Sarah was an absolute asset to my birth experience. This pregnancy was as a surrogate, which…read morerequired me to give birth in a hospital, so I knew I needed a coach and an advocate. My first and only other birth of my daughter, was attended by 2 midwives at home and was the best day of my life. So, I hired Sarah and Charli for their doula services and was comfortable with either attending, just happy I knew them and they understood me and my birth plan.
Sarah showed up at our house right when the contractions kicked in. She guided me through them and made the call when it was time to walk to Providence Hospital. Along with my husband riding our cargo bucket bike and 9-year old daughter walking with me, we walked the 1/2 mile to the hospital, stopping every minute or two for me to lean against her and have a contraction. She provided me with shelter and guidance. When we got to the hospital, I was taken up to the birth center and learned I was 5 cm dilated and felt a sense of accomplishment. The final 5 occurred over 3 hours between the tub and the yoga ball in the bathroom. Sarah was my crutch during the hardest ones. My family doctor, who knew my birth plan well, showed up and they, along with the nurses, worked together to let me know it was time to get on the bed and push.
I squatted in reverse on the bed, holding tight to the railings. With every push, I could feel baby Penelope make her way through the birth canal, with intense pressure. I asked Sarah to guide me through the ring of fire so I wouldn't tear. We took it slow, allowing the head to crown, stop, head halfway out and back in, stop, head out, stop, shoulder out, stop, arm out, stop and then her body fell gracefully to the bed between my legs. I scooped her up, the nurses helped me untangle from the cord so I could turn around and sit with her. They toweled Penelope off, I scooted over and her new mama came over crying and sat next to me and I got to hand over the most beautiful thing in the world to the person who had wanted her most. I looked up at the room and everyone was smiling and taking in the moment, including Sarah. This was the most magical day of my life.
I can't recommend her and Charli enough. Having a doula or midwife is a serious luxury in giving birth and I also attribute my fast recovery (casually walking and biking within a week) to them. I needed no epidural, emergency treatments or stitches.