
Birth. It can be so unpredictable, incredible, transformative, inspiring…it serves as such a huge catalyst for growth for so many of us! For some, it is the time when we find or rediscover our voices, we learn to navigate a system in an entirely new way. For others it can be a time of what feels like powerlessness; a lack of control or unwinding of plans. Ultimately, in any scenario, it is up to us as the individuals to take back our power, advocate for what we want and need, for what we believe is best for us and our babies. Control what we can, surrender to the rest
I don’t typically share much (if anything) about the births I attend – not because I don’t remember or want to, not even because I don’t have time or because they aren’t worth sharing (oh my goodness, they’re all worth sharing!!), but because they aren’t my stories and experiences to tell. Each woman owns the rights to her and her baby’s birth story; to be able to speak it as she experienced it in her own way. To be able to debrief it with honesty, to feel the words pass over her tongue or be shared by her hands. It makes it tangible, real, in a way that perhaps it didn’t feel before.
Storytelling is cathartic. Sometimes we are so privileged to get glimpses into that story – a photo, a snippet of information, a brief story or even a random comment amongst a sea of other information.
Today I am supporting a couple who I’m immensely proud of. They made the decisions that felt right for them and their baby every step of the way. They advocated for themselves and when plans had to change they dodged and jumped hurdles and changed directions. If they told you one snippet of it, the way it ended up, you’d have absolutely no idea of the incredibly transformative, powerful and empowering journey they’ve been on to get to this point. You’d have no idea of how much they have advocated for themselves, and how incredibly their team has supported them…how personalised their experience has become because of their actions and decisions.
Never will I take this role for granted To see beyond that snippet. To know the phenomenal story that led them there. Proud is such an understatement!