proudly serving the Austin Area
I always love to get pics of my doula babies from time to time and see how they're growing up. Here are a couple of darling little boys. First is little Iggy, born in August 2014. Isn't he a handsome little guy!
And here is Hudson at his first birthday in December. Isn't that an adorable little pout! He's such a busy little toddler.
If you have updates of your little ones, send them in. I love to keep track of my doula babies!
Happy New Year! As I step out into this new year, I am thankful for all that 2014 brought to me It has been an exciting year as I have just completed my first year as a birth doula and launched my business, Empowered Birthing Professional Doula Service. As always, it is an honor to be allowed to be part of each family's birth team and present in the sacred moments of new life. I have enjoyed getting to know each family that I have worked with, and I have learned immensely from each birth that I have attended. To each and every family, I thank you.
The highlights of last year have been many. It has been my pleasure to serve thirteen families as they welcomed their newest additions into their hearts and arms. I have served in three birth centers and five hospitals in the Austin area, and have been able to witness a variety kinds of births, natural, medically managed, cesarean, and VBAC. In July, I submitted my credentials and applied for my certification with DONA, and in October I received word that I am a certified birth doula. During the summer I also received training through Stillbirthday in order to become a birth and bereavement doula. This was an intense training that has prepared me to serve in births during all trimesters and all outcomes. I have just submitted my final projects and should receive my certification shortly. I have also begun working on my credentials as a certified EC coach with Go Diaper Free. I hope to begin offering classes and private consultations for families wishing to practice Elimination Communication (aka infant potty training) with their babies. If you or anyone you know is interested in this service, please send them my way. I have also started a cloth diaper and baby carrier rental library that will be available for clients to try out different items before they make their own purchases. It has been a year full of learning and I am excited about the new services that I will be able to offer families.
I look forward to serving many new families in the coming year. I hope to build on these successes and branch out even more in the coming year. Come check out what's happening here at Empowered Birthing! And bring on 2015!
I am pleased to announce the birth of Katherine Prairie Sky to proud parents Dave and Hilary. Katherine was born on November 23 at 2:29 am at St. David's North Austin Medical Center, and weighed a mere 5 lbs 11 ounces. Although Hilary needed to be induced a little sooner than baby wanted, she continued with her plan for as natural a birth as possible and labored without pain medication for the whole time. She showed exceptional strength and determination and did a great job of advocating for herself each time a decision about her care needed to be made. Dave was a great support throughout and coached her through her contractions and had unwavering faith in his wife's ability to give birth naturally. Congratulations Hilary and Dave! You did a great job and you have a beautiful baby girl!
Hilary and Dave with Katherine Prairie Sky
We would like to announce the birth of baby Gideon, born to Chris and Sondra on October 28, 7:48 pm at St. David's North Austin Medical Center. He weighed in at 8 lbs 14 ounces and 21 inches long. Sondra began her labor at home throughout the night and then moved on to Austin Area Birthing Center where she continued to labor naturally she had planned and did a great job with the support of her husband Chris. Eventually it became necessary to transfer to the hospital and to have a cesarean birth, but she was still able to walk into the operating room on her own two feet. What an empowered mama! I am so proud of her strength, courage, and resilience throughout the whole labor and birth.
Sondra working through labor with the support of her husband Chris
Sondra and Gideon, bonding during recovery
It is a day to count your blessings and give thanks for the good things in your life. So I would like to begin by stating how grateful I am that I have stumbled upon this new career of mine. A little over three years ago I didn't know what a doula was. I was on a totally different career path, so I am thankful for all of the people who have helped me get where I am today.
I am thankful for the exceptional care that I received from the midwives at Austin Area Birthing Center during both by pregnancies and births. Through their compassionate and empowering care that allowed me to have the natural birth that I dreamed set me on the path to discovering my own calling to birth work.
I am thankful to my sister-in-law whose casual suggestion made me consider becoming a doula, before beginning on the path to midwifery. Good luck on your own doula journey!
I am thankful to my trainers, mentors, and colleagues, both in person and in the online community who have taught me so much and inspired me in this journey.
I am thankful for my husband who has supported me in this new endeavor and who has taken up all of the household duties, including caring for my two little ones, when I am called at a moment's notice and am gone for many hours at a time.
Lastly, but certainly not least, I am thankful to all the families who have invited me to share with them the sacred space of the birth of their babies. Especially those first few who trusted me even though I had little experience yet, I am especially grateful for your confidence in me. It has been my pleasure pleasure to support over a dozen gracious couples, and each unique birth has taught me so much.
Thank you all! And happy Thanksgiving!