The author and her daughter Kessler's first selfie together on the day she was born.Even as a first-time mother, I thought I understood childbirth. I’d spent my pregnancy preparing for every possibility, and I was convinced I knew what to expect. I had watched the movies, read the books, and listened to the stories of long,drawn-out labours that stretched for hours, even days. I was told this was especially true for first births.I imagined the build-up ― the contractions, the dramatic rush to the hospital, the delivery room filled withmedical professionals guiding me safely through it.I imagined labour as something gradual, a controlled journey to meeting my baby.