I feel like my generation does a pretty good job of promoting mindfulness, self-care and a full sense of humor in the often difficult aspects of life today. Yet, when it comes to birth, I hear a lot of fear and anxiety from those around me. What is it about birth that causes this seemingly knee-jerk reaction? The kinds of stories we hear and read for sure. So here are some birth-positive articles to read and look at. Birth is many things, including hard work, but don't forget to look for the rest!

12 Moms Describe The One Part Of Childbirth They Miss, Because It’s Not All Bad

I love how this article asked the question no one seems to ever ask, "What's good about childbirth — you know, besides just it being over?"

From the article:
"I actually loved labor. Almost all of it. I would go through it again in a heartbeat. (Not pregnancy, though.) The physical pain was nothing compared to the psychic euphoria once the kid is born. It's just so f*cking crazy, pushing a human out."

Too-Real Cartoons Capture The ‘Weird,’ Gross Sides Of Motherhood

Illustration and motherhood combined? You know this speaks to the deep levels of my soul and happiness!

From the article:
"When Corinne de Vries became pregnant with her first child, the Dutch blogger was struck by the way her life changed... the mom teamed up with artist and fellow parent Ingebritt ter Veld to illustrate the strange, surprising and all-too-real aspects of pregnancy and motherhood."

Mindfulness-focused childbirth education leads to less depression, better birth experiences

Okay, so it's one thing to hear someone talk about having had a good birth or how birth isn't that scary, but what can you actually do if you're nervous anyway?

From the article:
“Fear of the unknown affects us all... With mindfulness skills, women in our study reported feeling better able to cope with childbirth and they experienced improved mental well-being critical for healthy mother-infant adjustment in the first year of life.”

The Ultimate Labor Playlist

It will be a fun afternoon, the afternoon when I personally sit down to put together my own labor soundtrack. What songs will I choose to one day embarrass my child with when I tell them, "Ooh, that was on when I pushed you out!"

From the article:
"One of the first albums that came to mind was Neutral Milk Hotel’s classic, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. It was a terrible choice. I somehow forgot that the title track features lyrics like: 'And one day we will die and our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea.' Not exactly great motivation for a woman in labour."

43 Raw Photos Of Moms Helping Their Daughters Give Birth

One of the most important things for many people looking ahead at birth is knowing that you won't be alone — you'll have lots of support. I love these pictures of mothers acting as that very support for the daughters they've always labored for.

Anything above make you "hm," "huh," or "aww"? What kinds of articles have been encouraging for you as you've considered birth and/or motherhood? Tell me about them in the comments below!

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