The Birth Narratives Oral History Project’s mission is to create an archive of birth stories. Rather than focusing on one story or one kind of birth, the intention is to collect and represent the entire spectrum of possible experiences and outcomes. By making a space for these stories to be heard, it is my hope that we can begin to consider the quality and meaning of the experience of giving birth. The archive holds full-length audio recordings of each interview. Excerpts from the birth stories will be hosted on the project website and may be used for radio features in the interest of inspiring conversations and making real accounts of birth stories available to women and their partners and families. This project began in the fall of 2010 in New York City documenting the experiences of women from various communities. Since then stories have been collected in Mid0coast Maine, and Richmond, VA from women and men interested in sharing their experiences of bringing children into the world. Currently Birth Narratives is editing stories for the first ever Birth Narratives CD compilation featuring recordings from the Maine collection. Listen to a preview below.
