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Laura Latina

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    • Home
    • My story
    • My philosophy
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    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Newsletter

Laura Latina

  •  
    • English
    • Italiano
Book a session
  • Home
  • My story
  • My philosophy
  • Offerings
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • …  
    • Home
    • My story
    • My philosophy
    • Offerings
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Newsletter
  • My journey

    Burundi, Africa, in 2009.

    I met many tribes and communities of wise women travelling around the world. I always remember the red colour of the Earth, in Africa, while I was travelling to a village to support a woman (or more) when giving birth. I observed and learnt a lot about childbirth by just being with women and traditional midwives. At every birth, women gather under a hut to support the labouring woman by massaging her back, use of smoke to cleanse and purify, holding space for her in silence or sometimes singing. In Africa giving birth is a community event and a celebration for becoming a mother. I was always amazed to see that, this is lost in many other cultures - like mine.

    I believe every woman's life-journey is an inner dive to re-remembering and re-discovering our true essence and reclaim our body's wisdom, inner power, reclaiming creation & birth. Women are the leaders of this world, but we have been suppressed for a long time.

    I have always been a revolutionary and an adventurous soul since I was little. My curiosity and courage brought me to amazing places. My personal and professional growth has always been paramount. I worked in really remote places, in villages in the middle of nowhere assisting, holding space for women giving birth (giving to light, we say in Italian). In my 15+ years of midwifery, I have witnessed miracles and heartbreaking stories as well. I met incredible women, they have taught me that every woman should be her own body's expert. Her own midwife.

    South Sudan, Africa, 2011

    At young age, it never crossed my mind to study midwifery. I don’t remember well how I took that decision, it was like a strong gut feeling pushing me to sit the exam for midwifery. I remember the first day at the university, finding out that midwifery was my path at that time. When I graduated, I knew I didn’t want to become a hospital midwife, I was craving knowledge about traditional, real midwifery. So I left for Africa where I volunteered first then worked as a midwife supervisor/manager (in Burundi, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi). These experiences are priceless, unforgettable.

    I studied in a very medicalised context, when I assisted births I knew that most of the teachings were really questionable. And so I self-studied, I observed a lot. I have always given my best, decreasing medicalisation & violence in birth, still existing in a worrying extend everywhere in the world.

    In Africa, I have learnt a lot about women, the naturalness of birth as well as how to support vaginal breech births. In low-resource settings I also witnessed western medicine forcing women to disconnect to their roots, rushing them to give birth in hospitals where they are alone, tied up in bed, where roughly 90% of interventions are unnecessary.

    In 2012, I moved to London where I worked as caseloading midwife & team leader providing continuity of care and home births. This experience was one of the best. I have learnt the importance of trusting relationship. I advocated for women, supported their choices regardless of guidelines (breech, VBAC, preterm home birth). I am so grateful I have witnessed so many gentle and undisturbed births.

    In 2015 I graduated at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, MSc in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research.

    My home birth team in London 2012-2016

    In 2014-2015 I worked in Afghanistan as maternity manager for a birth unit where we were assisting 20,000 births per year. It was the busiest place I have ever worked so far: 80 births per day, coordinating the hospital and the team. Afghani people and their country are amazing. Sadly, the trauma is rooted in this country, I witnessed so many abuses on women and children. I always hold them in my heart, their spirit, their courage, their strength.

    In these years, 2012-2016, I was on and off in Italy assisting home births. And at the end of 2016, I moved to Australia to work as Women's Health Advisor for a NGO. I coached 30 maternal projects in improving midwifery care and introducing respectful maternity care. I gave technical support, training, mentoring to maternity hospitals and birth centres in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Uganda, Chad, Pakistan, and more.

    I also studied a PgC in Quality care and Leadership at the Institution for Healthcare Improvement.

    Australia was my awakening, I really felt at home. I dived deeply into myself. I studied yin & hatha yoga (with Cora Geroux), Reiki (with Sarah Bruce), meditation (with Lorin Roche), intuitive energy work (with Erin Orion, Katie Sutton, Caroline Padgette). I studied at the School of Shamanic woman's craft with Jane Hardwicke-Collings.

    Preparing for an undisturbed birth at home in Italy

    March-September 2021, I moved back to the UK to work as Consultant Midwife. I was one of the senior leaders of maternity services advocating for women and promoting birth physiology. While in the Uk, I certified as Yoga Nidra teacher with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli.

    Since 2008 until now, I have unlearnt, observed and self-studied on birth physiology and invested in my personal growth. Now I am interning with dr. Gabor Matè and the team of Compassionate Inquiry (CI) about healing our trauma, our stories through compassion and body's wisdom. And learning about somatic embodiment & self-regulation therapies. On my way to become CI practicioner.

    A long way, finally, all those years brought me back to myself. I feel home, safe inside my body. it is so important for me now to do what I love, to fully express myself, my creativity. And I had the courage to do what I wanted since long time.

    I quitted working & supporting medical systems, I don't recognise myself as a medical midwife anymore. I am offering my talents as an independent consultant, in service to healing women. I do trauma & birth-work to restore intuitions and connection.

    I am between Italy & Australia at service for women as a trauma & birth-worker.

    One of my dreams is to support women and families, to build a community birth approach so that women give birth with love and joy, not isolated. I don't believe childbirth should happen inside the hospital. I have witnessed many horror stories inside the medical system - manipulation, control, toxic dynamics, very traumatic births, very poor self-care. I believe birth should be a community event, outside hospitals, where women are able to birth gently, naturally, with love & presence for their process and their babies. The way women give birth impact their lives and our planet. If we re-connect with ourselves, we see the beauty in ourselves and peel away layers of trauma, social pressure and cultural toxicity, we are whole and we can show up in every stage of our lives in full power, including in birth and motherhood. Join me in the revolution.

    A gift card from one of the women I supported for her vaginal breech birth. UK, 2021

I acknowledge, respect and honour the guardians and custodians of the lands where I travel and live. I honour the Elders of the past, present and future. May their teachings always be with us.

 

This website was made with love by Laura Latina. © 2023

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