Ep 372. Maha Al Musa: Belly Dance as Preparation for Childbirth and Guiding Practice Through Menopause

Maha Al Musa is an award-winning international childbirth educator, speaker, and the founder of EmbodyBirth and BellydanceBirth®, a pioneering approach to pregnancy and birth preparation she has been teaching since 1997. A leading advocate for natural birth, breastfeeding, and women’s embodied wisdom, she is the author of the acclaimed book Dance of the Womb: The Essential Guide to Belly Dance for Pregnancy and Birth, along with a widely recognized practice video series. Maha has presented at major conferences and institutions worldwide, sharing her work across Australia, the USA, India, and China. A mother of three, she is known for integrating personal experience with decades of teaching, including giving birth to her daughter at 46 in a home water lotus birth. Her work has received international awards and endorsements from respected figures in the birth community, and continues to influence both mothers and birth professionals globally.In this episode you will learn about:- Why most women are disconnected from their bodies—and how dance can rebuild that trust- Reasons why traditional belly dance was never about choreography—but about energy, emotion, and shared presence- Why professional belly dancers often struggle with birth—and the impact of muscle tension and control- How fear, medical systems, and external authority can disconnect women from their own instincts- Approaching menopause as a powerful rite of passage rather than declineShow Notes to this episode:Find Maha Al Musa on Instagram, YouTube, and her website with book and courses info.Details the BDE shows and training programs are available at www.JoinBDE.comFollow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast