We are all told that though painful, giving birth is one of the most amazing and beautiful experiences that a person can go through. When talking to two women that have given birth you see the differences of the two but you also see similarities. Given the opportunity to talk to two mothers I learned their stories and how things have changed in life from one time that one had given birth to the time the second woman gave birth. Even down to the simplest things there are differences in todays experience of giving birth that make things easier compared to 50 years ago. Two women, two stories, and a little person brought into this world, these sort of conversations are both enlightening and beautiful stories.
Barbara Martin, a 72 year old caucasian woman, was the first woman I interviewed about her experience on the birth experience. With the stories she had told me I could already spot differences that I just knew have changed since she gave birth 54 years ago. In June 1959, 17 year old, Barbara Martin of Maryland Heights, Missouri realized she had missed her period and just knew she must be pregnant. Barbara, a newlywed that got pregnant on her honeymoon, was filled with happiness when she became pregnant, she knew they wanted to start a family and that was just the beginning. When I asked if there was a lifestyle change when she became pregnant, Barbara quickly said “no here was really no difference in everyday life other than my body changed, I got fat and that wasn’t very fun”. The whole experience of pregnancy Barbara said that everything she went through was exactly what she anticipated. When talking about “old wives tales” there was only 1 really mentioned to her. The wives tale she was told about was that she was not to p...
... middle of paper ...
...h is a breathtaking process that brings the world together, and creates a whole new generation of life that we also hopefully get the chance to experience this wonderful moment.
Learning about the experience that both of these women went through was fun and enlightening. Though I myself have yet to experience pregnancy or birth, learning about the process is a beautiful thing to learn. Whether you give birth naturally, or have a c-section, you still feel the same about the child in the end, it is your baby, your other half. There are many things to learn about when it comes to pregnancy and what to expect, but it is hard to take ones word when you never know what your experience may be like. Barbara and Shea-La shared intimate moments about their first borns with me that have opened my eyes to the, beautiful and scary parts about being pregnant and having a baby.
After reviewing and seeing what many mothers and young teenage mothers go through on what seems like an everyday basis one starts to wonder what really goes on behind closed doors with these mothers. What are they really like when its just them and their baby? How do they act around certain people (family, friends, and neighbors)? What has pregancy been like for them? What is it like knowing they have no more freedom but more responsibility on their hands?
W. S. Ross once said “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” As simple as this quip may sound, its complex implications are amplified through the life of every person born since the beginning of humanity. What attribute makes a mother such an extraordinary influence over her young? One such attribute is the ability to nurture. Beyond the normal challenges of cooking, cleaning, schooling, singing, feeding, and changing is the motivation by which such sacrifices are made possible. One cannot raise a child without mutual respect. Emotion and anxiety must drive her instincts. Her ability to foster is only heightened by minute personal imperfections and overwhelming responsibility that lead to a lack of confidence. Yet the prevailing characteristic that separates a ‘birth giver’ from a ‘mother’ is the unconditional, undying, and at times underestimated love for her child. To be a mother in the purest sense, she must embrace this notion of nurture.
Such are the ranges of Cesarean birthing experiences and corresponding women’s movements that will be explored alongside the politics of birth in this Birthquake research project.
Presenting the story from a third person perception and having the narration by the mother or “Mama” gives the story great relevance to real life situations that ha...
Birth is a normal, physiological process, in which a woman’s body naturally prepares to expel the fetus within. It has occurred since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, childbirth has gradually evolved into what it is today - a highly managed whirlwind of unwarranted interventions. Jennifer Block, a journalist with over twelve years experience, has devoted herself to raising awareness regarding the authenticity of the Americanized standard of care in obstetrics, while guiding others to discover the truth behind the medical approach to birth in this country. In her book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, Jennifer Block brings forth startling truths concerning this country’s management of birth.
After reading the book called “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman it made me think about life a little different. It made me view life as if I were Lia and her family and going through everything they are going through within this book. How they have overcome every obstacle and challenge. No woman in the world should have to go through a phase where they have lost their child. Reading this book also made me realize some the things I don’t want to go through when I have children of my own when I get older. I give all the woman in the world my respect and support because the pan they have to go through when they have a child especially if they don’t have a home of their own.
Isn 't it crazy to think that we were once just a tiny organism? Nothing more than a group cells forming together? From the time of conception, the baby develops so quickly it is remarkable. The period from conception to birth is a truly beautiful development. And while the baby is quickly being formed from cell to human, the parents are quickly learning the birthing process and all there is to expect. There are three major parts to having a baby, the prenatal development, birth and the postpartum period.
When a mother gives birth to her child it is the ultimate bonding experience. And
It was August 25, 2006 and I just received the news that I was going to have a baby. At that moment so many thoughts ran through my mind. I was extremely nervous and terr...
Pregnancy can be an exciting and sometimes frightening experience for many women. It was a snowy Sunday afternoon, and I was not feeling very well. I remember all week long, every morning I felt nauseated. I was craving odd foods, and foods I normally would not eat together. I was on the phone with my best friend explaining to her how I was feeling. She said “It sounds like you are pregnant.” That thought never even crossed my mind until that moment. Sure enough she was right, I was pregnant for the first time. I was excited to have a baby and never realized how many emotions or complications can take place during a pregnancy. Everybody that I knew that had babies, had such wonderful experiences. Unfortunately, this happy moment became such a monumental, emotional and stressful time in my life. During my pregnancy, I went through many emotional experiences from almost losing my child, to the uncertainty of a birth defect and early delivery.
A description can never be as vivid as an event that has been experienced. An experience can never be as defining as an event that has left you changed. Under the intensity of childbirth, you're more likely to remember details that would otherwise go unnoticed. All the scenes come together to leave a permanent imprint on the mind's eye.
When one thinks about a death and a birth, they do not tend think about their similarities. One example of how they can be similar is how people gather for both. Before a baby is born, a celebration, or a baby shower, is held. Baby showers are held not only so that the mother can receive gifts in preparation for the new baby, but also so that they can welcome the new addition to the family. When the time comes, and a loved one dies, the family members hold a funeral. A funeral is not only so that the family can grieve, but also so that they can celebrate the person that has died. The family is celebrating the time that they had with this person, before they died. There is also preparation for these two celebrations. When a person, usually a
Child Birth can be a beautiful, yet unimaginable experience any mother and family member can encounter. It is a process of emotional and social involvements that make-up a natural human being. The familiarity of childbirth can play an important role in life for every individual, especially the mothers who are in labor or in delivery. Each moment during labor will become memories for the mothers to share with their grown up child in the future. Childbirth is a breath taking experience that can change someone’s life forever. The process of childbirth does not occur in a blink of an eye; in fact, it is more of a procedure that may take a few steps. Some mothers during labor, experience a severe amount of pain that medication can control and some
The miracle of life is something most of us will experience in our lifetime. The process before actually giving birth, I think is the hardest part of the entire scenario of child bearing. This amazing experience is something that can make the individuals who are involved in the process change in so many ways. The process of giving birth, for those of you who have not experienced or will never experience it, can be very hard, long and rewarding all at the same time. To give a better description, think of eating a fireball. At first the fireball is tame and calm, but just when you least expect it the fireball becomes hot. Then, when the hot sensation becomes too much, the sweet flavor of the fireball breaks through.
By the time the hospital gave my mother a room, it was midnight and I was very sleepy. I was told by my mom to go to the room with her so I did. I was falling asleep on a sofa the hospital had, while my mom was screaming her lungs out. Looking back at this I have no idea why I was in the delivery room. I was later kicked out of it by mom anyways. I wanted the memory of me being in the delivery room for that one hour to stick with me as a reminder of how hard it is to be a mother from the start. Years later, it did stick with me, and it helped me be a better daughter.I realized my mom went through a lot to bring me into this earth and it wasn’t easy for her to do so. From that moment on, even though I was kicked out of the room as soon as I saw her again, I have been as helpful and careful with her as I could ever since. That moment I spend in the delivery room with my mom is actually one of the most special parts of the trip because it made my mom and I closer. I became much closer to her after I realized I owe her to be the best I can as a daughter and to be the best for