What Labour Teaches About Being Fully Open to the Process

Transition

I love words. A large part of my working life is helping organisations and individuals define the words that they use. Creating clear definitions, boundaries and meanings to the use of a word in their context and for a specific reason. For example, picking apart mental health into different definitions across the spectrum of mental wellbeing.?

A word that has been in my consciousness all year is ‘transition’. It keeps popping up in different places and I think is apt to describe where every organisation, country and individual in the world is right now.?

The hardest part of the birthing process

For many recent years when I thought of the word transition I recalled preparing for the birth of my two children. For anyone facing up to how they are going to birth the baby in their womb this is a whole thing. Knowing that you are going to go through a process called ‘labour’ (another interesting word) which is described as painful and fraught with risk (the way society and the medical world present it (rather than a natural process women have evolved to go through)) rather concentrates the mind. Especially if like me, you are having two homebirths with limited if any pain relief. A lot of mental preparation and facing up to my fears was needed. Making sure I was supported well.?

I remember the Transition stage of both of my labours vividly. At this point a woman is fully open and the labour changes from the first to second stage. I remember Transition both times taking ages. Way longer than I wanted or felt comfortable with. I was shaky, afraid and couldn’t find peace. It is at this point of labour that most women ask for pain medication if they haven’t already. The contractions are coming thick, fast and intensely. I felt open, exposed and vulnerable. Sitting and breathing through seemed to take hours, but eventually labour changed and I reached the next stage.

A word of many contexts?

We use the word transition in many contexts. Its Oxford dictionary definition is ‘the process or a period of changing from one state or another.’ Depending on your demographic it might conjure up different thoughts. For me, childbirth or the name of my first class at Junior school. For others, transitioning between genders.? Or transition to greener energy. It’s being used a lot this week in the ‘peaceful transition of power’ after the election in the United States ’.

Every organisational client I have worked with this year is grappling with their own transitions or changes, and how to support individuals, employees, managers and leaders through this time of extreme geopolitical and economic challenge and change. Old ways and structures of working, leading and managing aren’t effective any more and we haven’t yet created new ones.?

Every organisation has tired, burnt out workforces (sickness absence is at its highest ever) and the old methods of ‘sweating assets’ or extracting more aren’t working. There is nothing left to extract. Our new state will be creating jobs, systems and careers that flex to support the new norm of ongoing change. But we haven’t created them yet. We are still transitioning. I’m midwifing a lot of organisational clients and individuals through this stage.?

Being fully open?

When I think about where the world is right now I think back to the embodied feeling of Transition in my births. I remember the shakiness, panic, exposure and vulnerability. I can empathise with why and how people are feeling fearful, unsettled and uncomfortable. I remember vividly how unpleasant that stage is. One just wants it to end. Fast.?

I also remember that transition is the central phase in a process. A shifting from one state to another. Being fully open with every possibility on the table. All is possible. No one knows how and when the process will end. You just have to breathe through and go with it. Make sure you are supported and trust. Go with the flow.?

With birth I ended up with my beautiful two children who have changed my life beyond recognition. The world is birthing a new normal now. Our organisations and systems of power will change beyond recognition. Hopefully for the better (that part is in our collective control). We need to breathe through,?support and allow the birthing process.?

Being mid launch of ‘Do Workplace Health Right’ Live 2025 reminds me of my labour Transitions. I feel exposed, open and vulnerable. I’d like to thank my midwives and doulas for supporting me. You know how you are.?

Have a good week?

Best Wishes

Amy x?

P.S. Free Masterclass on ‘Do Workplace Health Right’ Live - Next Monday 18th November 12pm?

I’m running a free next masterclass at 12pm Monday 18th November to take attendees through my Workplace Health and Mental Health Framework, where it fits in terms of other global frameworks and benchmarks, and to answer questions about next year’s ‘Do Workplace Health Right’ Live.

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