36 | The Legacy of our Stories- Lavita Stokes

Do you know your birth story - do you know what your parent's experience was like bringing you forth into the world? For many, conversations about our own births occur once we are having our children, possibly much later than that. This episode was special in that our host's Laurel's mother, Lavita, shared her four birth stories. For Lavita, she expresses that all four of her pregnancies were healthy and straightforward and that, for the most part, her births were the same. Each of her labors was 6 hours long and each different in their regard. 

Lavita has always been open with her children about her experience as their mother. It was important for her that she speaks openly and with transparency about her own birth experiences. She was allowing them to see themselves in her story and prepare for their parenthood journeys. 

Recounting her own birth stories and experiencing birth as a grandmother with her daughter Laurel, brought to the forefront the generational shifts that birth can provide. Knowledge of how our families experience pregnancy and birth strengthens generational bonds—a picture of how the world has changed around birth and how our families have changed as well. 

Beyond her work as a mother and business owner, Lavita strives to inspire others through her life stories and mentorship. Her book, A Father's Love, self-published in 2009, was written to share her experience of growing up fatherless. If you would like to connect with Lavita, head to her site Lovies Inspirational Blog.