Category Archives: Birth Stories
The Normal Birth Podcast
Host Megan Whipple graciously invited me to be her guest on "The Normal Birth Podcast" back in August 2022. At the time of the recording, I had been her doula for one birth and have since supported her for a second birth in 2023. We had a fun time talking about "all things birth". Bonus: […]
Continue readingLilah + Baby+Co = A Birth Story
Birth Doula Support at Baby and Co Birth Center in Nashville Let me introduce you to Lilah. (She’s in there under the cute yellow hat.) This precious girl had the honor of being among the babies born during the first few weeks after the Nashville birth center, Baby+Company, had opened its doors. Hers was the […]
Continue readingThis is why I doula. This is why I educate.
This is why I doula. This is why I educate. If for no other reason than to say, THIS IS NOT OK. Part of my heart breaks every time I read another trauma story revealed. Part is angered to know this is happening TODAY. IN AMERICA. And then I go back to the beginning. Educate. […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: Courtney’s births
Heidi served as doula for the births of both my sons, and I can’t imagine having anyone else by my side throughout both pregnancy and birth. I first met Heidi in 2008 when I interviewed her as a doula. I felt immediately confident that she was the right person for us. I knew I wanted […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: A Father’s Story
by Thomas P. When I found out that Prudence was pregnant I was happy and overwhelmed at the same time. Sophie is our first child. After enjoying life as a married couple for 5 years, the thought that everything is about to change was daunting at first. As a man, I did not give the […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: Zoe – Bursting with Life
ZOE’S BIRTH STORY (as told by Kyle) Holly went into labor early on the morning of March 19th. She woke me up at 3:00 to say that she thought she was having rhythmic contractions. It turned out that they were coming about every twenty minutes. We decided to call our doula, Heidi Rau, to let […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: Jessica’s vbac Journey
In the natural birth community, it is sometimes assumed that a woman who has a cesarean section will be dissatisfied with her birth experience. And in many cases, that would be correct. Or that a woman who has a natural birth with no complications will be thrilled about her experience. This is often correct as […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: Kasey’s Circle of Life
Before I tell you about my birth, I want to begin by sharing that having a birth doula was the best decision my husband and I could have ever made about the birth of our son. Heidi was amazing (before, during and after the birth). Even though my pregnancy went as planned, the birth was […]
Continue readingBirth & Babies: Kristin’s vbac Experience
I had an awful experience with the birth of my first son in 2008. The same old OB routine that is so common it’s disturbing: not dilating and progressing as they want you to; being pressured into epidural and pitocin; pitocin affects the baby’s heart rate dramatically and boom, you’re in the OR having an […]
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