Listening to Each Other
Going to an in-person event, my first in two years, was heartwarming. The storytelling evening, presented on May 7th by the Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition, was especially moving. This event in Portland, titled “The Patchwork of Parenthood”, presented six women’s stories about becoming and being a parent.
Some of the stories described difficult emergency situations, some stories evolved over time. I thought how strong these women were to simply and honestly stand up and describe their experience. I also felt that this was the audience to honor them.
The listeners were an attentive and caring audience. I only knew two people in the audience yet it felt like we were all among good friends. I was glad the MSBC organized this special evening. It reflects the best of families supporting each other.
Becoming a parent is certainly something that upends your life and changes your way of living, often in ways you could never expect.
Two women had stories about giving birth at the start of the pandemic. When they returned home from the hospital, the world as they knew it had changed, everything was in lockdown.
One woman described suffering a stroke while in labor, missing the early hours and days with her newborn. She had much to reconcile from that near fatal experience. A colleague of mine recently also suffered a stroke while in labor. From her, and this storyteller mother, I have begun to understand the depth of that recovery process.
In another story, a Neonatal Advanced Practice Provider described her professional experience and then her personal experience when her own baby was treated in the emergency room.
Another woman spoke of resolving aspects of her relationship with her mother. With her third child, she labored without her own mother in person yet still connected in spirit.
One woman described her journey to parenting, the grief of her stillborn daughter and giving birth to her second daughter. Talking about a baby dying is often hushed. It was important to hear how she explained this in her own words.
I appreciate that this format gave women a respectful place to validate the depth of their experiences. As friends, mothers, women, clinicians, advocates, and partners, stories like these aid our effort to understand each other better.
Thank you to the six women who stepped up to share their stories. I hope it was as enlightening for them as it was for me.
