Interview with Jenny Morand, November 7, 2011

Interview Summary

Interview with Jenny Morand - Richmond, VA

Jenny, born and raised in Richmond begins the interview by talking about her childhood in Virginia. She talks about wanting to fit in and describes her parents, ?from the North? and their home. She talks about getting along well with older people since she was the youngest of four. She remembers spending summer vacations at a cottage in Canada and eating meals together as a family.

Jenny went to NYU when she was seventeen. She describes it as too much too fast. She shares some of her adventures from New York City. She remembers feeling very homesick and an overnight ride home to Richmond after that first year. She worked for eleven years in restaurants in Richmond. Currently Jenny writes reading comprehension quizzes for libraries and schools.

She describes meeting and choosing to be with her husband like a total relief. She talks about how her role as a stepmother has been deepened by having her own child and understanding the connection between a child and parent. She talks about the nuances of parenting together, about her husband as a father and his experience being in a second marriage.

Jenny had an easy pregnancy and took the time to learn about her different options by reading and taking classes. She decided to have a natural birth.

?I guess I just thought it wasn?t gonna hurt that bad.? she says, describing being surprised by the sensations of labor and birth. She says the hardest part was not knowing if it was going to hurt more. She talks about the huge dose of adrenaline after the birth and finding out the baby was a girl.

Jenny talks about how her experience got her interested in and passionate about birth. She describes mothering as feeling like she is finally doing what she is supposed to be doing with her life.

Interview Keyword

Virginia

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