Positive doula experience navigating unexpected birth surprises, welcome baby Benjamin to the world!

We are honored to share first-time-mom Karoline's birth story of her newborn son Benjamin on our birth blog! Her story is filled with unexpected surprises which she navigated with grace. Special thanks to their Mindful Birth doula, Tara, for supporting this couple through a birth filled with twists and turns from the Birth Fairy! A warm congratulations to Karoline and Rinaldo on the birth of their son and a huge thank you to Karoline for sharing your birth story with us here.

"At 37 weeks, I was diagnosed with "gestational cholestasis", and directed to be induced for labor. I was admitted to the hospital on the same day. This was about two weeks after recovering from COVID. Physically and emotionally, both my husband and I were pretty shaken up! After a single pill my contractions soon started later that night.

We contacted Tara, my doula, all throughout that first night, and she was so responsive and came as soon as we asked her to come. What a blessing, she was an angel of God in my life. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to spend more than 24 hours of labor, of intense pain! Tara, you were and are so important in my life, you are always in my prayers, may God continue to bless your work and your life. You were essential for me and my husband to make it through labor! This was my first birthing experience, of my first child. Tara’s input was very important in every decision we made.

At 11am the following day, it was suggested by the healthcare professional that my water be broken. I am so glad we didn't do that! Thank you Tara for guiding us so well and explaining everything so clearly! At 3pm my water naturally broke, and I had almost 7cm dilation.

But as the night went on, things didn't change. Also, my epidural fell twice, and it was very difficult being at the highest level of contraction without being able to move and still having to listen to a rude nurse talking to me, telling me to control myself and pull myself together. At 11pm, the dilation did not evolve at all, and that was when a cesarean was suggested.

We discussed the suggestion and decided that it was time for the C-Section since there was no progress. Having Tara’s validation was so reassuring. The surgery was very quick, and my son Benjamin was born on the same day at 11:55 pm, barely 30 minutes after we made the decision. He was born super healthy and I didn't have any complications. I’d always been open to having a C-section. I'm here with my healthy son in my arms and so happy.

A special thanks to Tara and Christine, thank you both for being so thoughtful and so present before the birth, during and after, for always checking in on how we are doing. Your insight was essential and so important. May God bless and reward you for the beautiful work that you dedicate yourselves. Tara you are so sweet, and brought us calm and understanding at a time so important to us.

Advice for pregnant women: HAVE A DOULA."

-Authored by Karoline, mother of baby Benjamin born May 20, 2021

Awe, we are so humbled and happy to hear of your experience with our doula team and we thank you for the opportunity to offer support! Please join us in our sincere congratulations to this new family of three!

Our doula best,

The Mindful Birth team