I’ve always been proud of my children. From infancy to adult and motherhood, my daughters have amazed and humbled me. I am the proud grandmother of ten precious wonders and each has a special place in my heart.
Grandbaby number ten came into this world in January 2014. His entrance wasn’t as planned but you won’t find a happier, healthier bundle of joy. I think awesome describes him along with his mother. He was born at home without all the trappings of modern day medicine. He was delivered by his mother, alone, on the bathroom floor while his three year old sister watched cartoons in the other room.
My youngest daughter has never understood her strengths. She’s overcome many obstacles in her life but they are her stories to share with the world, not mine. I will say she fights the demons of depression, anxiety, and extreme OCD. Only she could have a bathroom floor more sterile than any hospital room could ever be.
It hurt to think of her fear while lying in the bathtub in too much pain to do more than call to her young daughter between labor pains and ask if she was okay. I was in the car driving, more than an hour away, when my son-in-law called and said he was behind the ambulance taking her and my newest grandchild to the hospital.
The amazing part of this story is my daughter’s words when she came home from the hospital with her healthy little boy.
“Mom, it was the most incredible experience of my life and I wouldn’t change it for the world. A sense of calm settled over me with no fear or panic as I gave birth and pulled him up on my chest. He was beautiful and no one took him from me to clean and blanket him. The two of us lay there happy and peaceful, no hustle and bustle like we were part of a medical procedure. When the ambulance arrived, they took his vitals while he remained on my chest. The hospital didn’t take him away from me, to weigh him, for over two hours. They respected my need to keep him safe in my arms.”
What can I say? My miracle performed one of her own.
In the months since he was born, my daughter and I have had many conversations about that special day. She recently asked why women have lost the knowledge to give birth—the how and what to do. Birth is the most basic act in our world and I couldn’t agree with her more. I never taught my daughters how to birth a child and what to do afterward because even after three of my own, I don’t know.
Modern science has saved many babies that wouldn’t have survived. But, the woman in me, the mother, the feminist wants more. I don’t want a You Tube video or pamphlet. I want teaching for our daughters and sons of the most fundamental act in nature until that teaching is no longer necessary because it’s a fact of our lives again.
My daughter’s strength is something I’ve always known. Now she knows it too.
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Below The Salt News Archive 
Beautiful, beautiful story! I’m all weepy. She is awesome. You are right. It is crazy that in this day of amazing knowledge about everything in the universe, we (individually and collectively) are still very ignorant of the human body – how it functions and how to care for it. We need to remember no one has a bigger vested interest in our health and well-being than ourselves.
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I remember you holding my daughter as a baby. Isn’t it amazing that someone so small and helpless can grow up to be so strong?
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I was remembering the same thing. That is what got me so weepy.
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That makes two weepy wailers. WHAT A STORY, Suzie. Your daughter is absolutely incredible — and so are you for being such a strong role model in her life. I personally know where she gets her strength: you, mama bear. You.
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Thank you Melissa. I do admit to being quite proud of her and yes, mama bear is in her genes.
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What a wonderful opportunity she had to form a bond with her child that most do not have any longer. This will be a memory she will have for the rest of her life to remind her how strong she is and the miracle she brought into this world by herself. How proud you must be that not only did she present you with a new grandchild to love but that she did it all on her own even though I am sure she was afraid.
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I’m incredibly proud Lori. I actually envy her the closeness she experienced. I can’t wait for my grandson to be old enough to get the grandmother’s perspective of his birth.
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I love this story! I’m a big proponent of natural birth. We avoided hospitals altogether when the last two were born. I’m so glad your daughter had a great experience!
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That’s so wonderful to hear. My daughter was born at a birthing center which was a much better experience than a hospital but I was too afraid to have her at home. Woulda Coulda Shoulda 🙂
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Wow, Suzie, you came back with a bang! Lovely story about your daughter. Bet she is an amazing Mom. It sounds like she is a strong woman, like her Mama. Happy Mother’s Day! By the way, your new grandson is precious!!!
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Thank you Donna, he is the sweetest baby ever!
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Happy Mothers Day to you and your daughters. Thanks for sharing this splendid story.
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Not having any children of my own, I have to say “I don’t know nothin’ bout’ birthin’ babies!” (the infamous line in ‘Gone with the Wind’ by Butterfly McQueen, better known as Prissy), but what a beautiful story of strength and love and of a young lady wanting to do it ‘her way’…and she did. I wonder where she gets that strength from….hmmm.
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