Excerpt from Lessons of Labor: Labor Begins When Other Labors Cease



Labor Begins When Other Labors Cease 

The day of my first son’s birth was one of those early spring days that make me happy to live in Austin, Texas. The sun was shining, the flowers were in bloom, and I was feeling some mild but noticeable cramps. I felt eager, open, and fully welcoming of my baby as I walked through the neighborhood, telling my belly, “What a beautiful day to be born!”

As with most new experiences, I started off with high hopes and great determination. After a few hours, I began my preparations: making sure my bags were packed, adding essential items like a toothbrush and contact lens solution, preparing a light meal that would be easy to digest, and otherwise doing a lot of stuff that would later prove mostly unnecessary.

After a while, I began to feel agitated. I wanted to get everything done, but my detail-oriented mind was slowly being overtaken by my body’s strong messages. I was losing concentration, unable to focus on the thoughts in my head. I would reach for more CDs to put in my hospital bag and then start looking in the closet, wondering if I should bring a bathrobe. Then, a contraction would hit, and I would walk around in circles, concerned that I wasn’t going to be able to finish either task because it just hurt too much. I wanted to complete what I had begun, but my body had other plans.

- Julia Aziz

Read more in Julia's book: Lessons of Labor.

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