Birth: a Hero's Journey Map A3 PDF Poster

This digital A3 doula download is a mystical map illustrating the Hero's Journey of pregnancy, birth and postpartum: the most epic rite of passage. A fun and useful resource that supports physiological birth and antenatal education by looking at birth and the path to parenthood differently. Ideal for doulas, birth keepers, midwives and hypnobirthing teachers to print and include in client handouts and use as childbirth teaching tools.

With whimsical illustrations following the traditional stages of the 'hero's journey' in mythological stories, this poster download helps us view pregnancy, birth, and postpartum through the lens of a hero's epic quest, to give a deeper understanding and respect for the transformative experience that the path to motherhood can be.

• The call to adventure - inviting us to leave the 'ordinary world' on a quest
• Meeting mentors and guides through our pregnancy: wise woman, educators - and our own inner wisdom
• Crossing the threshold as labour begins
• Facing adversaries, trials and tests
• Finding allies and our own inner strength
• Approaching the inmost cave as birth progresses, moving ever close to our goal
• During the Ordeal, we are forever changed
• The reward of the journey - our baby, the calm
• Taking the road back, to the Ordinary World, a sort of limbo where we are not yet grounded in our new role, but no longer the pregnant woman we were before
• Passing through the gateway of rebirth as we cross back into the Ordinary World, except we are not the same - we have been reborn. The heart chakra symbolises the challenge we may face to open our hearts to receive love and support in our recovery, or to our children and ourselves if our birth didn't go as we hoped
• The hero's return, as we integrate back in with the Ordinary World, along with our new knowledge, experience, and new persona as mother.

For ages I'd wanted to make a fantasy birth map with woo woo bits, and then I read about the hero's journey of birth and it seemed perfect. I knew making this that it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but I love it. And for me, this kind of birth education is the antithesis to the clinical medical messaging we are surrounded by in pregnancy 🩷 To view the journey to motherhood as something sacred, epic, transformative, magical, powerful.

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Copyright and Limited Use Commercial License

The limited use commercial license that comes with this download means that birth workers, doulas, hypnobirthing teachers, prenatal yoga teachers, antenatal educators and midwives can print to share and use with pregnant women, birth partners and clients. By buying this download you are agreeing to the following terms:

The license means you - as an individual - can:

• Print the downloads on paper or card at the size specified


• Give the printouts as handouts to your clients, or use as teaching tools or posters for your business


• You may use use a professional print service or print at home


• Add the images to a Powerpoint presentation to use with clients in person or remotely, as long as the presentation file itself isn't shared digitally


• Share the content using photos or videos of your printed materials on social media

The license DOES NOT allow you to:

• Print the images for any other reason than above or on any other material e.g. on a notebook or mug to give away


• Use the images as part of a product you will sell


• Share the digital files with anyone by email or another method


• Add the digital files to your website or use on social media


• Edit the images or remove my brand name


• Share with other professionals in your organisation

Thank you for respecting the time that has gone into creating this artwork. If you have any questions about the license agreement, please contact me.

Copyright

These handmade images, text and files are copyright of Hannah Thomas of Womb to World Art and sole copyright is retained by them.

Disclaimer: Please note my images are stylised visual representations, and the information is accurate to the best of my knowledge, but I am not a medical professional and therefore there may be words or parts of the drawings that aren't 100% anatomically and medically accurate. My materials are not intended to replace any medical caregiver advice.