Michel Odent

How different would your life be if your priority were love? In this groundbreaking book, Antonella Gambotto-Burke encourages a complete re-evaluation of motherhood, showing that our lack of respect for maternal love is at the root of our widespread dissatisfaction with modern life. Written from the heart of a woman who was herself revolutionised by her experience of motherhood, this is a book that challenges, comforts and inspires, offering positive solutions through personal revelation and intellectual exploration with some of the greatest visionaries of childcare. Mama is not only the key to a better world, but to a better relationship – with yourself, your child and your life.

Since the advent of agriculture and animal husbandry, the human population has multiplied by about one thousand in a ‘demographic explosion’. However, in recent years, global fertility rates have begun to decrease significantly, and this is one reason to make a case for humans being becoming an endangered species. Many of the possible interpretations of this dramatic U-turn in the history of mankind may be found in modern ways of being born. For example, where caesarean rates are high, the average number of babies born per woman is very low. During the ultimate phase of the history of socialised birth, the hormonal dance that was previously essential is altered or eliminated. Today childbirth needs to be highly medicalised, after thousands of years of misunderstanding of the physiological processes involved. In a renewed scientific context, it may still be possible to rediscover the basic needs of labouring women and to try to ensure the future of our species. Is it too late to reach such a utopia? Michel Odent re-evaluates the comparative importance of recently acquired insights, to suggest links between data and ways of thinking from a great diversity of highly specialised disciplines.

After introducing the concept of the birthing pool in the 1970s, Michel Odent has continuously expanded his interest in the mysterious connections between humans and water. In Planet Ocean he shows that the evolution of the oceans - particularly the fluctuations of sea levels - and the evolution of humans are inseparable. The oceans are the givers and sustainers of life, holding ninety-five per cent of the planet's habitable space within their immense depths. Odent steers us towards a radically new vision of human nature. Our defining feature - a supersized brain - becomes a leitmotif that enables links between topics as diverse as our nutritional needs, our relationship with sea mammals, and the way members of our species give birth. He relates 'transcendent emotional states' with what the French writer Romain Rolland referred to as 'the oceanic feeling' - both suggesting the absence of limits. Access to such states can be associated with, for example, a 'foetus ejection reflex'. This leads to the extraordinary conclusion that swimming - as learnt behaviour among humans - the birth process and access to transcendence are interrelated topics for students of human nature. Planet Ocean is a fascinating interdisciplinary study that demonstrates our manifold connections to water and suggests their relevance to everyday life.

"Det finns två viktiga skrifter publicerade om förlossningsfysiologi och en kvinnas grundläggande behov under förlossningen. Den första är en stor bok skriven för flera tusen år sedan. I det första stycket av denna bästsäljare så finns det några rader som antyder en koppling mellan konsumtion av frukterna från kunskapens träd (en antydan om att veta för mycket eller ha en välutvecklad neocortex) och smärta under mänsklig förlossning. I slutet av denna bok kan vi läsa berättelsen om en legendarisk man vars uppdrag var att verka för kärlek. Hans mor fann en metod för att överkomma den mänskliga nackdelen: med ödmjukhet födde hon sitt barn i ett stall, bland andra däggdjur. Den andra skriften skiljer sig från den första i storlek. Den är en liten bok av Ruth Ehrhardt. Att föra samman vad som är relevant på så fåtaliga sidor är en bedrift. Jag hoppas att, på de fem kontinenterna, alla gravida kvinnor, barnmorskor, doulas, läkare m.fl. kommer ta sin tid att ta till sig innehållet i detta mästerverk: det skulle leda till en vändpunkt i barnafödandets historia och därigenom även i mänsklighetens historia."- Michel Odent

Er bestaan twee belangrijke, publicaties over de fysiologie van de geboorte en de basisbehoeften van een barende vrouw. Het eerste is een enorm lijvig boek dat duizenden jaren geleden al werd geschreven. Op de allereerste bladzijden van deze bestseller staan enkele regels die een samenhang suggereren tussen de consumptie van de vrucht van de boom der kennis (lees: teveel te weten, of een te sterke neocortex te hebben ontwikkeld) en de problemen rond de geboorte van een mensenkind. Aan het eind van het boek valt te lezen over de geboorte van een legendarische man wiens missie het was liefde te promoten en te verspreiden. Zijn moeder vond een strategie om het menselijk tekort te overwinnen: zich van haar nederigheid bewust, schonk zij het leven aan een zoon temidden van niet menselijke zoogdieren: in een stal. Het tweede document vormt vooral qua omvang het tegenovergestelde van het eerste. Het is een klein boek-werkje, geschreven door Ruth Erhardt. In een zo beperkt aantal bladzijden samen te vatten wat zo belangrijk, is een gigantische uitdaging. Ik hoop dat, over alle vijf de continenten, iedere zwangere vrouw, verloskundige, doula, maar ook elke arts de tijd zal nemen om de inhoud van dit magnifieke boekwerkje tot zich te nemen: Het zal een keerpunt in de geschiedenis van de geboorte van ons nageslacht en dus ook in de geschiedenis van de mensheid als zodanig betekenen.- Michel Odent

At a global scale, love hormones are now redundant in the critical period surrounding birth ... reasons for questions? Between 1970 and 1990, in many parts of the world, the rates of caesareans escalated from roughly 5% to roughly 25%. During this short phase of history, the father's participation became routine. Is there a link between these facts? Health care systems are on the way to collapsing. Should we go on focusing on the preventive and curative treatments of particular diseases or should we give a greater importance to the way our basic adaptive systems, involved in what we commonly call health, reach a high degree of maturity? These examples are sufficient to illustrate the "neo-Socratic attitude" of the author. Our contemporaries are constantly dealing with unprecedented situations. Question marks, therefore, can symbolise the current phase of our history. Throughout this book, radically new situations are analysed, before appropriate questions are phrased. At a time when people commonly debate on the long-term effects of human activities without considering the probable transformations of Homo, one cannot avoid a preliminary question: How to reach an audience made up of female and male open-minded people who are turned towards the future but have not yet realised that the important period surrounding birth has been radically transformed during the past decades? In the age of cultural blindness related to overspecialization, The Future of Homo is also a training tool to think across boundaries.

At a global scale, love hormones are now redundant in the critical period surrounding birth ... reasons for questions? Between 1970 and 1990, in many parts of the world, the rates of caesareans escalated from roughly 5% to roughly 25%. During this short phase of history, the father's participation became routine. Is there a link between these facts? Health care systems are on the way to collapsing. Should we go on focusing on the preventive and curative treatments of particular diseases or should we give a greater importance to the way our basic adaptive systems, involved in what we commonly call health, reach a high degree of maturity? These examples are sufficient to illustrate the "neo-Socratic attitude" of the author. Our contemporaries are constantly dealing with unprecedented situations. Question marks, therefore, can symbolise the current phase of our history. Throughout this book, radically new situations are analysed, before appropriate questions are phrased. At a time when people commonly debate on the long-term effects of human activities without considering the probable transformations of Homo, one cannot avoid a preliminary question: How to reach an audience made up of female and male open-minded people who are turned towards the future but have not yet realised that the important period surrounding birth has been radically transformed during the past decades? In the age of cultural blindness related to overspecialization, The Future of Homo is also a training tool to think across boundaries.

Since the middle of the twentieth century, the development of plastics has been one of the main factors influencing the history of medicine. For example, an anaesthesiologist was formerly an expert in delivering drugs by inhalation. Today, this expert delivers drugs through plastic catheters, in particular via intravenous and epidural routes. Traditionally, the scalpel was the symbol of surgery. Today, surgeons operate on internal organs with flexible plastic endoscopes - without cutting the skin. A typical modern woman in labour has one of her arms connected to a plastic bag through a plastic tube, while a plastic catheter is inserted in the epidural space in her spine. Focusing on obstetrics, this first book about the history of medicine in relation to the plastic revolution asks vital questions about childbirth today - and tomorrow - and demonstrates that the current turning point in the history of childbirth is also a turning point in the history of humanity. Introduced as a medical student to the surgical unit of a Paris hospital in 1949, and still involved in several fields of medicine, Michel Odent has the authority to study contemporary history from this new perspective.

Drawing on a diversity of fast-developing disciplines including genetics, physiology, pathology as well as the history of canoeing and studies of the fluctuation of sea levels, revolutionary thinker and birth pioneer Michel Odent examines the case for viewing the genus Homo as a ‘marine chimpanzee’ – particularly adapted to coastal areas. By exploring the practical implications of this vision of our species, including in the period surrounding birth, the author raises questions about the very survival of humanity. At a time in history when human domination of Nature is more profound than ever before, are we on the cusp of a ‘symbiotic revolution’? With his characteristic ability to look at the ‘big picture’ and ask questions that challenge conventional thinking, Michel Odent once again manages to persuade readers to view themselves, and their species, in a new light.

En su libro, la matrona Ruth Ehrhardt explora de manera sencilla, como sugiere el t tulo, las formas de satisfacer las necesidades b sicas de las mujeres durante el trabajo de parto. Se tiene en cuenta el efecto sutil de los factores ambientales y lo que los asistentes al nacimientos deben saber. Bas ndose en la obra de Michel Odent, se centra claramente en la fisiolog a del parto, el parto y el posparto. Este libro est dirigido tanto a las madres embarazadas, como a los asistentes al nacimiento, ya sea en calidad de cuidador (m dico, matrona o partera, doula) o de pareja.

Em seu livro, a parteira Ruth Ehrhardt muito simplesmente explora, como o t tulo sugere, como as necessidades b sicas das parturientes podem ser cumpridas. Ele aborda o efeito sutil que fatores ambientais t m sobre o trabalho de parto e tamb m o que aqueles presentes nos nascimentos precisam saber. Baseado no trabalho de Michel Odent, o livro se centra muito claramente na fisiologia do trabalho de parto, parto e p s-parto. Este livro destinado a mulheres gr vidas, bem como aqueles presentes no nascimento, seja na qualidade de cuidador (m dico, parteira, doula) ou parceiro/a. "Reunir o que importante em um n mero t o pequeno de p ginas uma fa anha. Espero que, nos cinco continentes, todas as mulheres gr vidas, parteiras, doulas, m dicos, etc. dediquem tempo para assimilar o conte do desta obra-prima: ser um ponto de virada na hist ria do nascimento de crian as e consequentemente na hist ria da humanidade." - Michel Odent

Ci sono due documenti importanti pubblicati sulla fisiologia della nascita. Il primo documento un enorme libro scritto millenni fa. Il secondo documento l'opposto del primo in termini di numero di pagine. E' il libretto di Ruth Ehrhardt. Mettere insieme ci che importante in un libretto cos piccolo una sfida. Io spero che, sui 5 continenti, tutte le donne gravide, le ostetriche, le doule, i medici etc. si prenderanno il tempo per assimilare i contenuti di questo capolavoro. Sar un punto di svolta nella storia della nascita e quindi nella storia dell'umanit . - Michel Odent

The period surrounding birth is a phase of modern life that has been dramatically altered in recent decades, and emerging scientific disciplines have shown that this short period is critical in the formation of human beings. Michel Odent, former obstetrician and revolutionary childbirth pioneer, believes that these are two good reasons to raise questions about the way babies are born, and the consequences this may have for the evolution of Homo sapiens. Furthermore, the transmission of acquired traits to subsequent generations can now be scientifically interpreted (epigenetics, the transmission of the mircobiome, etc), which may represent a defining moment in our understanding of the mechanisms by which evolution occurs. Recent scientific advances have been so spectacular that they merit this updated edition of a book that was originally published in 2013. Obstetric practice is generally evaluated in the short term; this ground-breaking book encourages us to think about modes of birth in the long term, and to consider the impact they have on our species and its evolution. It is a readable, yet thought-provoking book, which will give anyone interested in evolution and the future of Homo sapiens much new material to consider.

'After the historic student revolt in France a period of audacious creativity resulted. The watchword was: "It is forbidden to forbid". We took advantage of this transient cultural folly to do what would have been impossible ten years before or ten years after, introducing in the maternity unit of a state hospital an inflatable outdoor pool as a way to replace drugs during birth.' - from the Introduction In this groundbreaking book, Dr Odent takes as his starting point the world-famous work on childbirth at Pithiviers, where he first noticed the strong attraction to water that many women have during labour. As well as discovering the practical advantages of water during the birthing process, he began to consider the meaning and importance of water as a symbol. Water, Birth and Sexuality examines the living power of water and its erotic connotations. Odent evaluates what water meant in different cultures throughout history, through myths and legends, and what it means for us today: from an advertiser's tool to a metaphor for aspects of the psyche. He also studies humanity's special relationship to dolphins, and the related 'aquatic ape' theory. A practical section on the use of water during birth and in various therapies, particularly sex therapy, is included. This edition of this classic work features a new Introduction.