The Sound Of Galloping Horses

Lisa and Brooks just left this morning. Their visit was brief, but sweet. The first day they were here, I was at a birth from 7am-9:30pm. It was a wonderfully successful birth where baby was born healthy and mama was incredibly empowered. I love the feeling I come away with after these births. So much love and gratitude for life. As well as a deep sense of exhaustion after I've poured my physical, emotional, psychic and spiritual energy into a family to help them birth with ease (as much as possible). It's such a rewarding job though! I adore it. And I also loved coming home to Michelle and my dear friends. 

Monday was a sweet day of ironing out details over a delicious breakfast at Old Town Cafe, and then heading to our first prenatal meeting with the midwife. It was so nice to sit down all together and feel like this whole plan is becoming such a reality and we're all working together is a cohesive, loving way. Catriona (the midwife who met with us) was so patient and willing to spend a little extra time (two hours) for our first visit since there are more of us involved and more questions to delve into. She couldn't find baby's heart beat on the first try and we were pretty disappointed, so an hour later before we headed out the door, I asked if she would check one more time. I didn't want them to travel from so far away to see and hear positive evidence that their baby was growing, and then go home without that special piece we were all looking so forward to. I'm glad I asked, because we heard a strong little heart beat in the high 130's range! Yay, baby!!! It was so thrilling to hear that and feel the joy in the room of all these parents who love this baby and are so excited to watch it grow. I am again in awe of the new way that I'm seeing pregnancy and birth and parenthood, through this process. What a gift for them and a gift for me in furthering my understanding and knowledge for my doula and someday midwifery practice. Catriona also changed my due date by bumping it farther out by two days based on my longer ovulation cycles. Which I don't mind at all! I'd much rather have a later due date and more time to cook this baby until he's ready, then an earlier due date and pressure to get him born sooner. So that mean that technically, Thursdays are the day the weeks turn for the pregnancy. That means I'll be 12 weeks on Thursday, not today...but whatever. There's a baby in there and it'll come when it comes. I won't be interfering with that.

Brooks took a picture of the three of us before they left. Here it is:

We're excited to grow you and eventually meet you little one!