Three Women With Three Different Birth Stories
Ask any woman about her birth(s) and she will be able to recall very specific details: the sounds, the smells and the way she was made to feel while she was bringing life into the world. You can ask your grandma, your mom, your auntie…they will retell the story of their births with freakish detail. Do you know why? It’s because birth is such a life-changing experience that when a woman does it, she almost feels changed by the experienc. Good or bad, a birth story can't be taken back.
I posted about it over on my Instagram account. If you don't have an Instagram account, here was my post:
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It's hard to believe how many years have gone by when I can remember her birth so clearly. The smells, the sounds and the way my doctors and nurses made me feel. ⠀
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That's pretty impressive considering 16 YEARS.⠀
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If you care for women during birth, you should know that you're a very important character in a story that she's going to replay over and over until she dies.⠀
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If you're a mama, you should fight for every single thing that could make your birth day a day that you'll want to remember forever. Because you will.⠀
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Birth is THAT important.⠀
You know what? Women were all about that. One of my followers wrote:
Such visceral labour intensifying and the power to persevere was incredibly magical, beyond myself. The trust I felt being supported by my midwife and the way my husband used words and touch to keep me grounded and calm. So beautiful. Thank you.It’s nice to replay what was only 4 months ago but feels like a lifetime already.
That’s some powerful stuff! Obviously that mama felt supported while giving birth, and I'm so happy for her! Another follower shared:
So many births (7! 4 of them live births…) But all were unique. Some traumatic, some amazing. One, my husband delivered the baby because she came so quickly! All I can say is: I was 100% glad we made the decision to have midwife homebirths. A MAZ ING!
She can recall all 7 of her births. She really felt supported by her midwife, even though some of her births were "traumatic".
One very brave mama posted:
What I remember most about my first is mostly joy in becoming a mom and finally meeting my daughter but also a feeling of disappointment and failure because it ended in a c-section and my baby was in the NICU. With my second I had a successful VBAC and got to hold my baby immediately. I felt like a superhero who could do anything! It was a really powerful feeling.
You see? Two different births, two VERY different ways that she remembers them. She recalls her first birth with “disappointment and failure” but after her second she felt like “a superhero” and "Powerful". Her kids are teenagers now!
If you know someone who is pregnant, please tell them. Tell them that they can help set the stage for a wonderful memory or a bad one. Tell them to use a birth plan, to fight for what will make them feel supported in labour and advocate for a happily ever after. There are no guarantees in this life, but maybe if we all just push for what woman need we can hear more positive birth stories.
Do you want to chat about your story? Connect with me over at Mamasoup!
(Was listening to my buddy Brian Ellis on the radio (The Wolf 101.5 while I wrote this. He hasn't given birth.)
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Hey there, I’m Joanne.
I’ve spent about 20 years serving women as a nurse, doula and Lamaze educator. I have 4 kids and I know firsthand how lonely and isolating motherhood can be, so I created MamaSoup. I'm mostly known for my love of red wine, spontaneously singing and my confidence in being my true self on social media. When I’m not busy building women up, you can catch me taking Instagram stories of my bulldog Ruby, watching The Handmaid’s Tale, playing MUber (Mom Uber) to my kids or vacationing in my favourite town: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
I love serving the world by providing a space for moms to connect and support each other. In my opinion, moms are the backbone of communities because they are (literally) raising the future!
As the founder and CEO of MamaSoup, I’ve been featured on CHEX TV Morning Show, KawarthaNOW, Economic Development- The City of Kawartha Lakes and MyKawartha.
Still with me? Join me over at MamaSoup to keep the conversation going!
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