Every time a baby is born, a mother has a story to tell – an unique, individual story – some funny, some poignant, some scary, some sad, some uplifting. A birth story is a way of capturing and treasuring those precious moments.

The wonderful thing about birth stories is that there is no right or wrong way of doing it or what should be included and what should be left out – it is your story, and you can tell it the way it was for you. The sooner you write the birth story after your birth, the more emotion that will be captured.

When you feel ready to write your story, gather up your notes, photos taken during labour and birth, your babies ID tag, hand and foot prints. Sit down with a cup of coffee and just look through these items and the extreme emotions will come rushing back to you. Put pen to paper and write what comes to mind. Remember to focus on the positive and keep in mind the most important outcome of your birth – a healthy baby.

Some helpful questions to ask yourself could include –

When did you realise you were in labour?
What happened?
Where were you?
Who was with you?
How long was your labour?
Timing, spacing and intensity of contractions?
Physical sensations during labour – were you hot or cold?
What did contractions feel like?
Positions used during labour?
What positions were most / least effective at different times of your labour? Who were the people attending your birth?

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