Didn't hunter-gatherers tend to give pregnant women higher access to certain high vitamin/mineral foods (like liver)?
I don’t know! Great question…
The great thing is.. we get to relearn it all! Many lifetimes will it take to grow back in sync with all that it means to be a part of the great cycle.
Many lifetimes indeed. Ah, I am trying to align myself with the many cycles and their rhythm, too! I am so excited that you think about these things as well, Raindance…
Here are some thoughts on timing of birth:
When is a woman least busy during the year (and therefore can afford to relax during the last few weeks of pregnancy and first few of mothering)?
When are men and women separated (hunting season, etc.), and therefore less likely to conceive while apart and/or most likely to conceive upon reuniting?!
During the hunger moon(s) of late winter/early spring, does it make sense to birth/conceive at this time? Perhaps women ovulated when they had the most body fat (fall?) and therefore birthed in summer?
Perhaps the nutrient boost in spring/summer (with wild greens now added to the mostly winter meat diet), decreased miscarriages…
Also, having births throughout the year makes sense when living tribally, so that only one or two new babies and moms need to be nourished/take time out from gathering/etc. at a time.
I think I could go around and around forever on this. Any thoughts? Maybe this is best left up to the children themselves to decide when they want to arrive!
