Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Martha's avatar

At the Minnesota State Fair one of my favorite buildings (both as a kid and now, as a parent) is called the Miracle of Birth. For 12 days it contains very pregnant, birthing and post partum farm animals of all sorts! My kiddo and I have seen cows and pigs born there, eggs in various stages of hatching and a half-birthed horse. It's *fantastic*.

Expand full comment
A.J.'s avatar

I was 14 when my younger sister was born, and it was the most powerful experience I've witnessed. After watching a 15 hour unmedicated birth, the nurses joked that my parents had given me "the strongest birth control possible." Quite the opposite! Seeing the strength of my mother, the pride and compassion of my father, the support of our entire family waiting eagerly for updates, and the calm resolve of the nurses and midwife crystallized my sense of the magic and meaning of human life and community. The year after her birth I fell into the deep spiral of anxiety and nihilism that seems to plague teen girls so frequently now, and thinking back to my sister's birth was a bulwark against my fear of death and meaninglessness. Now, I especially want to have children and have considered getting certified as a doula.

Expand full comment
37 more comments...

No posts