I know, I'm her mother and I am biased but ...

My Vegan Chickie has been naked for almost 48 hours.  Skin on skin with baby Chicklet.  Breast feeding on demand.  It brings me great joy.  

You know when you go for a massage, and the room is dimly lit with scented candles, it's warm and the gentle music is wafting all around you while your body is slowly and gently massaged with warm oily hands?  That's what it's like being in this home.  That's the feeling.  Of course, there are none of those things here, but Vegan Chickie and The Bare-chested Chef have created an atmosphere in their home that wraps you up and massages you in and with warm, secure love.

While Vegan Chickie was experiencing 18 hours of labour - her contractions ranging from 3 minutes to 10 minutes apart - she was asking ME how I was!  "How are you coping Mum?"  "Are you ok Mum?"  "Is everything alright Mum?"  "How are you doing Mum?"

Apart from the fact that I was reliving the memories of my own labour (ouch), I was trying to stay quietly in the background.  It wasn't until right at the end when I felt that my physical presence was needed.  You know that end bit when you believe that something might really be wrong because nobody should ever have to endure this kind of horrific, uncontrollable pain unless they are dying?  

That's when you need someone to tell you that you're doing ok and that this is supposed to be happening and that it won't be long now.

I was sitting in the background wondering how the hell my beautiful daughter found the strength and the courage to firstly, go through her first pregnancy,  not even in her own country with the support of her friends and family, and secondly, complete that pregnancy with a natural home birth in a pool in her lounge room.  

Except for the fact that she was overdue, and that's why I happened to be sitting there, if the timing was different, it would have been just her and The Bare-chested Chef.

But she never wavered.  She never questioned her decision.  She knew what she wanted and it being the unconventional way, she received lots of negative feedback from lots of people of all generations and all walks of life.  Telling her, in indirect ways, and some even direct(!), how dangerous it was for her to do this and that she was putting hers and her baby's life at risk.  

Crossing the road is more dangerous than giving birth ... yet we do that every day without assistance!  

I have just deleted paragraphs and now I'm going to say instead .... don't get me started!!

She knew she wanted to do it the natural way.  No medical intervention.  She studied and investigated and researched and educated herself (and me) about everything she could ever need to know.  She knew the statistics on every possible outcome.  

She talked to scores, if not hundreds, of people who were or had been pregnant and who had experienced all kinds of pregnancies and births. She shared the highs and lows of other people's experiences, whether they were joyful or tragic, hospital or home, natural or medical, controlled or relaxed.  She was, by no means, lacking in knowledge.

She found herself a very experienced and very lovely midwife who visited her throughout the pregnancy and monitored her progress.  A midwife who respected her wishes, gave her her options and did not push her into anything she didn't want to do.  A midwife who, knowing that Vegan Chickie was a strong and capable woman, did not interfere in the birth until she received a phone call asking her to attend the home.

My daughter did all of this on her own.  I know that she found strong support from people on different birthing websites, but her true support came from within.  To me, she is amazing.  She pushed through all of the emotional road blocks and obstacles that many people put in her way and she had her baby just the way she always planned and dreamed about.

I always wanted a home birth but I always fell at the first obstacle.  How did my baby find the courage to do what I could not?

She was brilliant.  She did everything right.  She did it with strength and courage and confidence.  Mostly she did it with love.

I am so proud of myself for bringing this exceptional human being into the the world. (C'mon let me steal just a little bit of credit!)

I am overwhelmed with pride for the strong woman that she has become,  for the exceptional human being she has chosen to be and for the honest, devoted and loving friend she is to all who know her, including myself.

I know without a tiny doubt that she will be a wonderful mother and that my perfect little granddaughter is in excellent hands.

I know, I'm your mother and I am biased ... but from the depths of my heart ... I love you xx