"Birth is so savage...."

...so Ippy wrote to me in response to my email telling her about K's labor. Ippy is writing and illustrating a book about birth and she's also just been through a similar experience with her own daughter giving birth this year, so she wrote what she knew.
I had the luck to have had two easy deliveries and, I swear, once *they* perfect time travel, I'm going back and changing places with my daughter.
The role of the mother of the mother in labor is amorphous. K wanted me there, naturally, but she had a doula in addition to her wonderful husband to help with labor's stages. I'm such an action-oriented person and a mother lion in spades, so at first I was a little unsure as to how to help. Drawing soothed me during those times when I wasn't needed to comfort, massage, pour water, put socks on cold feet, hold hands, cheer on.
You'll see that my sketches are wobbly, a bit, and no wonder--- until the last two, when I got to gaze and draw at our new baby, in awe and delight.

Comments

[Sandra]

You drew so well under pressure. Hugs to the sweet one.

[joyce]

Precious! These are sure to be treasured drawings. congratulations!

[Paris Parfait]

Wonderful sketches of the happy and momentous occasion! xoxox

[df]

wow, the baby drawings are so wonderful! Love seeing your pencil work, and babies are so difficult to get porportions right! these are fantastic. Congrats on all accounts!

[Laura]

Thank you so much to all the later commenters. Drawing your life is immensely gratifying. I don't do it daily, but I do it enough to be so happy that I do!

[lindsay]

Congrats to you all. What a lovely suite of drawings. So tender and loving. I'm sure your daughter really appreciated your presence.