I was up all night so forgive the choppiness. I share this with permission from a new mama and daddy. They wanted to encourage someone else as other stories encouraged them.
I am honored to be the doula for an amazing couple. This pregnancy is their first. While taking a childbirth class (before even finishing the class), they met another expectant couple who didn’t speak English. My couple invited them into their home, taught them what they had learned, and the non-English speaking couple had a lovely natural birth. My couple did this before having experienced childbirth! So, I knew it would be an extraordinary birth.
Well, they experienced birth last night and this morning. I labored with them through the night in their home–quiet, peaceful, beautiful. They were so affectionate with each other. I sometimes felt like I was eavesdropping. She was quiet through her labor and the emotional cues were simply not there–she remained calm and relaxed the entire time. Her pattern never changed: contractions on the dot every two minutes. Several times I asked if she wanted to go to the hospital (her planned place of birth) and she wanted to wait…and wait…and wait. Finally, I encouraged her we needed to go. It took some coaxing. She was completely dilated when we reached the hospital!
And a very short while later, a new little boy was welcomed to the world.
