Why Birth Stories Matter to Moms

Everyone loves a birth story!? And I mean nearly any birth story.? Television defines good as something that is dramatic and plays out well in 30 minutes, which is often not real birth. The Internet has more time and space, so technically you could have good birth stories available here.? And there are some good birth stories.

But truthfully, birth stories are for mothers and families.? As a doula, I try to come home and immediately try to put into words the power of the families I’ve just seen while it’s fresh in my mind.? In fact on Twitter the other day I noticed that another doula expressed what I felt, that if she waited, the intensity faded.? But that intensity fades because we were merely observers.

I write it out, not because the mom necessarily needs a minute by minute play book of what happened, though many moms tell me that they didn’t recall which order things really happened, simply because they were busy in the moment.? I write it out to reflect back to them my experience of their power.

Having the privilege of being in attendance at a labor and birth is amazing.? To me, writing it out is a thank you note.? As a mom on the receiving end, I enjoy seeing the labor through someone else’s eyes, particularly my husband, my doula, my midwife…

Do you write them as a doula or other witness? Do you enjoy writing these stories?? Do you enjoy reading them, if you’ve had a baby?