Birth Monologues

An Audio Documentary

This is Jo Anne Lindberg, president and founder of BirthLink. I started to formulate ideas for a Birth Stories project in 2002. It was shortly after seeing the Vagina Monologues play. My inspiration was the birth story in the Vagina Monologues. I just knew I had to do something with women's birth stories! I wanted women to voice their own stories. I wanted others to be able to hear the emotion in their voice and to feel what these women felt. I wanted their stories to share their wisdom. If vaginas were finding their voice what about the most incredible act a woman's body ever performs — BIRTH?

One of the most powerful experiences in a woman's life is the birth of her children. Birth leaves us forever changed in deeply fundamental ways. We will never be the same person we were before we gave birth. We never forget the birth of our children. Birth is a rite of passage. To give birth the way our bodies want to give birth and to honor that process is a rite of life. Being fully present in mind, body and spirit is part of the process. If we don't feel honored how does this impact the birth of the family?

It is my hope that women, and men, will listen to these stories and be inspired to make safer more satisfying birth choices based on truly informed decisions. They will see the connection between bonding and parenting. Parents will want their babies to come into the world awake, bright eyed and alert, ready to nurse shortly after birth. They will create a sacred space around the baby and not allow the baby to be taken out of their arms for even one moment. They will choose to nurse their babies. They will know that the most important time in a baby's life are the first few hours after birth. They will experience the full power of love.

With no previous experience I started to record women's birth stories. Sometimes stories would pour forth. Other times I had to coax them out. Every story had me in awe! Each was as unique as the woman doing the telling. I was in a sacred place just by being there to listen. I felt honored. I hope you will feel this too. It is our hope that we will find sponsors to help us produce the many stories we have recorded.

If you are interested in learning about what is involved, or would like to suggest a possible sponsor, please click here to email or call 847-733-8050.

Story Number One: I Educated a Village

Click here or icon to download the audio file (MP3) of Story Number One: I Educated a Village.

This birth took place in 2003. She thought this would be her last child. This time she asked for what she wanted and she got it. It is a woman centered family birthing experience — at home. Her labor lasted eleven hours. She was attended by a nurse and a family practice doctor. She was surroundedby the people she loved most. Her family welcomed their new baby into our world.

Sponsored by Dr. Penny Shelton, Family Practice Doctor and BirthLink Advisory Board Member. Her practice is in Athens, Ohio. Dr Penny believed we could do this even before we knew it ourselves. Thanks so much Dr. Penny!