Birthing with The Natural Birthhouse became a dream of mine shortly after my first was born in 2016. After having an epidural gone wrong that ended up landing me in the ICU, I was determined to be in control of my own body next time and birth on my own terms. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but it would be worth it. Not only did I get to birth on my own terms, but I also got my dream birth.

After overcoming a bout with chronic illness, I was finally healthy enough to conceive and carry my second child six years after my first. I planned and prayed that The Natural Birthhouse would have a spot for me. At the time, they were trying to hire more midwives, and I was unsure if I could be a patient there. God made a way—He knew I was meant to be there. I truly looked forward to every visit I had with my midwives. It was a time of education and reassurance, not just another fetal doppler check and rushing me out the door. I learned so much during my time there, and I will always cherish those visits. They truly made me feel empowered and prepared for birth, and most importantly, in control! They were there for me no matter what time of day, no matter what.

The day finally came four days after my due date. I went into labor at home in the middle of the night. I called midwife Jamie and labored at home as much as I could. By the time I got to The Natural Birthhouse, I was 9 centimeters—I could hardly believe it. The contractions were painful, yes, but doable. I felt confident and weirdly peaceful even though I was in pain. Jamie and Kira had become family to me at this point. They encouraged me, gave me space, didn’t rush me, and didn’t make me do anything I wasn’t comfortable with. I kept waiting for the “time to push” talk, but it never came. I didn’t realize that I even had that authority! They talked me through fears from my past birth and told me to push whenever I felt ready. Since when do I have this power? Little did I know, I had it all along. It only took two or three pushes for my nearly 11-pound son to be born. Pushing was the easy part! Asher’s birth was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced. My husband caught him (thankfully, or he would have been on the floor) as he literally popped out of my water bag! There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. My midwives were truly immersed in my birth and cheered me on until the end. The faith they had in me kept me going. I knew I could do it, and I did. What a wonderful feeling.

The golden hour that followed was so special. I was not hooked up to a single thing, no beeping machines, and believe it or not, I didn’t even tear (hello, 11-pounder?). I went home that day with no pain. I was in awe, not only at the whole experience, but also knowing what my body is capable of.

The journey didn’t even end there. They were there for me postpartum for whatever I needed—lactation support, bloodwork, home check, middle-of-the-night mental breakdown texts, and all. I can’t thank them enough for their support and love.

The Natural Birthhouse was quite literally a dream come true for me. Every woman deserves this. This is the epitome of woman empowerment—women helping women do what God created our bodies to do with little to no intervention. I’ll never ever forget it, and I’ll never forget them!