Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.
I was thinking this morning about this quote in Julie Doula's sig. The older my boys get the less I feel that their birth and babyhood dominates my relationship with them. For example, I was watching "Knocked Up" last night and I pondered on how much time and thought goes into having a "baby" but before you know it you a "child" - not even a toddler - and I know before I know it they will be teenagers. The thought of their birth and birth stories still brings tears of joy to my eyes but it seems so distant now, and dare I say unimportant. Now I am TTC#3 so I still don't feel my personal birth journey is over, and I definately want a repeat of my good fortune with #3's birth, but I was wondering; to what extent did my sons' births make me the mother I am?

I still get the guilts about things, worry that I didn't cuddle them enough as babies (DH says I held them constantly), take mental notes about whether they eat enough vegetables and so on, but I really am pretty relaxed about the whole childrearing thing. I had a very easy birth with Ollie (#2) and a reasonable time with Flynn (#1) and had good bonding and found breastfeeding as easy as walking - a bit painful at first but completely natural once I found my feet.

So did my experience make me this way? I wonder. And I wonder what other women think - did your birth experience set up a pattern for you? Did you move on from it quickly and establish your mothering based on other factors. Or like me, do you wonder? I would also like to know if midwives and other birth professionals notice any real pattern to this?