Birth for me has always been an amazing journey. This being my third pregnancy and birth I had a few ideas of how I wanted this journey to be different. I wanted to do things as natural as possible and with little intervention. I knew that I would need as much help as I could get and so I asked April and Pat to join me. The morning my water broke, I was scheduled to have a prenatal class with both ladies that evening; this meeting was to meet Pat and go over coping techniques. My little Logan had other plans for us, so at 6am we headed out to the hospital to meet Pat for the very first time. When she arrived, we hugged and it was as if I had known her forever. She stayed with my husband and I from start to finish. From foot massages to fanning and alternately not fanning me, she was there for me. With her gentle words and encouragement, and the arrival of April to help me push Logan out, they made it an amazing experience. While I did decide on an epidural, they both supported my choice and praised me for making choices that I was ok with. April was there to help make sure I was able to bond with my baby those precious moments after birth as I always wanted but had yet to experience. My other births went well but this time it was the first time in three children that I was able to look at my doulas after it was all said and done and say “That was so much FUN”. I was also grateful for the postpartum visits with April; whether it vacuuming or simply holding the baby while I cleaned, she was so helpful. Thank you Ladies for everything, you both will always be a part of our family!
Liz & Michael Cazares Sgt. US Marines