Birth Activist » birth poetry

Birth Poetry

Robin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:16:07 +0000

I felt your voice come to me in my dreams, as I swam in ideas of your labour day to come,

It came through in waves, but not in sounds, but feeling.

Every night?I traveled through your fears and expectations, with wide arms and an open heart,

I dreamed of myself holding your hands, of being exactly what you needed, right then.

Awoken, in a fury of confusion, my alarm has gone off?

This is the hour in which you knew that in the coming hours your baby would be born.

You invited me into your home, your life, your family, your heart,

As we rocked and swayed and breathed through your pains of labour.

Your calls heard by woman around the world, sharing the joys of this connected womanhood.

As the snow softly feel, and the pull of the moon could be felt through thick heavy white clouds.

In darkness you leaned over the kitchen table, and quietly said you couldn’t do this,

With my body holding yours, I felt my heart swell for the fact that I knew, this moment, you were the strongest you’ve ever been.

Turned to your husbands eyes, eyes filled with worry, with anxiety, with joy.

I gave him a knowing look, one filled with pride, for you are stronger than I’ve ever been.

In all the dreams, I dreamed before his birth, the day was quite not the same,

Brimming full of tears and hours ticking by,

I watched you learn to trust yourself, and I couldn’t give you anything more.

Amber Morrisey – birth doula

How to Meditate with a Baby…

Robin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:23:58 +0000

Lie down in a comfortable place.
Latch baby on.
Feel your bodies relax and become
Suffused with peace.
Rest your nose in his hair.
Inhale.

Molly Remer

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

A Healthy Baby – Birth Poetry Contest

Robin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:30:18 +0000

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby
She was excited about the months ahead
She knew her baby was a blessing
She wanted what was best
She changed her diet and started exercising
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
So she did what the books and websites told her

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby
A boy is what they told her
She never NEEDED an ultrasound
She knew EXACTLY when the one night of passion that created the life happened
She wanted the gender to be a surprise
Her measurements were always right on target
She never really wanted an ultrasound
But they made her feel like something could be wrong
Something that only the magic wand with goopy gel could tell her
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
So she conceded and did what her providers told her

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby
They said the baby looked big
Just last week, her measurements were right on target
She did not understand
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
Would his size really make a difference?
Before now she had faith in her body
But they made her feel unsure
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
So she listened, and scheduled another ultrasound

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby
The repeat ultrasound showed the baby had gained more weight
How accurate are those things anyway?
Wasn?t the baby supposed to be gaining weight?
Nine pounds didn?t sound too big to her
Big babies ran in her family!
But predictions of a term birth weight of 10lbs made her doubtful
Her trust in her innate abilities began to fade. She became fearful
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
So she listened to her providers and scheduled her induction with a closed cervix, and intense fear

She came as she was instructed at 5am
She had gotten no sleep,
She had eaten no food
She was operating off adrenaline, and she was full of fear and anticipation
She wanted to birth a healthy baby
So she followed the rules and listened to what they said was best
The entire day seemed to be a rapidly moving blur of various demands, commands, and instructions

Put on this gown
Get in this bed
Let me start this IV
We are going to start Pitocin
You have to keep still
You have to stay in bed
You have to keep the monitors on
They are here to break your water
No you can?t get out of bed
We need to use these internal monitors
No you can?t have any water and certainly no food
Here? are a few ice chips
Didn?t your doctor tell you how this was going to go?!
Yes of course it?s painful
YOU should get an epidural and for the last time NO you can?t get out of bed
I am glad you are finally comfortable
Let me put this tube in your bladder, you won?t feel it
Hope you don?t get an infection
We are going to increase the Pitocin
Your baby?s heart rate dropped
Quick, turn to your left side
Breathe this oxygen
You are only 4 cm dilated
I?m going to call your doctor
Open the OR its 5PM!
Lets get her ready for her c/section?..

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby
In her heart she wanted to speak up,
But she wanted to birth a healthy baby so she took their advice
She listened to her doctor
She listened to her nurse
When all along she was waiting for someone, anyone, is there one? all she wanted was one,
One person to hear HER voice
One person to help make HER voice louder and stronger

All she wanted was to birth a healthy baby?.and it seems everyone else, just wanted to control the process

Nicole Deggins, CNM -? www.yourbirthright.com
_{This poem was used as the opening to a presentation I gave at the national AWHONN Conference in San Diego Presentation title:? Using the Evidence to Reclaim the Role of Patient Advocate.}

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

Second Untitled Birth Poetry Submission

Robin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:24:28 +0000

—

uncurling like a newborn’s fist
reaching out to receive the first touch of her mother

I feel my heart release the stone of grief
and rise on an updraft of joy so great
it turns silence to sound

I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity
to witness a miracle
and be healed

I am not broken after all
I am natural, I am normal
I am just as I am meant to be

Erinn Streeter

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

Untitled Birth Poem

Robin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:22:45 +0000

—

Take you away? Never.
Holding you, bare skinned,
while you licked your lips,

I would break eye contact with you
only long enough to laugh defiantly
at anyone who would tell me

a needle would serve you better
than my kisses -

or that you would be left wanting
at the holy chalice of my
heartbeat-threaded breast.

So small, and yet,

you can turn
your mother’s laugh
into a spear.

Erinn Streeter

Erinn is open to suggestions for a title in the comments!

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

The day you were born

Robin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:21:07 +0000

The day you were born
I heard your first gasp
and I cried in my joy
your hands were so tiny
your feet so perfect
my pride would not allow me
to see any flaw
and let me tell you
you had none!

The day you were born
I felt a new love
as deep as any crush
I’ve ever held
but more intense
a bond strong and new
your every breath
every move
was of complete interest
to me
I wanted nothing more
than to watch your tiny face
as it moved and twitched
in the newness of the world
I had fallen in love
unconditional love
for the first time.

The day you were born
was a birthday for me
I became
a whole new person
my heart was rearranged
no longer thinking
only for myself
but seeking
everything for you
I became
focused and directed
the world was so different
in my eyes
heritage, promise, hope, and mortality
were all in my thoughts

The day you were born
I was born too
born anew
a mother
who had not been before
nurture and love
grew in my soul
and dreams all became
for you

So now I am thankful
in my memory
of you
and the day you were born
since that day
you’ve grown and changed
I have watched you
with expectation
of enormous wonderful changes
and yet
mourned the loss
of the baby you were
you must keep growing
becoming the one
you are meant to be
and someday you’ll go
and when you do
I know I’ll find myself
remembering
the day you were born.
Dawn Meisenheimer Lewis

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

Pulse

Robin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:19:54 +0000

One, Two, Three,
A cadenced rhythm,
Always recognized.
One, Two, Three,
What has gone wrong?
One, Two, Three,
The oxygen is on.
One, Two, Three,
Someone call 911.
One, Two, Three,
Pray that life shant fade,
Before it begins.
One, Two, Three,
?I have a pulse.?
But he?s still not breathing.

Jessica Williams
(baby made full recovery after 32 day NICU stay)

This is a part of the birth poetry contest.

Birth Poetry Contest

Robin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:43:27 +0000

Birth is something that inspires us.? And poetry is definitely something that inspires many people.? While I work with pregnant and birthing families all day and realize the fire that birth can bring, I’m only now realizing how poetry can provoke intense feelings too.? When I’m having a rough day or go through a very emotionally intense (happy or sad) experience, I’ve been stopping to jot down a quick set of words.? I’ll admit that haikus are my poetry of choice these days. But I’m enjoying all sorts of poetry.

So I thought it would be fun to have a poetry contest!? Here are the directions:

Any type of poem.
Submit as many times as you’d like, but each separately.
Submit by 11/27/09 at 11 pm EST
Winners will be announced later that week.
If you send us a poem, you agree to let us publish it

We will be finding some prizes around here to hand out for the top three winners!? Got your keyboards and pens fired up?

Here’s how to enter:

Name
Email
Poem
How you’d like it to be accredited (full name, nick name, etc.)
Send to: robin at robin elise weiss dot com
Subject Line: Birth Poetry Contest

Feel free to spread this around to your friends, Twitter,? facebook, etc.