I Believe Birthing People Are True Forces of Nature

When I was pregnant, I was constantly struck with wonder at what my body was capable of doing. Not only was I carrying a little being inside of me, but I was building that being from scratch. My body was making a human. 

How can a creator of such life not be a force to be reckoned with? 

Once a baby is ready to be born, the birthing person must go through a transformational experience to come out the other side as a steward of this new life. It is an exhausting process that requires exhaustive physical, mental, and emotional strength. Even if you give birth surgically, it is still a treacherous journey to bring your little one earthside. 

In the past, many doctors approached birth as an unnatural process–as something that feeble women need to be rescued from. This is about as far from the truth as you can get. My theory is that they were scared. They were scared not only of a process that they couldn’t understand or experience, but of the sheer power that comes with giving birth. They were afraid we’d realize how magnificent we are. This fear still colors many birthing experiences today. 

For the birthing people I work with, I aim to hold space for them and to make sure that they feel heard–that they recognize their own power in this journey.