What Makes A Good Birth Story?

I love reading birth stories. I love hearing how empowered women become after going through the act of giving birth. The victory they have achieved allows them to know they can do anything.

Some birth stories tell of endless hours of labors and triumph of delivery.
These are the stories where the mother has a very long prodromal or latent stage with contractions spaced out just far enough to keep her from sleeping well but not close enough together to be effective for dilation. She may speak of the people supporting her, bringing in food for her family, helping take care of other children, rubbing her back and wiping her brow.

Some birth stories are of fast and furious labors where the mom barely makes it to the birth center or hospital or the midwives barely make it to her home...or not. These stories often tell of a frantic husband who is relieved to turn the responsibility over to the care provider and take a moment to breathe for himself. She is often shocked and bewildered that it is all over.

And then there is everything in between. Fast labors, textbook labors, sorrowful labors, joyous labors.

What makes a good birth story? The ones that are told. Women need to tell their stories and they need to be heard. Women are resilient. They can handle the good, the bad and the ugly. They can effect change when their expectations are not met. They can make the world a better place for their daughters, daughter in laws and grand daughters to give birth.

Tell your story. Allow others to learn. Help us as caregivers to learn what was important to you.