Rebirthing has several meanings and applications as well as techniques.
To give a brief history -- Rebirthing was started in the mid to late 70's.
It was a simple breathing technique that was supposed to help release deep
seated traumas and negative energies from ones life experiences and original
birth that are stored in the body. It was designed to help reconnect the
mind and the body - a type of energy work  It was frequently done immersed
in water (hot tubs or bath tubs) using a snorkel as a breathing tube, but
could be done simply laying down, relaxing and breathing in a connected
rhythm where the in in breath was connected to the outbreath Originally It
was based on the work of Leonard Orr and Sondra Ray.  Sondra later went on
to write "Ideal Birth", a great book promoting gentle birth. I took a
rebirther training in the 80's which  was a great experience and lead me to
go on to become a certifed childbirth educator (CCE).  At no time was I
wrapped in balnkets or smothered with pilows.   As an aide to lactation
Rebirthing refers to a mother and baby recreating a more positive birth
experience in hopes that the baby will get back in touch with its natural
instincts to suckle at the breast.  It can be done in the bath tub as
previously described, or simply laying down on a bed with soft music, low
lights and baby  gently lifted from between moms legs to her abdomen and
left alone to find the breast on his/her own.  Much like the work of Michel
Odent in France. To forbid rebirthing, as in the Colorado case, is in my
book, the same thing as forbidding breastfeeding because a baby dies from
"insufficient milk".  One bad outcome by someone who doesn't know what they
are doing doesn't mean that the idea or concept is bad.
Peg Merrill  LLL, CCE, IBCLE

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