In the days and hours leading up to birth many women experience an emotional roller coaster regarding what will happen during labor and birth. Having a child, especially the first one can mean facing a lot of unknowns. It can bring up fears that you didn’t know you had. It can dig up fears that you had long since forgotten.
When heading to a recent birth I had an epiphany: the fears that a woman has controlling her can control the progress and journey that her birth takes her on. It can build her up and make her stronger, or it can challenge her, hold her back and make her feel weaker than she is.
Together this mom and I read one of my all time favorite books; The Monster At the End of this Book. This book takes you on the journey of the main character being forced to face his fear of ‘monsters’ and to work through them. As you read the book each page bring more distress and fear out of him, as each page is turned he tries everything to keep you from bringing him the point where he has to actually face what he is afraid of. When you finally get to the last page of the book you find that the only monster in the book is himself. The only thing holding him back was himself the whole time.
One of my favorite lines in the book is “Do you know that you are very strong?” Just when you think you cannot go on, remember you have more strength in you than you even know.
During the journey through labor and birth you will face similar challenges to Grover fear of the unknown on the next page, and what each moment is bringing you closer to. The mantra that I encourage you to say to yourself as you walk that road is, “Do you know that you are very strong?”
One breath in, one breath out. You can do this; no matter what road your journey takes, you are strong enough.
(The Monster at the End of This Book: Starring Lovable, Furry Old Grover is a children’s picture book based on the television series Sesame Street and starring Grover. It was written by series writer and producer Jon Stone and illustrated by Michael Smollin, and originally published by Little Golden Books in 1971)
You are stronger than you know.
You are stronger than you know.