Birth Story

"I was in labour for five days! I thought I was going to die. And THEN I had to push for FOUR hours!"

When I was pregnant, everyone wanted to share their birth stories with me.  Each one seemed worse than the last.  It was as if everyone was trying to scare me about just how bad things could really be.

But then I had Jack.  And like with so many other things, I finally understood.  I know why everyone wants to share.

In a way, I think birth stories are like war stories. Birth is a powerful experience that requires a huge amount of mental and physical strength.  So I think it's natural that when a pregnant woman is around, at some point the conversation turns to birth stories.  A birth story feels like a badge of honour. "Look what I survived. Look what I can handle," it says.

After Jack was born, I felt like I had survived my own private battle.  I know that sounds totally dramatic, but it's how I really felt.  I had been through something huge and life changing, had survived, and had been given a beautiful, perfect baby.  Where was my parade?  My medal for bravery?  And that's when I got it.  Telling your story is sort of your medal.  I wanted people to hear what I had been through -- to hear them say "Wow.  Are you ever tough" or "I remember that feeling."  And in return, other people wanted me to hear their stories, too.

So if you feel like I did, and you want to tell someone all the details of your baby's birth, I'll be there to listen, no matter how many times you want to tell it.  I've been through that kind of battle too, so I'll know how brave you were.