionally, when I find myself backed into a corner, or critiqued for my peaceful style of mothering - for protecting my little one against the 'mainstream' influences that would otherwise sever our secure attachment too soon, and quite unnaturally - I am empowered by the way these gigantic, ever graceful yet powerful, elephant mothers eternally protect and care for their little ones, meeting their every need without a mere second thought as to what "the others" may think.

The mother elephant in this video must have felt comfortable enough in her surroundings, and with her human 'companions' close-by, because she births with the power and innate intelligence that we only witness in physiological birth.

Side note: When I was pregnant with my first child to 44 weeks, it consoled me to know that elephants carry for about 20 months... Some as long as 2 years gestation! ;)

11 comments:

  1. Now that's a bag of waters breaking!

    Pretty amazing, it's such lovely imagery to see how animals birth.

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  2. While I understand the appreciation for the birth video, I really think it's so hypocritical for this to be posted on a peaceful parenting website. This poor animal's birth was far from peaceful and the support of the Elephant Safari Park Lodge who filmed this is vile. Exploitation of animal mothers is a violation.

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  3. That was awesome! I was scared at first when the baby took so long to breathe!
    I love elephants, they are my favorite creature!

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  4. It was wonderful to see how the mother knew what to do for her baby, although it looks a bit rough to a human like me, lol!

    Wish the poor baby had a softer landing.

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  5. Wish that elephant mama would have been surrounded by her herd and on a soft field. I wonder if the baby would have had an easier time standing and walking on a natural surface. The concrete seems a bit slick. I guess other species are subjected to unnatural birth situations as well.

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  6. Ok, give it a good kick across the pavement! LOL then yank it's trunk a bit...
    I'm glad the baby was ok!:) I was a little nervous...
    I did kinda cringe with the kick lol, I think the mermaidmary is incorrect with her statement that this is hypocritical for your page. What's wrong with this video?
    How is birth a "Vile exploitation"?

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  7. I cried the first time I saw this. I kept whispering, "Come on baby!" to the computer. :-)

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  8. Heather, I did too. I just kept thinking "What if that was my baby?" I would do everything I could to get her up and breathing. What a mommy!

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  9. This birth was so amazing! I was on the edge of my seat as mom was trying to bring the baby to life. Instinct is a miracle from God.

    Grammi D

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  10. I hated the CEMENT cage she ..and then the baby elephant were in.....And I disliked intensely the drumming as background sound....
    All and all the SAFARI PARK made a very beautiful event into a sleazy- looking distasteful video.
    It may get them visitors for their SAFARI PARK but it sure ain´t gonna win any awards.....and I wouldn´t and won´t recommend it to anyone...
    Next time take the mother OUTSIDE on the grounds....and let her have it NATURALLY..... ....WITHOUT the drumming tacked on....And with soft earth for the baby to fall on and for the afterbirth, and water to be absorbed in.

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