While watching Bird Box for the second time on New Years Day with some friends, one friend asked, “Why do Malorie and Olympia start labor at the same time?” My birth nerd self was able to excitedly share a theory as to why.
The movie tells us that Olympia is due October 1 and Malorie is due at the end of September. Due dates are really just “guess” dates so we know that they will come in the same season although exact day is never known.
As we know, birth is a physiologic and normal life event… even in the apocalypse. When your body first begins labor, uterine contractions are started by the rise of the hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is known as the love hormone and can increase by nipple stimulation, sex, feelings of safety and comfort.
My theory is that while everyone was in the kitchen, someone turned up the speakers and started blaring “I Say A Little Prayer”, introducing feelings of nostalgia. It was familiar and maybe some long buried feeling of happiness began to emerge.
When you are feeling truly calm and relaxed (even jolly), your body feels safe enough to proceed into labor, hence why at that moment it could have been likely both Malorie and Olympia had a sudden surge of oxytocin, thereby triggering labor!
It’s definitely a theatrical stretch, but not necessarily impossible.
What are your thoughts on this theory of Malorie and Olympia in labor at the same time?
Ariel Ewefada