Go Ask Alice: Wisdom From Wonderland for Pregnancy to Postpartum

Alice in Wonderland is a timeless classic that has been inspiring people for generations. The story is full of memorable quotes that can apply to various aspects of life, including pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. In this post, we will explore some of the most famous Alice in Wonderland quotes and how they can relate to this transformative journey.

“Curiouser and curiouser!” 

Just as Alice experienced the bizarre and unpredictable world of Wonderland, you will experience the strange and sometimes surreal moments that come with pregnancy. Each passing week may bring new changes and sensations, from the growth of your baby bump to the ebb and flow of symptoms. You may notice changes to your skin, such as chloasma or the linea negra. You'll feel the fluttering movements of your baby from within, and see the effects of this movement on the outside. With all these developments, it's natural to feel a growing curiosity and fascination with your own body. Approaching each new experience with a sense of wonder can deepen your connection with your baby, help you adjust to the physical changes, and navigate any discomfort along the way.

”Oh dear! Oh dear!I shall be too late!” 

Alice hears the White Rabbit say this as it ran anxiously toward the rabbit hole at the beginning of the story. It can feel like you’re also late for a very important date when your due date comes and goes with no signs of labor. It’s important to remember that your due date is just a reference point. It’s really establishing a range (more like a month!) of when to expect labor to spontaneously begin. 

“The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.” 

Alice follows the White Rabbit and ends up falling down the rabbit hole, where she begins to experience the strange and surreal realm that is Wonderland. This is such a powerful metaphor for the altered state of consciousness experienced during the active labor phase of physiologic birth. In her book, Birthing From Within, midwife Pam England refers to this hormone-fueled altered state as “Laborland”. Just like Wonderland, a birthing person in the realm of Laborland is surrendering to the unfamiliar and the contradictions. Birth can be disorienting, yet allow access to mind-blowing intuitive and instinctual knowing. A person in labor is at their most vulnerable, yet at the same time at their most powerful.

“There were doors all around the hall, but they were all locked; and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, wondering how she was ever to get out again.” 

It’s not uncommon to reach a point in labor, where you feel like you’re stuck and not progressing and that you’ll never get through it to the other side. Just like Alice found a key and a bottle labeled “DRINK ME”, you will have strategies, techniques, support people, and medical interventions to use as needed to problem-solve your way through the difficult moments.

Alice: "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" 

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. 

This quote exemplifies the concept of you as the ultimate decision-maker. Birth can be overwhelming, and it's easy to feel lost at times. Researching your options in advance can give you a good idea of where you want to go and how you want to get there. Even if your desired path must change in the moment, it can be empowering to to have clarity on why this needs to happen and to be the one making that decision. Conversely, it can be traumatizing to end up on an unexpected and undesired path, not knowing why you’re there or if you even need to be there.

”I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I’m not myself, you see.”

This is how Alice responds when the Caterpillar famously asks, “Who are you?”. You may not feel like yourself in the midst of Laborland. Are you normally quiet and reserved? You may find yourself uttering long, low, and loud sounds without feeling self-conscious at all. Are you normally modest? You may end up removing all clothing, feeling most comfortable completely naked and feeling no shame. Do you normally speak to your partner in loving and respectful way? You may lash out, using words you would never imagine using, to communicate that the support they are giving is not the support you currently need. All of this is so normal and so common in Laborland.

”Nonsense!” said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent.

Should you need to, be like Alice as she responds to the Queen’s shouts of “Off with her head!”. It is not uncommon for birthing people to be subjected to invasive examinations and unnecessary medical interventions without informed consent. This is utter nonsense. You have the right to bodily autonomy and the right to say no.

“It's no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”

Postpartum is a time of great change and adjustment. It’s actually part of a major life transition, called matrescence, or the process of becoming a parent. Relationships change, priorities shift, and you’re balancing additional responsibilities. This quote from Alice can remind you to let go of who you were before and embrace the new version of yourself that has emerged through the experience of pregnancy, birth, and beyond. 

As you embark on your own journey, know that each step forward and each twist in the path, shapes us into versions of ourselves that we never imagined. Though every challenge, we grow and evolve, emerging stronger, wiser, and more connected to the essence of what it means to bring life into the world. Just as Wonderland forever changed Alice, the journey of childbirth forever changes us.

Also…. “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?”

Does anyone know? Has anyone figured this out? While you’re contemplating this riddle from the Mad Hatter, take a minute to check out my free quiz! Click the button below to discover and explore your Birth Journey Archetype!

Before choosing one, it can be helpful to first figure out what you’re wanting for your own experience. I have a quiz and free resource to help you learn more about how you might want to approach navigating labor and birth. Click the button below to take the quiz!

Discover and Explore Your Birth Journey Archetype!