A Redemptive Family-Centered Birth at Baby + Co

When I walked up to meet Tricia and Bruce, I was nervous. Tricia and I were both pregnant, and her baby was due to arrive just one month after my own. Was I crazy for taking a birth so soon after Eliza's arrival? Would I regret wearing my newborn to a birth? But as soon as I walked through their front door, all my worries melted away. Tricia and Bruce were the epitome of kindness and understanding. We laughed together. We talked fondly of Baby + Co, the birth center we both had chosen for our deliveries. And we assured each other that both of our births would unfold exactly as they were meant to. 

Fast forward a few months...and I finally had my baby in my arms. My camera bags were packed, and my wrap ready to go. I couldn't wait to bring Eliza to a birth at the same place she'd been born just a few weeks previous. My postpartum recovery had been blissful, to say the least, and I felt comfortable that my 4-5 week old baby would sleep content in her Solly Wrap. 

When Tricia went into labor, I brought baby in a carseat and cameras in my backpack. The birth center was full of excitement, when I walked through the door. Eager family members happily greeted both Eliza and me and walked me back into the birth suite. And then we were all together. Tricia, Bruce, me, baby Eliza, and baby Grayson. We swayed through the night - she working through contractions while I lulled my baby into a deep sleep with my movement. Tricia and Bruce were beautiful together. Their love and laughter filled the whole center. Their family had flown and drove in from around the state and country, and they were more eager to meet Grayson than almost any other family I've seen. 

Eliza did beautifully, but the true star of the night was Tricia. Her strength and her beauty took my breath away. She reminded me just why I love this job so very much...and I couldn't have asked for a better birth to bring Eliza too. (And yes, while she did beautifully....it's the only birth I brought her to).