I truly don't think I'll ever be able to put into words what Ashley meant to me during the birth of…read moremy son, but I'll try.
From the very beginning, she was exactly what I needed. She was straightforward, honest, calm, and somehow matched my personality, my humor, and my birth plan perfectly. She never sugarcoated anything, but she also never made me feel afraid. She simply made me feel safe.
She came to my home and let me labor like a lion. While I was internally thinking, "Holy shit... what is happening?" she sat there with this calm confidence that said, "Yep. This is normal. Keep going." Her confidence became my confidence. Knowing that everything unfolding was exactly what she expected allowed me to stop spiraling and return to the work of labor.
My labor wasn't straightforward. My baby was asynclitic, and transition was incredibly difficult. Ashley carried me through one of the hardest experiences of my life. She patiently guided me through what felt like every position imaginable to help my baby rotate and descend. Every step of the way, she kept me informed. She explained what was happening, what our options were, and what might come next. Most importantly, because both my baby and I were stable and his heart rate remained reassuring, she gave me the space to keep trying safely.
After hours of what felt like completely unproductive pushing, I was convinced I wasn't making any progress. Ashley knew better. She knew every push mattered, even when I couldn't see it. She gave me the room to find my own rhythm and discover my own strength, and the moment I asked for help, she stepped in with exactly the support I needed.
The attention and intention behind every word, every touch, every decision, and every movement were unmatched. I never felt managed--I felt cared for.
The moments I remember most are, "I can't. I will. I did."
And honestly, what surprised me most wasn't just the birth itself--it was everything afterward. The postpartum care through My Haven was extraordinary. In those first days, I genuinely felt like I was Ashley's only patient. I felt seen, prioritized, checked on, and cared for during one of the biggest transitions of my life.
My son turns one this weekend, and I still think about Ashley all the time. I'm just now finding the words for a proper review. She will forever be one of the people who changed my life. To me, she'll always be a little bit of an angel.
If you're considering Haven Midwifery, know that you're not just choosing prenatal care or a birth provider. You're choosing someone who will believe in you, protect your autonomy, keep you informed, and quietly remind you that you're capable of far more than you think.
