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The Little Book of Positive Birth Stories
 

What’s this book all about?

The idea of giving birth can be daunting - if not outright terrifying. So many of the stories we hear about birth are negative or frightening, but in fact many women and birthing people feel positive and satisfied after their birth, however their births have unfolded.  What's more, reading positive birth stories during pregnancy can help women to feel calm, confident and prepared, and so increase the chances that they'll have an experience they'll look back on positively. So this book will collect together real positive birth stories to offer positivity and confidence to anyone about to give birth.

 

Who can submit their birth story for this book?

Anyone who has had a baby, feels it was a positive experience, and would like to tell the story of how it all went. Wherever you live in the world, and whatever sort of birth you had – vaginal, caesarean, at home, in hospital, with midwives, with your family, with doctors, with an epidural, with only paracetamol – we want to hear about it.

 

How long should the story be?

I’m looking for stories of approximately 1000 words, and will also consider stories up to approximately 30% shorter or longer than that, so feel free to submit anything between about 700 and 1,300 words.

 

When do I need to submit the story by?

The deadline is 8th September 2024.

 

When will I be notified if my story is going to be included in the book?

I’ll contact everyone who submitted a story by 30th January 2025.

 

When will the book be published and who is the publisher?

The book will come out in July 2025 with Virago books, a feminist publisher of outstanding books for all readers. Find out more about Virago here https://www.virago.co.uk/.

 

Will I be paid if my story is included in the book?

Each contributor whose story is included in the book will receive £50 and a free copy of the book on publication.

 

Will my name appear anywhere in the book?

Your first name and your baby’s first name will be used within the body of the book. (If you prefer, we can also use an alias for these.) We will also include your full name on the copyright page if you wish, but you can opt out of this inclusion if you prefer.

 

What’s the criteria for selecting stories in the book? How will you be choosing which stories are included?

I’m looking for a varied range of birth stories from as diverse an array of contributors as possible. I want the book to show that births unfold in a myriad different ways but it’s still possible to feel positive afterwards, so I’ll be looking for thirty stories that show different experiences, from all different people. I will also look for stories that are well told and that will make for an enjoyable read when put together into a book. But this isn’t a creative writing competition, and if your story isn’t chosen to appear in the book it doesn’t mean that it is any less valuable or important than any of the others I received. The decision on which stories are included will be final, and I won’t be able to enter into correspondence with anyone about the selection.

 

What information will you need from me if i submit a story? And what about GDPR?

If you submit a story, I’ll ask for your name, the city/town/area in the world where you live, and your contact details. If your story is not selected for the book, I’ll delete your details on publication date of the book. If your story is included in the book, then the publisher and I will keep them on file for as long as the book is in print. I’ll only use your information for the purposes of this book, and it won’t be shared with anyone other than the publisher.

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Who will own copyright?

You will own copyright in your story.

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Is there anything else I need to know?

Please keep a copy of your story for your own records.

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How do I submit?

Put your story in a word document, with your name, location (city/town, and country) and email address at the top, and email it by midnight 8th September 2024 to claire@thenurturenest.co.uk

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I have a question that’s not answered here. How can I get an answer?

I’ll be available to answer questions on Instagram on Wednesday 10th July 2024. After that, please send any questions by email to me at claire@thenurturenest.co.uk

Hypnobirthing and doula Southend
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