birth
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The Creativity of the Womb
With each pregnancy I’ve experienced I mourn the loss of creativity. Perhaps it’s not my creativity that is gone, but the energy and motivation to carry out the things I would like. Either way I miss the excitement that comes with making something new, whether it be in the kitchen, at the sewing machine or planted in the garden. It feels like there’s a gaping hole that I just don’t have it in me to fill, and even after 6 pregnancies I still wish I could not feel so “different” than I do when I’m not growing a human.
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The birth of Herald Thomas
The experience of giving birth is harrowing, awful, hard work, nervewracking and raw, but it’s so beautiful, incredible and joyful too. I am privileged to have given birth to six (!) children.
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Meeting Maggie
There is no way to understand the desperation of an overdue pregnancy than to experience it. It feels like labor could be any minute, or never at all. Even now, nearly three weeks later, these feelings are hard to recall. I am able to reflect on it fondly, as if being overdue is some sort of fun waiting period not the time of daily crying and sighing that it truly was. One week after my due date I awoke to use the bathroom for the third time that night and noticed that there was some blood when I wiped. I couldn’t help but be excited even though I knew birth…
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Winnie’s story.
I woke and stood up to go to the bathroom when I felt some water leaking. Joy filled me. Finally, at 41 weeks and 4 days pregnant labor was imminent! It was 6 am so I crept downstairs in the silence to read and pray. Amongst the excitement the day brought, I also worried over the fact that my water had broken before I had any contractions. The same thing happened with Theo and I didn’t want to end up in the hospital with Pitocin and an epidural. With a homebirth we were unlikely to have to abide by the same ridiculous standards that hospitals do, but I still had a lot…
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Solomon teaches patience.
Two days before my due date. I took the boys to play trains at Barnes and Noble in an attempt to enjoy a rainy day. I thought I would get a coffee and relax my aching pregnant body while they were entertained for hours. No. Of course not. They began to fight over trains and my sweet Theo’s anger escalated quickly. What began as a lovely trip ended with a kid following me out of the store trying to kick me in the shins yelling “I WANT THOSE BOOKS”. Yep, I was that mom. It was a rough morning and when we got home I was stressed out and tired.…
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promoting midwives and natural birth
My birth experience with Theo was disappointing. I am very happy that I ended up with a healthy baby but the intervention that I felt like I was forced into because I was not educated enough left me with a sour taste in my mouth. The midwife on call wasn’t even there for his birth (no it was not a quick labor). Two friends advocated for their obgyn/midwife practice when I was newly pregnant with my second child so I thought I should check it out. I was pleasantly surprised when I read their site and seeing so many positive reviews. Making the switch to Women’s Contemporary Healthcare (which is…
