If a woman doesn't look like a Goddess during labor, then someone isn't treating her right.

The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and honored.

Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.

Remember this, for it is as true as true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth as well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.

If a woman doesn't look like a Goddess during labor, then someone isn't treating her right.

I think that women can be just completely surprised by the change in them from giving birth-you have something powerful in you-that fierce thing comes up-and I think babies need moms to have that fierceness-you feel like you can do anything and that’s the feeling we want moms to have.

Why do we, then, continue to treat women as if their emotions and comfort, and the postures they might want to assume while in labor, are against the rules?