Charley: I held you as you came out of me and into the world and I felt so bloody powerful and accomplished for doing this; birthing you with no drugs and the best supporter in the world, your dad.
A moving letter to her son, Emile, telling him his birth story.
“You wanted to come into this world fast and I pushed so strongly and with absolute abandon. I don’t think I’ve ever yelled or screamed that loud in my life and it felt fantastic. Your head was out and holy shit it hurt. One more push and, up on my knees with my elbows on the headboard, teeth clamped on the top of it, your whole beautiful body came out too. It was utterly unbelievable. My incredible little man with a full head of dark hair, pink bodied and screaming and perfect. I held you as you came out of me and into the world and I felt so bloody powerful and accomplished for doing this; birthing you with no drugs and the best supporter in the world, your dad. He had confidence in me, I had confidence in me and we did it!”
Olivia: I’m in another world, standing on the edge of a huge cliff, a swirling and raging sea below me, and I know I have to jump.
I’d heard the terms “birth world” and “out of body experience” used to describe other womens' experiences of labour during my pregnancy. Hoo wee, the experimental 16 year old in me really hoped I’d have a birth experience that encompassed both of those things.
Lisa Watkins: And I went to some otherworldly place
And I went to some otherworldly place, I was aware of my surroundings but not. My mind and body became one. It was complete surrender.
Until suddenly I was awake. And I felt so alert, and so clear headed. I still felt a little hopeless and in a silly moment I remember apologising for not managing, for being so ‘full on.’ I still wasn’t ready to own my power and to be me.
Augie: I needed strong mothers and past birthers to hold me, to show me that all of this was ok
Augie is mother and an artist. She lives on Dja Dja Wurrung country where she home schools her two small humans, while also studying a Bachelor of Psychology. She generously and courageously shares her experience of postnatal depression and sheds light on the truth around where these disorders stem from, and what she needed during her second pregnancy and postpartum.
Caroline: I was exhausted, tender, emotional, sensitive, and so in love.
Caroline Clements is an editor, producer and author of Places We Swim where she and her partner Dillon uncover idyllic beaches, pools, waterfalls, lakes, hot springs and gorges for us all to enjoy. When she is not travelling the globe, she lives with Dillon and their son Leo in Sydney, Australia.
Rose: A tale of life lived now, postpartum forever
Rose Louey is an artist, model and mother to a daughter and twin boys. She wrote this essay titled A Tale of Life Lived Now, Postpartum Forever for And Then. Postpartum in June 2022.
Hannah: To have and to be everything
Image and words reproduced with permission from @hannahdebus and her Dear Shrimp: Scenes from new motherhood publication
Joey: On birth, postpartum and gathering her supports
Image credit unknown. Please let me know if you know its origin.