From Mary-Grace, the first new baby of the year to the TWO sweet boys born today, I am incredibly honored to serve a tiny role in these births.
To the couples who have invited me into their homes.- To the women who’ve met me at coffee shops to talk about their pregnancies.
- To the Hypnobabies dads who have fallen asleep (one even snored) while I read the scripts in class.
- To the couples I’ve coached through contractions over the phone.
- To the tiny new babies I’ve held as if they were the most precious treasure in the world. Because they are.
- To the clients who became friends.
- To the friends who became clients.
- To the women I’ve cried with.
- To the first timers who dared to birth differently than everyone else around them.
- To the midwives, doulas, doctors, childbirth educators who have been listening ears, back-ups, and teachers.
- To my husband who has texted me at births such questions as “how effaced is she? did she do the rotisserie? and when will you be home?”
- To the Anderson class who had to listen to the macarena playing outside the window while under hypnosis. Wonder what the long-term consequences of that will be.
- To Dr. Stafford who let me use his office (and his fancy technology) to teach classes and who consistently holds the space for alternatives and choice in the hospital birth experience.
- To the women who have cared for my children when I leave.
- To the VBACs who went to great lengths to avoid another cesarean.
- To the nurses who sometimes broke the rules and who always remembered that patients have choices. Even the choice to say “no.”
- To my family who is tolerant when I find a way to talk about birth during every mealtime conversation.
- To Cedar who cried every time I left and pretty much the whole time I was gone.
- To the tearful postpartum mamas who called at 3am.
- To the babywearing groups and the women who shared their birth stories at Blessingways (pssst…I’m scheduling stories for 2011).
- To the repeat clients who told me they were pregnant before they told anyone else.
- And to the births who have taught me so much about serving, honoring, protecting, and loving.
I love you and wish you grace and beauty in the coming year!
Inexplicable Ways 
You made me cry, Julie!! Thank you for your part in the birth of our son. Thank you for the friendship, support, and prayers. Blessings to you and yours!!
This makes me so excited to start our class Sunday! I hope you got the check and form I sent. When I checked and saw you hadn’t cashed it yet, I got this awful paranoid feeling that maybe I just *thought* I put it in the mailbox, and that actually it could be anywhere. So hopefully I did put it in there. I really did mean to. If not we’ll bring the checkbook Sunday.
I did get it, Jenny. See you tomorrow!
And a big thank you to you for helping me get the births I wanted both in 2007 & 2010.
So beautiful Julie…you have an amazing life and career..so excited to have met you!
Thank you for empowering Brandon and Jenni to bring Blake into this world in such a special way!! Blessings to you and your family!!!
Not sure if I’ve mentioned how truly inspiring you and your words are to me. I enjoy every post that you write (and check daily to see if there is a new one) Many blessings to you, your family, and all your clients in this beautiful New Year!
Absolutely beautiful! You are an amazing woman, mother and ultimate care giver. You are blessed in every way.
Love and Abundance (always),
Jennifer, Brady and Noah
Thank you for your kind words. I really am the lucky one, though. The families I work with are so incredibly special.
Thank you so much for the wonderful experience. For giving us a chance to learn, study and prepare to have birth our way. And for hanging out with me for nearly 18 hours while we welcomed our son. For the record, my feet hurt the next morning too. 🙂
And I know you had bruises on your Spleen 6 points!!
Our daughter was born November 1 and her birth would not have been the same without Caryn. And we would not have met Caryn without you! I would love to share our story at a Blessingway this year!
You mean the world to me. I am so thankful for your presence and support on the day Asher was born. Thanks for being such an amazing sister! I love you!
I sent you an email…it may have went to your spam. Can you send doula training details to ccostner4(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Thanks
Karla
I sent the info to you. I’ll resend just in case.
And a big “Dankeschoen” for you too. We are looking forward to seeing you and family in Munich or SC. Whoever travells first : ))) Ariane & Peter