This is one of the sweetest birth stories I've read:
Nella Cordelia: A Birth Story
A great and honest telling of the entrance into the world of a very precious and special little one. What a blessing that this mama has taken the time to share her story with the world.
As a side note, this is some of the best photography I've ever seen in a birth story!
Definitely take the time to read this one!
Thanks to Dou-la-la for posting this!
The pics are amazing and the mother has such a beautiful writing style. Best birth story I've ever read - thanks for linking.
ReplyDeleteGosh, maybe it's my perspective of wanting a child...ANY child for so long but I didn't see anything beautiful in that at all. I just can't imagine a mother struggling so much to love her own child. I'm glad she finally did wake up, but it seems like she's getting a lot of accolades for finally doing what she should have done right away. You'll probably think me a jerk for saying so but I just didn't think that was a beautiful story at all. But Nella *IS* beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis story made me remember reading an essay someone wrote years ago, about their experience with finding out that their baby had some genetic or congenital problem. They wrote that it was like planning a trip to France, learning French, getting French guidebooks and French money, etc., and then having the pilot of the plane set them down in the Netherlands. "What?? The Netherlands?? I don't know Dutch! I don't have any Dutch money! I'm not at all prepared to go to the Netherlands -- I'm supposed to be in France!!" This post sounded like the mother had that sort of experience.
ReplyDelete-Kathy
Jen - I completely understand your point of view, my friend!! :) I've read, however, that most mothers who birth babies with unexpected problems do go through a period of shock and grieving, no matter what their personal beliefs or willingness to welcome a child are. It's probably different for every mother as well. And I also had in mind that about 90% of Downs babies are currently aborted in this country, so I was rejoicing in this story being such a witness that Downs babies are such a blessing to their families and their mothers, even though their defect might be hard to accept initially - they're so often not given a chance by either families or the medical community. Someone close to me has repeatedly said "I could never bring a child like that into the world" - this story is a good example of how "non-perfect" children can transform our lives and be just as loved as "perfect" children, regardless of whatever's wrong - even though a defect is hard to accept in the beginning. So I loved this story in many ways, but I definitely see why you might not!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I am still crying! I think it takes a fair bit of courage to talk about the feelings that no one talks about, the feelings many feel but do not dare share. My sister and I are nearly blind due to a rare congenital birth defect. I was my parents' first child. Reading this makes me wonder what my parents' thoughts were when they first found out, how they coped... I am going to go give my beautiful 2-year-old a hug now
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is grief when finding out your child is different than you expected he or she would be. Though this is only a shadow of a comparison, when we found out that any male child we give birth to will have to have surgery shortly after birth, it scared us and it did throw us for a little bit of a loop. But, I just can't imagine ever getting to the point of hoping I could abandon my child, and struggling to love her. I think that's just terrible and I hate that she's getting accolades. :( Praise God the woman had a change of heart...praying it sticks.
ReplyDeleteI just can't even explain how much that post upset me.