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#birthstory is published in the Fall 2019 issue of Helen Literary Magazine. https://www.helenlitmag.com/birthstory-graphic-current-issue.html When I was pregnant I read all the books and went to all the classes but the experience of giving birth still felt completely abstract. They say you give birth to two beings during labor: a child and a mother. How transformative would this experience feel? Would it be as benign as watching a good movie or would it be life changing? I had no idea what to expect. I missed having other birth stories around me to give me a sense of the journey ahead. This is why I shared my story. And I hope you will consider sharing yours too.