Of Pelvic Proportions

In the past few months, I have reported on my love affair with some very specific organs of the mammalian body. Inspired by the autumnal urge to stay in a warm bed longer and read up on the various midwifery and womyn’s health materials, I am dedicating this lunar cycle to a very important bodily feature: The Pelvis.

While not technically an organ, I heart the pelvis. The foundational structure from which the rest of our body springs (the leg bone’s connected to the pel-vis), the pelvis cradles many of our vital organs and is the energetic powerhouse that seeds two of the seven charkas (the root and sacral chakras). The sophisticated relationship of bony structures, muscles, and connective tissues create the important basin that supports our ability to walk, sit, and stand. Not to mention, playing an important role in activities like sex, pregnancy, and birth.

In the birth community, the discussions surrounding the pelvis take many permutations: pelvimetry (the measurements of bony pelvic dimensions); cephalopelvic measurements (comparing the dimensions of the maternal pelvis and the fetal head); pelvic fascia function & imbalances; implications of pelvic health & dysfunctions; and caring for the perineum.

This month, I intend to spend some time examining the recent discussions and developments that surround the pelvis. Inspired by my exploration into producing a functional model pelvis for my doula services and childbirth education series, the education I received at a few workshops I attended, and the handful of birth I attended in the recent weeks, I believe it is the perfect time to focus some energy on exploring the pelvis.

Someone got sleepy studying the bony structure of the pelvis. My pup, Riley, loves to help me work out my knitting patterns for my educational tools ♥

My paper model, made out of recycled paper.This series of posts will hopefully open up a discussion of pelvic function and health. I welcome questions -- please do not hesitate to leave comments or shoot me an email.

To get you started on with pelvis appreciation, take a look at this simple DIY paper model of the pelvis, brought to you by Hesperian (p.7). This pelvis can easily be constructed out of recycled paper (or construction paper for something a little more sturdy) –- not really display quality, but a great jump-off point for understanding the shape of the bony structures of the pelvis.