[Trigger Warning: This post contains a story of loss] I am strong because my husband and I conceived twins during my third pregnancy (our 2nd together). I am strong because we found out at 20 weeks that it was twins. I had a gut feeling that it was twins all along. They had confirmed that they were identical twin boys.…
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Part 1: A Labour Of Love And A Journey Of Trauma
This is the story of my labour and birth of my firstborn child, my beautiful daughter. It was a much anticipated birth, we had suffered a journey of infertility and loss and her arrival marked one of such anticipation and joy. But it was not to be. This is a story of birth trauma (may be triggering). The day that…
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Babywearing Daddy {Twins!}
Here are some pictures of my husband Brian wearing our babies. Our twins had colic (both of them) so I would wear them while Brian was at work, and then he’d wear them to give me a break for a few hours and then we’d split them up and each of us would take one for the evening and night.…
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The Healing Birth of Jackson {Natural Hospital VBAC}
The birth of our third baby has been so healing, in ways that words cannot fully describe. The heartache and pain of our losses, of our preemie experience and of the surgery that brought our premie into the world has been with me daily. Since delivering our third baby, those pains and the distress they brought have gone. This birth…
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Compassionate Elective Cesarean Birth {Photographer’s Point of View}
A story as told by the birth photographer, Angela This is Jessica’s story, but also in some strange way, it became mine as well because I can honestly say it changed my views. As I type this, I’m assuming Jessica is cuddling her sweet baby boy – who she brought home a little over a week ago. Jessica decided to…
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“Pulled Apart And Put Back Together” {A Cesarean Section Procedure}
[Warning: This post describes and illustrates Cesareans sections with graphic detail.] The Cesarean section is often described as simply “an incision in the abdomen”, or variations to that effect. Usually you’re told it’s “straightforward” or “simple” or “virtually risk-free” or even “the easy option”. But what is it, really? I’ve heard stories where the muscles are cut, and stories where…
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My Postpartum Body {A Poem}
Once upon a time, My skin was smooth. Unscarred. It stretched trimly Over firm muscles And created soft dips down between bones. My hips were tight and narrow. My breasts were small and neat. But with the energy of new life, Every cell in my body was changed And forgot the old ways of being. Things became displaced… My skin…
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The Birth of Henley {Hospital Birth}
The story of Henley Kay is a long one. The little girl who arrived on Tuesday January 29th at 4:21pm was expected sooner. Not knowing when my last period had started or ended, I had gone by what the doctor had told me at my first appointment and ultrasound. He had said I was twelve weeks. So we figured twenty…
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Together as a Family, Part V
This is the final installment of a five-part series about loss and healing. Written by Shannon from Brisbane, AU, this powerful story outlines her experience of three miscarriages followed by the healthy pregnancy and birth of her son, Jasper. Yesterday, we shared her account of early labour; today, you get to read the happy birth story in its entirety! “We…