Many people often ask me why I’m so passionate about and amazed by birth, and I always tell them that it’s the most beautiful, intense moment I’ve ever seen.
I can remember being a child and watching movies (hello, movie buffs) and they would always show a woman giving birth in a private space, surrounded by other women, encouraging her, wiping her forehead, holding her hand…it was almost like it was a sacred space and a sacred moment that was honored by everyone involved, directly or indirectly.
Mind you, I was probably in elementary school when I first saw this, but, even at that young age, I understood how important this moment was in a person’s life…in a community’s life.
Let’s fast forward to THE day…the day I knew that I’d commit my life to pregnancy and birth in some way, form, or fashion.
It was late May, and my cousin was giving birth to her first baby. It was the first time I’d gotten to see a pregnancy so up close and personally. I was fascinated by how my cousin’s body changed, seemingly, day by day, and how she was so naturally inclined to prepare for her new baby without any real push to do so (aka “nesting”).
So, there we were (I say “we” as if I’d carried the baby myself, but you know what I mean)…
The past couple days there had been some false alarms and she kept being sent back home, but this time was different.
THIS time, it was TIME.
We all rushed to the hospital feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness (or maybe that part was just me). We impatiently waited for the hospital staff to let us know what room she was in, and how many of us would be allowed in at once (yes, I have that type of family).
I prayed silently that I would make the cut…that I would finally get to see what I’d seen on tv and in movies in real time.
Lucky for me, I did.
We all packed into the room and took our places, like a carefully orchestrated scene…
My mother and Aunt were on her left holding a hand and foot,
My cousin’s father and my grandma and the soon-to-be father holding the other hand and foot,
My younger cousin who didn’t know anything about where babies come from sat in the bathroom so his curious eyes wouldn’t see,
And then there was me…stationed against the wall, out of the way, but with a full view of everything the doctors saw.
And, action…
(screaming)
Push…
(more screaming)
Breathe…
(big breaths accompanied by low groans)
One more big push…
(screaming “I can’t do this”)
You can do this…
(“Ok”, more screaming and pushing)
I see her head…
(yelling “I thought you said the last push was the last one”)
She’s almost here…
(the final push and scream)
Baby’s first cry.
Scene.
And there she was. There were… tears…joy…excitement…relief. So many emotions, so much preparation…all for this moment. It was beautiful.
After having this experience, I thought about the scripture John 14:2-3:
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.
When I first read this, I thought that the only place God had prepared for me was, obviously, heaven and maybe some role for me to fulfill in the Earth that He predestined. (Ephesians 1)
Now, I see that “preparing a place” is not limited to a role or heaven.
God’s “prepared place” also includes the arms that would hold you, the village that would raise you, and, yes, even the womb that would birth you.
I guess you could say I saw God in that birthing room.
All that being said, I must acknowledge that while every birth scene isn’t as beautiful or nurturing as we’d hope for it to be…it is a necessary place prepared by God. It all serves a purpose in the larger story that is your life, and I say this as someone who may or may not have had the ideal introduction into this world.
HOWEVER,
Let’s continue to do the work so that every birth can be a safe, sacred event that’s treated with care and compassion.
Amen? Amen.
Photo Cred: Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash