Giving birth is always a very special time for a woman: first the pregnancy, the feeling of responsibility of that human being growing in one’s body; followed by the preparations for birth, the expectations; then the birth itself, the first minutes with the baby; and finally the postpartum experience. All of that makes a huge impact on a woman’s everything: body, mind, soul, character. I don’t know a single woman who, after becoming a mother, would say that nothing has changed for her in her life. Something always changes.
Last year I wrote a compilation of birth stories from around the world that included thoughts, sharing and information on how the baby “business” is approached in different countries. Today I’d like to share more compilations with you from our new and old members.
Netherlands:
Rina of Finding Dutchland had her baby not long ago and she is sharing her thoughts comparing the care in the US (being an American) and Netherlands. She shares her excitement at the thought of having to have a professional maternity nurse to be with her every step of the day for the first month of the baby’s life.
Canada:
Liska of Adventure-in-a-Box shares her birthing experience at a maternity hospital in Canada. Her story is “an ordinary story” but that’s what makes it a “good story“.
Germany:
Eolia of La Cité de Vents also had her baby just a while ago. She gave birth in Germany, in a small town where there is no real maternity ward (Eolia had a home birth). So the number of children born in that town from 2011 to 2015 varied every year from 2 to 6.
Puneeta of Ketchup Moms shares some thoughts on what she would have done differently than when she was a first time mom.
Korea:
Jackie of Tales of the Waygook Mama shares her wonderful experience staying at a Korean Postpartum Center for 2 weeks after having her baby. She also writes about a Korean tradition of a sort that teaches the baby to differentiate day and night even before he is born.
Thailand:
Orana of Crazy Little Family Adventure experienced giving birth in Bangkok. She did her prenatal care in Laos and made her way back to Bangkok just in time to have her baby.
USA:
Shannen of Middle Way Mom is sharing her home birth stories. Home births are becoming more popular in the US and Shannen has done it twice already. If you read the stories, it would seem how fast and easily everything went, and she confesses how at times she didn’t feel so brave, but the support of her birthing team gave her needed reassurance and help.
Vanessa of De Su Mama shares her hospital birth experience. Looking back she is describing that time with its happy moments and moments when she felt some struggles, emphasizing that the outcome – her baby – was worth it. And that it is always nice to have a family around when undergoing this special time in your life.
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Reading all these moms writing about their birthing and post-partum experiences, sharing the wisdom that comes from these experiences and culture that surrounds them, it is quite clear that any woman, anywhere in the world, despite the type of birth she had, or conditions she lives in, undergoes through the same pain and joy of birth. The time that brings the most precious being into this world – the baby.
Please share your birth stories with us!
Varya
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Wow! A maternity nurse for an entire month?! That is incredible and overwhelming all at once. Thanks for posting!
By the way, you post the most interesting articles – your own and those of others. I find myself sharing so many of them! Multicultural Kid Blogs is one of my favorite sites!
I love learning how something common to all humans is handle differently throughout the world. I think it shows there is no one right way to give birth and what really matters in the end is a happy and healthy mom and baby!
Great post!