I have to write you to convey my gratitude. I have to tell you to what extent what you do is important.
I have rarely, in my life, been received with such attentiveness and kindness. The prenatal follow-up, the time I was granted at each appointment, the simple question, “How are you?” and the patience with which you listened to my reply…. I already know that I will miss this.
It’s all in the approach you’ve adopted and the assumption that I know what is good for me. I don’t deny that it’s somewhat confounding, especially coming in the medical-gynecological realm. Not to speak of the body… The first time that a midwife asked me, “May I touch your abdomen?”, I nearly burst out laughing, it struck me as so incongruous. A moment later, I was overcome by a vertigo as I realized that in my entire life, I’d never been asked that question. And I should have been, certainly, it makes perfect sense. At that moment, something shifted inside of me. And all became right.
Twenty-five years of gynecological “care” fell into perspective. Forty years living as a woman, in the body of a woman, passive for the most part, in denial, before having the courage to reconquer that body.
In that act of reconquering, there was now ‘a before and an after’ childbirth. You allowed me this, by accompanying me. You made it possible to undergo this initiation, you left space for my power. This is so precious that words fail me. I’ve never before been so connected to my strength as a woman. It could not pass other than through the body. On the path to this conquest, it’s an essential element. Thank you for this remarkable gift.
As a family, we felt respected, pampered. The birthing assistants, attentive and professional, left us to live out our early moments together serenely.
Finally, the availability of the midwives following the birth was infinitely precious. They listened and were kind throughout every appointment, no matter our state, how trivial or significant our concerns, whether day or night.
I want to convey, through this letter, that you are benefitting humanity. You make the world go round. I know that your status is not that elevated, that this must be fought for. You must hear, in our society which often is turned on its head, with media who thrive on negativity and social networks that drive us to disembodiment, there you lie, anchored in the ‘real life’ of the flesh and the heart. You feed this life.
You are precious.
As the song says, Thankfully, we have you [Une chance qu’on vous a].
I will carry with me for a long time to come my sojourn at the Maison de naissance.
With gratitude from the whole family,
Caroline, Maxime, Hugo and Thomas, born April 1.
