Write Your Birth Story!

  “Whenever and however you give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body, and your spirit for the rest of your life.”  Ina May Gaskin

As a woman who work with other women during all phases of the childbearing process, it becomes inevitable that I hear lots and lots of birth stories, from long time clients and stranger alike. Usually within 10 minutes of meeting me, most women who know my profession open up and start using words such as "vaginal" and "cervix" and bearing intimate details of the most intimate experience of their lives. And I don't even blink an eye. Why? Because words like that and situations like this have become quite commonplace in my world. And I love it. It is self evident through these experiences that women crave to be heard and understood on a deep and spiritual level. Motherhood as a whole has taught me that sharing stories is important and vital. I now realize that every mom has a story to tell, and if we allow a space for moms to tell their stories with openness and honesty, it greatly improves the outcome and circumstances for others.

Here’s the truth: Every. Single. Mother. on this big, glorious planet we share has a story. Some are serious. Some are embarrassing. Some are funny. Some are scary. Some are harmonious. Some are full of unpredictable twists and turns. Some went according to plan. Some were rude awakenings. But every woman has one. And every story matters.

And, here’s another truth: writing your story matters. Why? The act of putting your story into actual words can have a very therapeutic and cathartic effect on you. But, the benefits aren’t just for you. The following are reasons why you should write your birth story:

Write To Remember

Memories fade and especially so when sleepless nights and infant care are a part of your daily life. Taking the time to put your story into words as soon as possible will preserve details that your mind won’t recollect later. There's this funny thing that happens after we give birth: our minds selectively pick and choose details of the process to remember and usually its the smiles and the laughs and positive moments that stand out. I can almost promise, years from now, you won't remember the sensations of pain or the groans or the moans. (This is probably a self preservation mechanism to make sure we keep having babies!). Write it now. Write it soon. Write it before its gone.

Write To Educate

Every birth is different, but the more stories we hear, the more perspective we have and the more educated we are on what the possibilities of birth are. Tell your story not just for your own benefit, but for the benefit of others, so they can learn from your experience. I have come to realize just how important the stories we hear are, and how much impact and influence they can have over our lives. I’ve learned that if stories of c-sections are all a woman hears, she has a different perspective of birth than a woman who has been surrounded by women who believe in natural birth. Write to empower. Write to encourage. Write for diversity. Write so we can all understand each other better.

Write To Be A Gift

In writing our birth stories, these words are preserved for our children, their future spouse, our grandchildren and beyond. Maybe they'll appreciate it. Maybe they won't. Its there for them nonetheless. I know my children love to hear the accounts of when they were born. I think for most of us, hearing about how we entered the world gives us a sense of humanity, validation and grounding that is very palpable.

Write To Heal

Birth is a life-changing event in many ways. Regardless of how perfect or imperfect it was, reflecting on the experience gives you the ability to work through the events and emotions. Some will feel a great sense of empowerment from birth. Others will need time to work through negative emotions and memories of what happened. Writing a birth story allows a woman to organize her thoughts and gain a better perspective on her experience. It gives her the opportunity to release the story and heal.


So take a the time to write your birth story. Put away the inner critic, and write what comes out. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be honest and real and uniquely yours.