Bronwyn

1/3/2023

I found Katie while we were preparing for another baby and months before I was even pregnant. I had two previous births that didn’t go as planned and had trauma from postpartum depression. I wanted another baby but was terrified of that postpartum period.

I got pregnant and immediately reached out to Katie. I was only 6 weeks along when we met and I laid out everything to her. She was so supportive and understanding of the things I was looking for.

This birth also didn’t go as expected (I’ve learned it never does!), but I would have never made it through without Katie and the rest of my team. At one point during the birth when things were going slower, Katie got down to my level and knowing my previous trauma, she asked me what I was holding back. There was a huge emotional release and everyone cried with me while Katie held onto me.

Despite the challenges of the birth, it was wonderful. There was so much laughter and support. I felt disconnected in my last birth and she was always there with a hand on me to help keep me in the moment. Katie stayed with me for hours after the birth to make sure I was okay. I had to be vulnerable and really open up for Katie to know what I needed, but once I did it felt like she handled everything.

One missing piece from my previous births was support for my husband. I expressed to Katie how he felt left out during the first two. She completely changed it this time and afterwards he said “she was a doula for both of us” I laughed because that was the point!

This was our last baby, and it’s bittersweet because I’d have 100 more babies just to have Katie there for all of them!