Reiki Birth Story

My daughter-in-law Beth and my son Nathan’s baby was due on September 21^st, 2007. Two weeks later the baby hadn’t made his arrival so the doctors decided to induce labor. First they used suppositories, about 5 separate times. This began about 1am and by 4pm that same day she had only dilated to one centimeter, but she was comfortable. At that point they decided to give her an IV drip with medication that starts labor. Shortly before that I had gone to their house to spend the night.

A few hours later I received a text from my son, so I decided to go back to the hospital. She had dilated to 5 centimeters, things were looking good, except the cervix was still closed. They decided to put a balloon inside her to spread the cervix open, apparently this is a procedure they use. The balloon is supposed to deflate after it does its job and then expel on its own. Things did not happen that way. The balloon did not deflate. It would not come out apparently it had become stuck in place. The nurse had to then forcefully pull it out and my daughter-in-law was in terrible pain after that.

Shortly after that the anesthesiologist came to give her the epidural to ease her labor, he tried 5 times and it would not go in, which apparently can happen. Between the attempts from that, the balloon incident and the labor Beth could find no relief. She was in pain, uncomfortable and couldn’t relax or lay still. She was a bit out of it at that point.

Nathan and Beth had known I had taken Reiki I just recently. My son didn’t really understand it and brushed it off as some sort of voodoo witchcraft thing and rolled his eyes prior to this, but had politely listened when I spoke about it. When I saw the shape Beth was in, and the tears streaming down my son’s face, I decided to approach him and quietly ask him if he would like me to use Reiki on her. At that point, he threw up his hands, said why not, nothing else works.

Beth was laying on her side, still somewhat out of it and I quietly laid my hands on her lower back lightly. I called Reiki to work and asked for the Buddha in me to connect to the Buddha in her (something I had heard my teacher Laura say in my class). Then I focused on the allness of the creator and the unlimited goodness, and painlessness that exists for each of us and is OUR birthright. Within a minute she relaxed and fell asleep. I stayed there for a while longer holding the position till I felt it was right to step away. I sat in a chair next to the bed. Somewhat later she awoke and needed to use the restroom so my son helped her to it.

Later, before the baby was finally born via c-section, which he was a beautiful, healthy 9.4lb boy named Justice (my first grandchild), my son came to me and gave me a huge hug and said thank you. I was a little surprised and said what for? He said “When I took Beth to the bathroom, she said who laid their hands on me? Was that your mom?” He said “Yes, why? “ “Because she has magic hands.”

She continued on that she was so grateful for what I had done, it was the only relief she had the whole time. She said she just became warm all over and the pain numbed, then disappeared, she was able to relax and sleep to get some much-needed rest. I was so grateful for the feedback from my son, even though I saw the evidence before my eyes.

Since then I have taken Reiki II and I look forward to more wonderful healings, compassion and helping others. I guess my son isn’t so skeptical either, It was a rewarding moment for me to be a conduit for easing the pain for Beth, helping my grandson have an easier time of it and seeing the gratitude and surprise in my son’s face. Life is so good.

Dawn