36: Birth Mother

[Keith]

You make people rise to the occasion.

[CherryLavender]

Chemda,

I finished this episode today and I can not tell you how it much it touched me. The raw, real, honesty was so astonishing to hear. I love your interviewing style so much, it just feels like conversation. I was in my car screaming for you to ask the question that was in my head and then it would come.

You did an amazing job while Keith was gone. I have been listening since episode 20 of KATG and have tattoo 110. It was so good to hear you both back together again my today and your yesterday...

Merry Christmas... hahahhahahhahah

Amanda in Atlanta

[Metzican]

Very interesting episode. There was one thing that annoyed me. Many of my friends with step parents from young age all have told me. The person that raised you is your "mother" or "father" not the person who enjoyed the sex.

[stulagu]

Originally Posted by Metzican

Very interesting episode. There was one thing that annoyed me. Many of my friends with step parents from young age all have told me. The person that raised you is your "mother" or "father" not the person who enjoyed the sex.

That was something I was thinking about as well...from all the adoptive parents I have met, they were very firm about the fact that the person raising the kid were the actual parents.

[Metzican]

I was not thinking from the parents stand point, I was more saying from the kids stand point.

[stulagu]

Originally Posted by Metzican

I was not thinking from the parents stand point, I was more saying from the kids stand point.

ok, and I was talking about the parents' stand point as well...both are the same point...

[VividRave]

In my life, I've always had a personal aversion to pregnancy and being a mother. I've always felt a little emotionally disconnected from it, and felt like it was something for others, but definitely not me.

This episode didn't necessarily make me want to become a mother, but it deeply heightened my emotional understanding of pregnant women and mothers. I really get it now. This was one of the most riveting WMN to me. I laughed; I cried; thank you for telling the truth, Mariah, your story was beautiful and real. And thank you Chemda for approaching it all so sensitively-- you're realing helping the world understand each other!

LOVED this episode! Keep it coming!

[Dee]

Awesome episode, Chemda (and Mariah)! I totes teared up on the train multiple times while listening. It's an amazing story, and it's also wonderful to see someone be so open about something they struggled with emotionally on so many levels. Hearts!

[thelastknowngod]

Such a sweet episode. I'm male, 27 with a miscarriage and vasectomy behind me.. I'm not exactly one for having children but I definitely got a little verklempt when you guys started talking about singing that song to Leo. That kid is going to be fine. He's definitely a lucky kid.

Can we have an episode with the people who take care of the newborns in that interim period? Carmella and her husband?

[mariahmwrites]

Originally Posted by Metzican

Very interesting episode. There was one thing that annoyed me. Many of my friends with step parents from young age all have told me. The person that raised you is your "mother" or "father" not the person who enjoyed the sex.

Hi Metzican. I agree that the people doing the raising are the "parents." But, birth mothers are mothers too. Leo's parents happen to both be male, so there's no one else vying with me for the title of "mother," which makes things mercifully simple. In other situations, where there is both an adoptive mother and a birth mother, the woman who, as you say, "enjoyed the sex" (and I think we can all agree there's a bit more to it than that, yes?) is called the birth mother.

I still plan to celebrate the shit out of Mother's Day. Possibly by crying a big puddle.