"one of the reasons the refrain, “healthy mom, healthy baby” only hampers women – it negates the fact that we’re experiencing anything other than pure bliss. "
--Reader Larissa at The Unnecesarean
I love this line. It really says it all about that phrase that we toss around in the hopes of comforting women when things don't go the way they might have hoped. The reader Larissa is hoping to start a project focusing on accumulating women's stories about the good, the bad, and the ugly of women's experiences birthing. Larissa, rightly so, points out that experiencing childbirth isn't solely a sum of physical feelings but also emotional/mental feelings.
If you would like to submit your story, the deadline is 7/31/10 and you can email Larissa at postpartumessays@gmail.com
I look forward to hearing more from her.
This really hit home with me too. It was like I would feel guilty expressing how VERY disappointed I was with my birth experience, having to have a c/s, like I should just shut up and be greatful that I had a healthy child-which I am. These are feelings that I put on myself-for the most part no-one made me feel that way. I really grieved for that "perfect" birth. I guess what was most disappointing was the fact that I made (or agreed to) the decisions that led to that:( (I consider it no fault of the midwives-you were doing what you had to do given the situation).
ReplyDeleteMicaila - I would encourage you to share your story for this project. I also would be more than happy to post your birth story regarding your experience should you be willing to write it!
ReplyDeleteOk I have the birth story all written out already, but it probably needs some editing. I'll work on it and see if it would be okay with my husband to post it.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading it! And hope you are sending it to the project as well :)
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