Recently I was able to attend a lovely birth. The mom labored at home and then arrived to the hospital actively pushing. I had been in contact with her by phone a few times earlier. She sounded calm and in total control. Later she told me she was mostly just being polite! She went from early labor to fast and furious while in the tub and headed straight in to be there less than a half hour before having her daughter in her arms! Here are some kind words she shared with me in an email:

I was so glad to have had you at my birth.  Aris and I have been chronicling what might have been different if it had not been for you.

• No one else might have answered my questions about contraction length and coupling and I may have gone to the hospital sooner out of fear.
• The attempt at belly dancing through contractions at home helped a bit and may have lined her up and helped her descend.
• Since the cord was around her neck if I had been monitored more I may have had a c- section- ( the stitches aftermath is bad enough)
• No one else told me what was happening during the birth- how to push more effectively, that she didn’t cry right away because of the cord and  the effects of a fast birth on a baby.
• My milk came in the second day thanks to your help nursing immediately after her birth (it is just now less difficult to do this nursing thing- I had a great head start that I don’t believe the hospital would provide.)
• I had the confidence to delay the bath, the vitamin K shot, the eye ointment.  We did these things the next day
• We have great photos
• we bathed her with the nurse privately and it was lovely not to mention educational- she explained to us as she did everything and I was able to see that Abbie was not distressed during these procedures.

I had a fantastic birth with no regrets.  Thanks again.  The support before the birth was just as important to me.