…Despite the fact that childbirth and menstruation are some of the only times we see blood without violence, the realities of birth make us squeamish. From the second we see the mucus plug it becomes a cascade of familiar and unfamiliar bodily fluids and physical pain (though most birthers will agree few things compare to the pain of that fundal ‘massage’ in the hours that follow). But, when developed humans cannot get past their entitlement to constant psychological comfort and process this learned shame, what happens?

Like much of motherhood, birth becomes a horrible secret that takes on much of the darkness that is forced on it in the shadows. And, like many of the world’s most impactful bits of knowledge, these stories of how we sat in ceremony to bring new humans into this world are only told through whispers between women.

How did we get here? And better yet, what do we lose when we do this?