My Ordinary, Everyday, Boring Birth Story

Abstract

Childbirth is a natural physiological process that when supported by appropriate childbirth professionals, can be an empowering, positive, and healthy experience for both mother and newborn. I wrote this birth story to exemplify what a normal, prepared, supported birth can look like in a country where the vast majority of births involve various medical interventions. Although I do not always explicitly reference these works, my childbirth and mothering journey has been informed by the scholarship of Robbie Davis-Floyd, Sheila Kitzinger, and Ina May Gaskin.