Mothering Sunday

Today I am as happy as can be.  My number one son is home from university for the weekend.  He's growing into a fine young man and I'm so so glad to have him here spending time with me.

This week I was at the home birth of a beautiful little girl.  Mum was a warrior goddess and she birthed her daughter.  'I won't forget any of this pain' she said several times through the labour.  'I won't be one of those people who forget'.  24 hours of labour.  She used a TENS machine, had some time in her birth pool and then had a few drops of Rescue Remedy in her water.  It wasn't an easy labour, but she made it seem so.  She moved slowly and purposefully through and found it easier when she was vocalising during the contractions.  When she wasn't contracting she was fully in the room.  The following day she told us how little she remembered of the pain and how thrilled she was to have birthed her baby.

I have such a place of privilege watching new mothers be born, because I believe that the mother is born with the baby.  When I think of the way each of the midwives supported her and shared their innate beliefs about birth, I am slightly jealous (perhaps a lot jealous) of the love that they showed to her through that long day and night.  My thoughts move back to the birth of my first born, to the births of my four subsequent children and then to the mothers that I have supported.  I am filled with joy!  

So I raise my glass to all the mothers that I have supported, at births and/or postnatally, with breastfeeding help, with food, with company.  I raise my glass and say 'Happy Mothering Sunday' from your doula whose privilege is to mother you when you need me.

 Mother & child by Georges Hatsatouris