birth is strong

I have two children who were born at home. Suzannah
is 29 and Evan is 23. I was a fairly empowered 18 year
old when I was pregnant with Suzy. My children's
births have augmented my sense of personal power and
the awesomeness of Nature and freedom. One of the best
compliments I ever recieved was from my midwife, Kate
Bowland. She said that I was "a good animal".
Following my body's inclinations and feeling my
children's bodies as they moved through me was a
deeply grounding and enlightening process. Having the
physical, emotional and social freedom and support to
do so was a spiritual gift. I am grateful.
My experiences as a doula, supporting mothers in
making their own best decisions about where and how to
labor and birth their children, have been a
fascinating and ongoing learning experience. One
thing I hear again and again is that mommies are
hearing stories that invoke fear and anxiety. They
often reach conclusions about birth that take
themselves nearly out of the picture. This often sets
the stage for their experience of motherhood. Our
culture actively promotes the application of
technological intervention in the natural process.
Yet it has not managed to change the experience or
outcomes for the better. I hope women at all ages and
stages will begin to hear the stories of mothers who
chose the path of Nature and her wisdom and power.
These stories belong to all of us.