Erika B

1/31/2022

Azucena was my inspiration behind wanting a home birth my 1st pregnancy, so when I found out she made the career change, I was elated to have her as my official doula for my 2nd pregnancy. While it was my 2nd time, everything was so new-found out a month into the pandemic, days after starting a new job, & it was so much uncertainty. Who could attend the birth? Will the pandemic be over? How does COVID affect pregnancy? She was a great resource to ease my fears; as new info became available, she would share it. She shared remedies to keep my immune system up, stretches & yoga to prepare for labor. We talked through my birth plan; She thought of things I didn’t – if I wanted any essential oils or music, or what I wanted to do with my 3 y.o. if I went into labor at night. With my anxiety, this made me feel confident despite all the unknowns with the pandemic. The last month was the most challenging, we thought he was coming early, & it was a huge challenge mentally as my due date came & went & I was still pregnant. She constantly reassured me that the baby's fine, healthy, & will come when he’s ready. I was a wreck nearing 42 weeks with the possibility of having a hospital birth & she was level headed, helped put together a plan, even though I was adamant this was Plan Z. That was when I really understood why doulas are necessary – she can be my voice of reason when I can’t. My son ended up being born at my midwife’s home during a routine checkup – everything about this pregnancy was not according to “plan”. Having Azucena as my doula during all of this helped- the emotional support alone is priceless. She takes time to listen to concerns, research where necessary, and just make you feel heard. Between her & my midwife, I felt so empowered this pregnancy. This is really her calling & if I were to have another child, I will definitely have her right by my side again.