New Beginnings Doula Training

New Beginnings Doula Training
Courses for doulas and online childbirth education

Monday, September 15, 2008

The making of mothers

It's not just the making of babies, but the making of mothers that midwives see as the miracle of birth.

-- Barbara Katz Rothman, Sociologist, Author of The Tentative Pregnancy, Genetic Maps and Human Imaginations and other books.

I just had to share this quote because I loved it. Ok, so I tend to be a little more midwife leaning, but I think doctors can add the same thing to a birth. I acknowledge the work and sometimes necessity of having a doctor attend a birth. No matter what you choose, though, I think this quote should be a part of the care of women.


The thought that the making of mothers is part of bringing babies into this world appeals to me. This is the beginning of how motherhood starts. And it is a miracle, just as much as the birth is. Becoming a mother is one of those miracles that are hard to explain.

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Birth is a Journey: Does it have to be life changing?


  • One woman might have to climb on an overfilled boat, risking her life and nearly dying as she escapes over the ocean to come to this land. This experience could certainly be life altering. It may very well color the rest of her life, positively or negatively. (I overcame this amazing struggle and here I am triumphant! OR Holy crap, that was SO hard I don’t know if I can go on! By the way, neither response is “right”. No one would judge the woman with the 2nd response.)
  • One woman may buy an airplane ticket, sit on a comfortable 747 and fly to America with a nice smooth flight and landing. She is happy to be in America. Those welcoming her are glad she is here safe and sound. She may only travel by plane 2-4 times in her life, so it is pretty memorable. But the journey itself probably wouldn’t be life changing; it would simply be a journey.
  • One woman may learn to fly an ultra-light plane to lead a flock of geese into America teaching them to migrate. This experience could certainly be empowering and life altering.