I wanted to share with you stories of the different clients I have had and my love of what I do. 

I had finished my training and my reading list by the time I was hired by my first client for a birth in November 2008. I was so excited that she chose me. It was her second birth but this time she was going to have a home birth in her tub. I knew that this was something rare that I was getting to experience.

When that call finally came in the afternoon, she was just letting me know that she thought things were starting and as I was trained, I told her to call me in a hour. I grabbed all my supplies and drove over to her neighborhood and sat in a parking lot around the corner. I was reviewing all my notes from class and my doula book. The second call came and I knew immediately by the tone that this was the real deal. She said she needed me. Right there it started. She...needed...me. I was there in 2 minutes.

I come in and go upstairs to her bedroom. I walk in and she is in bed laboring, in the middle of a contraction. Strong and focused, looking beautiful. I think to myself...OH MY GOD WHAT DO I THINK I AM DOING HERE? THIS WAS A HUGE MISTAKE THINKING I CAN HELP THIS WOMAN. In my head I hear my wonderful trainer telling me that less is more especially with a home birth so I step up and just as nature is leading this Mother, nature is leading me to assist her.

Things are moving quick so I call the midwife and she is soon there with her assistant. They are preparing the room and supplies and the Mom and are walking up and down the stairs to help move the baby down. She pausing during contractions and gets down on all fours while I do the hip press. Her Mom is her from Peru cooking us dinner for after the birth. Dad is siting in the corner just waiting for the action to start. I realize that this is the way birth was meant to be. It felt so right and natural.

After two hours, we get in the tub. I turn down the lights and put on some candles. I kneel next to her by the tub and our arms are entwined. I am inches from her face and I am making laboring moans with her. I cannot believe how intimate I am being with someone I barely know and they if feels natural. Another two hours and the bag of water is starting to bulge out..then come the baby, still in the sac. It breaks under the water and there he is with his eyes open looking up at us. No rush to pull him out, everything is calm. Onto Mom's chest and small cry, completely alert. Beautiful. Grandma is there, Dad is there, Me, midwife, and assistant in this tiny bathroom bursting with love.

After the delivery, they help Mom to the bed, get her settled in, baby to breast. Her seven year old daughter arrives home and joins her Mom in bed to meet her new Brother. It is finally time to eat.

I was so blessed to be a part of this. I will never forget. I learned so much from this client. It has been continued hope and strength for me once I started seeing what the hospital births are like. I don't know if I would have been able to continue if I did not know how birth can truly be.