Childbirth is often sensationalized in media. Newspapers and magazines direct us to see pregnancy through the experiences of celebrities who are pregnant, while movies and TV shows spotlight birth in unlikely, bizarre, and anxiety-inducing circumstances.
However, everyday birth of everyday people – with the outcome desired, and complications avoided – can be an amazing thing to behold. As a med student, I’ve had the fortune of assisting in deliveries – an experience I’ll never forget.
In this episode of Firsts, a podcast about first-time medical experiences, my 93 y.o. grandmother shares a story about surviving a train crash while she was pregnant with my mom. Then, my mom opens up about her first two pregnancies: one a miscarriage, the other a delivery. To top it off, I talk about my first time helping with the delivery of a baby.