An Unexpected Birth Story: How Artist Alexandra Carter Met the Monstrous Feminine on Her Home Bath Mat

Postpartum Production

Today's episode is one we've been holding for you all with great anticipation. As listeners will hopefully remember from our first episode this season, we spoke with Alexandra Carter, an artist whose work delves into themes of femininity, transformation, and the embodiment of the monstrous as a source of power and creativity. At that time, we discussed her artwork and how she encounters this monstrous feminine. She was also about to give birth in that episode.

Alexandra was just weeks from her due range, as those in the birth world like to say; we had talked about getting together again and discussing the birth after the fact, and she was really excited about and willing to do it. So in this episode, get ready to encounter that monstrous feminine yourself.

Just weeks after the birth of her second child, Alexandra sat down with us to talk about this birth. We are so grateful, as we’re sure you will be too, that she sat with us literally in her body, which was healing from that birth and early postpartum. This is definitely one of those, “you need to hear it to believe it” stories, and it feels like the perfect companion to her episode and like the artist that she is. She somehow magically wove these themes of the anticipated birth and the actual birth here—you're really in for a treat.

More about Alexandra:

• Website: https://www.alexandra-carter.com/
• Instagram alexandracarterstudio

Mentioned in the podcast:

• Annie Ernaux's "A Frozen Woman": A literary work offering a stark and poignant portrayal of childbirth and womanhood.

We invite listeners to share their thoughts and reflections on this episode. How do Alexandra's experiences resonate with your own understandings of birth and creativity? Connect with us on social media or leave a comment to share.

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