Childbirth Interview : Marine D.
Photo : BellyBalloonPhotography/LesLouves
Who are you / what do you do in life?
Marine D., journalist and co-founder of leslouves.com, the webzine which helps women to enjoy their pregnancy and to make their first steps as young mums…
How old are you?
35 years old.
In which city do you live?
Lille, coming to Paris 3 times a week to go to our Parisian office and meet my associate.
Give us an essential info to know about you?
I love to read, so I dream that one day I could write.
Is this your first birth?
Yes! But I truly hope it’s not the last!
Are you rather a living encyclopedia of childbirth or do you live in total ignorance and rely on your instinct?
After 2 years working 100% on Les Louves topics with an experienced mum who knows everything - Marion, my associate-, and keeping on hearing my sister’s and best friends’ stories, I can say I was quite confident on this topic. I felt prepared and could not wait for this to happen. I trusted my ‘motherhood’ instinct and was expecting a lot from that. But I have to say when the labor started, I was sent back to reality in less than 3 seconds... I cried, called mum and asked the future dad to bring me back home.
Childbirth with or without epidurals? Why?
Of course, with. Even though before the labor started I wanted to do it without “No, it’s ok, I’ll manage with a balloon and a few yoga postures…“ LOL!
More seriously, I would love to live a birth with more sensations in the future. Thanks to the epidural, I laughed while giving birth to my daughter. My midwife wisely told me this is priceless... However, I feel like I missed a bit of excitement and adrenaline when she went out of my belly. This moment is a bit blurred in my memories as if the fact of not having all sensations in my body have also anesthetized my ability to leap for joy at this point.
Your level of stress / fear compared to childbirth between 1 and 10?
1. But could maybe be a little bit more if I had to do it again...
What have you ever been told about giving birth, and what would you have liked to know?
I would have liked to know about the “trenches” (“tranchées” in French): this terrible word to name “labor hurts” after birth. First, I thought it was hemorrhage...
What did you find the hardest? Pregnancy, childbirth?
The first quarter of pregnancy: dizziness/bad mood/big appetite and gain of weight...
How did you prepare for your delivery?
I was practicing yoga during all my pregnancy, almost every day, at home, when I wanted. During the last months, I read and followed all advices from Bernadette de Gasquet and Julie Bonapace in order to stretch and open the pelvis. While pregnant, I followed all preparation classes (with a sophrology option) and a workshop about “breastfeeding and newborn rhythms”. I enjoyed doing all of that, learning many things about my body and about what’s gonna happen to me but I am not sure I would do as many things for a second child...
An amusing story or not during your delivery?
The look of my beloved with his purple head cover. I was laughing out loud just looking at him. He was doing Dr Carter’s mimics, like in Emergency Room TV show...When epidural was on, I had lots of fun!
And if you had to do it again?
Same without epidural? Capable…
A tip for our readers?
Listen others’ stories to be ready for anything and not being afraid. You’ll find some here.
