One of my BABIES!

I was in the mall shopping on Friday night and I ran into Mrs. Laura and her Sweetie Pie daughter Alise!

Why is this important?

Laura and Wayne graced my life some years ago as doula clients. She had an amazing birth and I cherish the day I witnessed the two of them become parents! I will never forget Laura crying and asking for her glasses so she could see her baby better! I will never forget the little sweet face that peeped from her blanket to the outside world. How new our world was to her! And now she is a very bright and capable young lady living in a warm family full of love.

I have a HUGE secret desire to help Wayne and Laura again...but I think Mrs. Laura has other plans! *sigh*

When Laura and I saw each other we screamed and danced and hugged! We freaked Alise out BIG TIME! Oops...

Laura, we must make it a date to get together after Christmas, so she can see me less excited!

I was overjoyed to see Laura, life has been hectic for me since that birth. What a Christmas present that was for me. :)

You can get to know this sweet family here:

http://thehortonfamily.blogspot.com/

Sad News

Yesterday I was given some really sad news.

When I was a young doula, very new, I met Jared and Summer. They were my second doula clients to serve. They were 15 and 16ish when they gave birth to their first child. Summer and Jared were so young, dear, and sweet. I enjoyed our meetings and they worked very hard for the birth they knew they could have. They had so much stacked against them as young parents.

It was a pleasure to serve them when I was so new to serving mama's and daddy's.

They had a natural, epidural free, simple birth in a small Arkansas hospital. Jared, his Sister in law Amanda, and myself loved on Summer and carried her through the waves of labor that rushed through her young body. And we rejoiced when that little baby was born.

I witnessed two very young people bringing in new life that night long ago.

Jared passed away yesterday. His funeral is tomorrow.

I am so very sad.

He and Summer did not make it as a couple. They were just so young. She has another child and has moved on in her life. And Jared was married with 2 more little babies of his own.

I hear Summer went to see Jared before they took him off of the artificial air supply he was on. I can't even imagine how that was for her. She is such a sweet woman. :( I have never met Jared's wife and newest children. I ache for her as well. She had a grown up love with Jared. And I can understand how it would feel to lose that. :(

Kay and Doug are the parents of Jared. I worry about Kay. I just want to hold her. If you knew Kay you would just adore her!

I can't even imagine the pain and sorrows right now of this family. As they bury a son, a husband, a father, and a young sweetheart flame of yesterday past.

I remember him bouncing on my birth ball. I remember his glee to experience fatherhood to the fullest! I remember seeing a young boy become a man.

You may have died young Jared, but you lived a lot of life in such a short time.

For me the emotions are so strange. When TJ was taken from us it was so hard. And now here I am shaken. Two of my past clients have passed away. Clients that I shared a deep emotional tie to because of the way I served them in birth. Two in one year having left this earth. Both of them younger than me. Both of them the parent of more children than I. So much they have left behind.

Two people gone...that taught this doula and student midwife so very much. I thank them for the lessons they gave me. I am thankful for the short time they allowed me into their lives, to be a part of their families. To share life's greatest moment, the birth of a child.

You never know when you leave here folks. Be ready. Live like you could be gone in an instant! Don't take this life for granted.

Be in prayer for this family.

Had a birth!

Sunday morning my VBAC doula client called me and I headed on my way. She was having contractions every 4-5 minutes and they were lasting a minute. We did that for a little while and then she decided we neede to make the 45 minute trip to the hospital.

Now I knew the huge storm we were having was to blame for the labor starting. But I prayed that her body would just keep the pace and she could have her vaginal birth this time.

We arrive and she is only 1 and the contractions space out to 10 minutes apart. We stay the night and she contracts like this. By lunch the next morning they are gone. And she is 2 cm's.

Her doctor suggests that she go home. She does and the contractions come back with the next swell of the storm. She labors through the night and we are back at the hospital that morning. Contractions are 5 minutes apart and we still don't see progress. The baby starts to have decels and the decision is made to have a repeat section. There was thick mec surround baby and she had aspirated a lot of it. Mom's uterus was also bleeding and very thin at the previous incision site.

This was the first section that I am okay with. That is a strange feeling. But this mama was so informed and ready for a birth that she so desired. Her doctor was very supportive and we all tried so hard for that VBAC. Mama and baby are doing really well. Her first baby was a NICU baby who never nursed right and she pumped for 10 months. This baby is not sick and nurses and is bonding with her mama really well! :) You can't ask for more.

Mabry Claire is as cute as a button. She kept me up from Sunday morning to Monday morning...but she was well worth the loss of sleep!

I also got the boost to keep losing weight so I can have my own sweet girl some day.

Happy Birthday to you little baby girl!