It was the day before my due date at 10:30am when something had popped inside me. Although I wasn’t leaking any fluid so I decided to get back into bed to rest. Later when I got back up to go pee I started gushing liquid. I packed up my bags while dripping with each step I took. We headed to the hospital when I arrived I was 4cm dilated, and they confirmed my water had broken. I was admitted into a birthing room. I used a birthing comb until I was 6cm dilated. I then used the birthing tub and my breathing to get me all the way to 9cm. My body felt most comfortable in a kneeling position hanging my upper body over the top of the bed. My body started to push, and each push I could feel my baby lowering. After pushing I would feel him go back up. Eventually I pushed and he didn’t go up, he kept going down. Time slowed down for me… I felt every part of my baby leaving my body. I turned around as fast as I could, I grabbed my baby and placed him on my chest. He was born at 5:30pm 8lbs 14oz.

I share my birth experience with an open heart, knowing every birth is unique. My own birth experience played such a significant role in guiding me toward becoming a doula.