Batu – 5 days old
2 weeks old – photo by my Papa
So here’s that post about birth stories. It’s taken time. I hope I am going to make sense here; it is hard to find words for events as huge as giving birth, and my brain’s still a little bit mush.
I thought I might write Batu’s story just after we’d settled down a bit. Maybe after Christmas. Or around the time of the fourth anniversary of Kaya’s birthday.
Three months ago I left our house on a clear October afternoon to have my baby, and came home the day after he was born with our beautiful, peaceful, loved little boy.
Batu’s birth was beautiful, and incredibly hard. It was not free of drugs and interventions as planned. In the end, it did not take place in the midwife-led unit as expected. I was not in the water in the birthing pool, but on a hospital bed.
Again.
Neither of my two birth stories are the easy, beautiful kind that you love to share.
So I started asking myself if I really wanted to put my experiences out there. Why. Who for.
Before Batu’s birth, I googled positive birth stories. I had my own first experience of giving birth to know that things don’t always go to plan. Things don’t always work out the easy way.
They may work out in incredibly difficult ways, but still I consider both my birth stories beautiful. Difficult, painful, maybe a little disappointing when all did not go to plan – but beautiful.
In both stories, I ended up holding a tiny human being in my arms, which was absolutely perfect in every way. I held my children, both of them amazing miracles, and such blessings.
However I got to that moment, whatever I felt during the hours leading up to that point, whatever our bodies went through, we made it. Batu was born healthy and well, as Kaya was born before him, and I gave birth to them.
Not in the way I had hoped and imagined perhaps, but – whatever the story – both births were profound experiences that I shall always carry with me.
And with all the similarities, this time was different. We healed faster. We worried just a little bit less. We love more, for now there are two little boys here, where a few years ago there were only two people.
It all is quite incredible.
12 weeks old
In the end a beautiful, happy, healthy baby is all we want. I had two children and niether birth story is good, or interesting, or uplifting. I think if I had known them beforehand I wouldn’t have had babies. Yes I am a little jealous of beautiful birth stories but I can’t change anything now. So I am grateful for my two grown children and delight in watching a show that shows a great and happy birth.
I agree, it would be lovely to have a easy, straight forward birth story to tell. But. Real life is not always like that, and we have so much to be grateful for nevertheless, right?
This is exactly the kind of positive birth story that is a real joy to hear. Thank you for this, it says so much about what it is all really about at the end of the day and I will hold it with me over the next few weeks as I wait for my second baby to arrive. X
Thank you Emma, I wish you all the best for the arrival of your baby. I hope all goes well for you and works out wonderfully. What an exciting time!
This is a fantastic birth story. I have had three kiddos – some at home and one in a hospital. They are all different tales, but you are right. From each I have the amazing gift of my family. Congrats on your babes.
Thank you Heather. And congratulations to you too (I think it’s never too late for that!)
ja das ist wohl das entscheidende, es so zu sehen wie es ist und das gute und schöne darin zu sehen, diese erfahrung teile ich mit dir;)
lg!
So sehe ich das, auch wenn es eine ‘gemischte’ Erfahrung war: es ist auf jeden Fall etwas Gutes und Schoenes dabei herausgekommen!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful birth stories, Svenna. This post brought tears to my eyes. So brave of you. I once read/heard that no mother giving birth is ever a failure. She is always a success, no matter what – giving life and light is nothing short of a miracle. You should be proud of your beautiful stories and your beautiful boys! Thank you for sharing. xx
Thank you Renee, now that brought tears to my eyes too. A beautiful thing to remember.
He’s precious
I think so too
But I’m a bit biased. Thank you 
It’s not the birth story, but the beauty of the life brought into the world. He’s gorgeous, Svenna. Congrats again!