"I truly don't know what I would have done without these women. I am grateful for the healing and love in the work they do." -J

While I had had one successful home delivery (five years earlier), everything about this second pregnancy was different and new, with some complications. I realized that my previous experience was not going to be enough to support me on this path. I needed the help of an experienced and reliable doula.
 
We interviewed several doulas. Jen answered the telephone, I actually knew from the sound of her voice that she was the doula I wanted. Jen was full of encouragement, support, and had nurturing intuition. I shared with her all of our worries and concerns about our upcoming birth. I had a complication early in the pregnancy that had left me fearful of successfully having the birth experience I really wanted.
 
An experienced and supportive doula is a most worthy investment and I did not understand that principle until talking and meeting with Jen and Tiffany.
Tiffany came with a deep strength and steadiness that made me feel safe and grounded. Jen possesses a warmth and love that simply emanates out of her -an embrace of loving energy straight from the heart. I had no idea which amazing woman I would have wanted at the birth. Both were fierce, knowledgeable, and compassionate. I decided to let the Universe decide which doula would be present. 
 
Jen was on call when labor started. Jen's presence immediately put me at ease, but the surges had been coming with nausea and vomiting and this was increasing as labor was progressing. I threw up after each wave, everywhere in my house. It was intense. I had no time to recover in between the contractions. Survival became my birth plan. I paced, I cried, I reached out for Jen and found her always there, always steady, always calm, always breathing. She reminded me when the transition was happening (since I had forgotten everything about birthing at this point) and kept me always calm and grounded. I asked her to help me, maybe even pleaded with her, and at the very end as the baby was crowning and emerging, I found my head in her lap.  She became my mother in those moments, which I did not realize I needed. The entire time I had tried to convince myself I could do it alone, but Jen's presence, and the deep love of my partner, was the support I truly needed in having such a beautiful birth. 

That evening, Tiffany came to help take away the tub, and I felt doubly blessed that both women were able to be with me during the delicate hours after the baby was born. Tiffany brought love and care just after the baby was born and I appreciated her visit more than words can describe. The follow up visits with Jen were my lifeline to postpartum care.

I truly don't know what I would have done without these women. I am grateful for the healing and love in the work they do. -J