As I write this, my two-month-old son is in my arms sleeping. When I reflect on my son's birth story, I can see clearly that Tara was a huge part of it. This was my first child, and I had no idea what to expect in terms of having a baby! I knew in my heart that a home birth was the route that was most desired for myself and my child. However, I'm going to be honest, I didn't know the first thing about home births. I didn't even know the difference between a doula and a midwife. And then fate connected me to Tara, and we met via phone. That first conversation probably lasted an hour and thirty minutes and during that call I learned more than I had ever learned about birth. She explained the difference between a midwife and a doula, how there are positions I can get into during labor to help guide the baby out and reduce labor time, the importance of having a birth plan, and SO much more! She really blew my mind and opened the door to this incredibly empowering world, where women can write their own birth stories and find their power. Not only that but she gave me a list of books to help prepare me and educate me for my home birth as well as a list of recommended Midwife's in my area. If I had never met Tara, I don't think I would have found the courage to follow my heart and seek out the birth experience that I truly wanted. Naturally, I hired her on the spot.
Pre delivery, Tara and I met several times where she answered all my questions. During our time together, we would practice various labor positions so I could prepare for the big day. She would also help me stretch and give me various activities to help move the baby into ideal positioning. In addition, we would practice a number of calming exercises to help the body and mind relax, ultimately reducing labor time. If I needed resources, she was my go-to person to help me find whatever I was looking for be it books, birthing class, lactation classes, etc.
When the big day finally came, I couldn't have been more thankful to have Tara by my side. I remember actual tears of joy when she arrived at my house (no exaggeration). I was just about to transition into active labor and when it began, she immediately started guiding me through various visualization exercises. This was such a game changer, especially after I had been laboring through the night on my own. Her presence and words gave me a vacation away from the intensity of my contractions.
Tara's support also helped keep me calm when I needed it most. Even though my birth was near perfect, there were a few obstacles that transpired. While my team of midwives maneuvered these obstacles, it was Tara's voice of calm and peace that kept me completely cool as a cucumber. Looking back, there was never a moment where she wasn't by my side.
I attribute my beautiful, seamlessly easy, near perfect birth to my A team. You can bet that Tara with Hello Sunshine Doula was on that team. Thank you, Tara, for being such a big part of my son's birth story, we will forever consider you like family. read more