Vonda and I met in early 2014 when we were both working as doulas in the Jacksonville & St Augustine area. I had recently moved to Florida and her sweet demeanor drew me to her right away. Fast forward 2 years and she was the strong yet gentle presence that helped my husband and I welcome our sweet boy into the world. I am forever grateful for Vonda’s friendship and the gifts that she employs so effortlessly in such pivotal moments in her family’s lives. We can’t imagine birthing without her! Here is the story of that glorious morning in November:

August’s birth story began much earlier in my life than six weeks ago. I attended my first birth at the age of 17, the night before my high school graduation. I missed my graduation rehearsal but I was walking on clouds for days. I remember driving home after being up with that first-time mama for the better part of 3 days and thinking

“No one on this road has been a part of something so miraculous as I just was…Unless they also just left a birth.” I was so honored and I was hooked. I became a certified birth doula later that year.

The birth had impacted my life so much that in one of my first real conversations with my now husband, I asked him how he felt about home birth. It was among my top “non-negotiable” issues I needed to be sure we were on the same page about before we proceeded with our relationship. (Nerd*) We hadn’t even held hands yet, but I needed to know that if it was gonna get serious, he’d be up for having babies in a bathtub. He said he was up for it so I married him. We have been married for three and a half wonderful years now and live on a little farm in the boondocks of North East Florida. When we discovered we were going to be parents early this year, I knew I wanted to deliver him at a birth center since we live nearly an hour from just about everything. The UF Health Birth Plan Center in Jacksonville was an amazing option to have available to us. I knew Cindy Williams (CNM) already thanks to working in the birth community. I was planning to contact the birth center to begin care around 8-12 weeks but I began bleeding only a few days after I found out I was pregnant. I was devastated and Cindy was such a sweet blessing to be able to speak to right away. She had me come in to confirm a heartbeat on an ultrasound at 7 weeks and that beautiful sight on the ultrasound and her sweet presence were both such reassuring gifts. The rest of my pregnancy went beautifully until the second trimester when I had a gestational diabetes scare and had to begin monitoring my blood sugar. I was shocked and devastated. Having GD would mean I was high risk and it would be safer for me and the baby to deliver at the hospital.

If I was truly a diabetic, I wanted to deliver my baby where he would have access to the additional resources he would need and understood completely the Birth Center’s need to have me deliver at the hospital- but I was still devastated and hopeful for better news. I failed the GD screening test but in the next 3 months of tracking my blood sugar, I never had one that was out of normal range, regardless of what I ate. My Hemoglobin A1C was 5.1, I only gained a small amount my entire pregnancy, and every growth scan for the baby measured beautifully.

Cindy and Ashley and the other midwives went above and beyond

advocating for me, running the additional tests to help prove my case, and at 37 weeks got me declared officially “not diabetic” and approved by the midwives and OBs to deliver at the birth center. I was so thankful not to be thrown to the curb after those initial screenings results. They knew how much I wanted to birth with them and they wanted so badly to make it happen for me- the UF health team is a dream team. The collaborative efforts of the midwives, pediatricians, and OBs are truly patient-focused and natural birth friendly. I loved knowing that even if I had to deliver at the hospital, I had fantastic care providers (and friends. I happen to work there.) Just 2 weeks after being officially approved to deliver at the birth center, I went into labor with my sweet baby. I was exactly 39 weeks pregnant and had just completed my last day of Nursing School clinics for the semester. (When I found out I was pregnant and realized I would still be in school when I was due, I began praying that I would have this baby the weekend 

before Thanksgiving break so I could enjoy him and have a little rest. The Lord SO graciously answered this prayer exactly! ) I’d had the most boring clinical day but boring was my speed at this point in pregnancy. I went to Publix on my way home to get some groceries and the cashier asked me when I was due. I told her “Next Thursday but I’m hoping to have him today.” she was shocked and laughed. I came home and cooked, cut up fruit, and made some snacks and thought “I sure hope I don’t eat all these before I go into labor like the snacks and food I made last week.” The fridge was fully stocked and ready. Everything was ready. Jonathan and I had the most relaxing evening at home playing the guitar and piano together. I began having what I thought was slightly crampy Braxton Hicks around 10:30 pm but I went to bed. An hour later I woke up to one that made me uncomfortable to lie down so I got up and went to the bathroom. I had been having “bloody show” and lots of Braxton hicks for a week so that wasn’t shocking to me anymore but let's just say my bowels decided to clean themselves out. I spent the next hour or so trying to go back to bed

but had to go to the bathroom instead. I could feel the “pressure waves” (or whatever you choose to call them) reaching more around my back and low in front pretty consistently. I started timing them with a contraction timing app. When I realized they were coming consistently between 2-3 minutes apart I texted my sister in Savannah, GA (who would be attending as our photographer) to give her a heads up as she had about a 2-hour drive. I never guessed it was really active labor, but I figured it could have been the start of something. They were only lasting 35-45 seconds but they were coming very consistently every 2-3 minutes. I also texted Vonda. Although my contractions were consistent and close, they didn’t feel overwhelmingly strong. I was just sitting on my birth ball and walking around my quiet house relaxing through them as they came. Vonda called me

Almost right away and told me she was just getting home from her fourth birth in a week(!) and she was going to try to get some sleep but to take a shower, try to go back to bed and call her if things got more serious. At the point that I was on the phone with her, I realized I wasn’t enjoying talking when I was having these contractions. They weren’t painful but they required all my attention to relax in order to ensure that they weren’t painful. (Hypnobrthing®relaxation techniques are legit. Go tell your sisters and friends.) It seems counterintuitive to relax during contractions but it makes ALL the difference between a tight belly and a painful belly. I got in the shower but nothing slowed down. I decided to get out and check my cervix. (*I’m not a midwife, but I do know what my own cervix normally feels like thanks to practicing Natural Family Planning for 3 years.* ) My cervix was nowhere to be found! I guessed this meant I was fully effaced. When I did find the hole that I assumed was my cervix, I could spread my two fingers about an inch and a half apart on the inside of the hole and felt something bulging out of the hole. Bag of water? Not sure. 

I decided to call the Water Birth Center and get some advice on what I should do. They said to call when my contractions were 4-5 minutes apart, and lasted a minute for over an hour. Mine had started at 2-3 minutes apart but only lasted about 45 seconds so I wasn’t fitting the description. ha. It was about 1:30 am at this point- 2 hours into what seemed like a pattern of labor. I called the Birth Center and they said the midwife on call would be getting in touch with me in just a moment. Within minutes, Cindy called me. I was surprised to hear her voice! I hoped she would be the one on call but didn’t think it was likely. She was the one who had done our ultrasound scan to make sure I hadn’t lost the baby when I had been bleeding. She was the one who advocated for me when there was a chance I wouldn’t be a candidate for a birth center birth anymore. She was a steady reassuring presence at every step of my pregnancy so it seemed very fitting that she should be the one to help me birth him. I told her what was going on and what I had found when I checked my cervix. She said “Wow. Well, if it sounds like what you’re describing, you could be about 5cm.” I thought to myself- there’s no way. I must have measured wrong. She told me it sounded like I was handling everything really well but I may be progressing fast. She asked how far away we lived. I told her an hour. She said

“Oh! Well, you should probably go ahead and come in then.” I was apprehensive. These contractions were still not what I expected labor to feel like, they were just consistent. I was a first-time mom after all. And they can take for.ev.er.

I was envisioning waking everyone up, getting to the birth center, and being sent home because I wasn’t really in labor and didn’t know anything about checking cervixes. (Way to go, Ellie !) She asked if we could meet her at the birth center in an hour- I said, “How about let's meet there at 3 am?” She agreed. I was still nervous that I would ruin everyone's night for no reason but thankfully, these contractions kept coming. I decided it was time to wake Jonathan up. I tried tapping him and shaking him gently but he was out. I started having a contraction so I leaned on the bed and started rocking my hips back and forth- this would instantly loosen everything up and make it painless- just tight. I managed to keep poking him as I was doing this and said “Hey. Wake up.

I think it’s time to go to the birth center.” He stirred, looked at the clock, and said “It's early.” I asked him if he wanted me to wait til later and he said “Sure, that would be nice.” we laughed as he got himself out of bed and proceeded to shave and make himself some eggs.

I began packing up the fridge in between contractions since I thought we’d at least be at the birth center all day. Our other bags were packed so it didn’t take long to get everything ready. During all of this preparation, Cindy called me again around 2:15 am and said she wanted us to be heading on in. I told Jonathan Cindy wanted him to hurry up.

We got in the truck and I leaned the front seat back and sat backward on it where I could be on all fours and relax more easily through the contractions. I put my earphones in and listened to the Hypnobirthing® track. It was so helpful in getting my mind to help my body stay relaxed. Hypnobirthing® helped me think about labor in such a helpful way- teaching me to welcome the contractions, to envision what they were doing in my body to help bring my baby to me. This process of thinking about them correctly and welcoming what my body was doing was such a powerful tool. It taught me to be thankful for each contraction, rather than dread them. I truly believe this helped me work with my body instead of against it. This along with my amazing support team made labor so easy and peaceful for me. Nobody ever told me to lay on my back or to “try to be still so the monitors will work”, etc. In fact, nobody ever told me to do anything. It was just this peaceful party of 6 quiet, helpful, loving people who trusted that my body knew how to birth my baby.

We got in the truck and Jonathan prayed over me before we headed off down our long dirt road and I prayed that I would be far enough along to get in the tub when we got there. Ha! Jonathan asked if I was cold and I assured him I wasn’t but noticed that I was shaking as well.

“Hormones.” I thought to myself. Good sign…maybe we won’t have to come home in an hour after all.

Throughout pregnancy, I was dreading the hour-long drive to the birth center while in labor but it was so easy and felt so fast. Turns out it was so fast thanks to the lead foot of my husband! Ha! We arrived at the birth center shortly after 3 am and I had a few contractions on the way in that required me to stop and relax and rock my hips. If I could find something to lean my upper body on, they were literally painless tightenings of my abdomen. I was still so surprised by this! I expected them to be so painful. After business hours, the Emergency Room entrance to the building that the birth center is in is the only one unlocked. Security quickly realized why we were there and got us up the elevator to the birth center on the 4th floor. I realized as I was talking to the security guard that my voice sounded funny- then realized I still had my mouthguard in my mouth from when I was asleep! Ha! I wasn’t gritting my teeth but I did like the way it felt in my mouth during contractions so I labored with my nerdy mouthguard almost until I gave birth.

Cindy met us at the birth center door and welcomed us into the birth room that she had all setup. She texted me while we were on our way and asked which room I would like. I told her I had no preference but when we arrived, she had set up the one that I had always envisioned myself in. She said she picked it because the bed was lower and easier for me to get in and out of which was thoughtful because I’m not exactly a giant.

Jonathan had our overnight bags, our giant cooler bag of food, and my pillow.

We looked like we were moving in and we were prepared to be there for the long haul. We were getting settled and Cindy asked if I would want to get in the tub. I told her I definitely would as soon as I was far enough along. She started to fill it up as she was asking if I was ok with her checking my cervix to see where we were at. I told her I was and asked if she was sure we should start the tub yet- I didn’t want it to get cold and have to stare at it while I was only 3cm dilated and had hours to go. She assured me it takes a while to fill up and she would just go ahead and get it ready. A few minutes later, she checked my cervix and said “Looks like you were right! I’d say 5-6, do you mind if I sweep your membranes a little? Oh, more like 7-8cm.”

I said- “What?! Are you sure?!” I then texted My sister and Vonda and asked Cindy to confirm…”5 or 6 cm and stretches to 7?” She said,

“No, I’d definitely say 7-8cm.”

I was never so shocked to hear anything in my life. I barely felt like I’d been in labor. I had to focus on the contractions but they didn’t overwhelm me. I couldn’t believe how well my body was opening up! “I can get in the tub then?!” She assured me I could. I was so sweetly surprised to find out that I was in the home stretch and could definitely get in the tub! Jonathan and I were so surprised and thankful at how the Lord was answering our prayers.

We got in the tub and Jonathan put some music on. I realized I liked sitting on my knees and leaning my arms over the side of the tub. At this point, I could still interact with everyone very easily in between contractions but during them, I was able to tune completely out and relax. Cindy turned out the lights and turned on the candles. It was dreamy.

I had no concept of what time it was or how long anything was taking. I just reminded myself that it only takes as long as it needs to. I was just along for the ride. It just seemed like everything was happening quickly and perfectly.

Vonda arrived around 4 am and my sister arrived about 20 minutes after her. I was so thankful that everyone made it in time! Things were getting a little more intense at this point and my back was beginning to hurt during contractions. Jonathan was behind me in the tub and would hold pressure on my back during the contractions which would alleviate the pain completely. As they would begin, I would say “Ok…” and he knew to begin pushing on my back. It was perfect. As it got closer to pushing, the back pain got more intense, and “Ok” turned into “Help me.” Haha. He got the hint and was amazing. Vonda sat in front of me and would remind me to keep my jaw and forehead and shoulders loose, she would remind me of what was happening and how I could just give in and let my body do it all for me. I thought I was relaxing until she would prompt me and I would realize I could relax even more and they became even easier. She was so helpful. She put the diffuser on with lavender oil and it smelled heavenly. My sister was sitting with us right outside the tub taking pictures and encouraging me, Jonathan was supporting me from behind and being so sweet and affectionate to me, whispering encouraging words and scriptures in my ear at just the right times and it just felt like such a perfect place to have a baby. I couldn’t get over how lovely it all was.

Soon I began to feel nauseous and a little warm. They brought me cool rags, a trash can, and some peppermint oil. I realized that I was starting to sound like someone who was pushing. I wasn’t pushing voluntarily but I’d heard the sound enough times to know that my body was starting to push for me. I kind of noticed Vonda getting up and figured when she returned with Cindy that she thought I was pushing too. They were checking August’s heart tones and my vital signs sporadically and we were both doing great. I remember looking up and seeing my heart rate and thinking- I thought labor would be a lot harder than this. Not that I’d be resting in a tub with my heart rate in the 80s.

My legs began falling asleep from sitting on my knees so I tried sitting in a few different positions. It would work for a second but then I’d have a contraction and feel miserably uncomfortable if Jonathan couldn’t push on my back so I’d go right back to where my legs were asleep. I was thinking- if only I could have circulation and sit like this it would be perfect. Vonda encouraged me to stand up so I began a slow process of trying to find a new spot where I could be comfortable. I began throwing up at this point and started to feel like this baby was coming down the wrong canal and I was going to birth to him via my rectum. Jonathan stood up as well and I put my arms around his neck and we started swaying back and forth. They drained the tub and asked if i wanted to get out. I looked at the bed and thought- there is NO way I want to get in that to have him. I decided I was fine where I was but asked if it was ok. I said “I don’t want to tear”- Cindy reassured me that what I was doing was great and she would help me. Then I said, “I don’t want him to fall in the tub.”

and there was chuckling and more reassurance that they were ready for him.

Vonda came from some crazy angle and was able to hold pressure on my back which I still very much needed. I began to squat during my contractions and started making weird tribal noises which were also involuntary. I had my arms around Jonathan’s neck and somehow he had me under my arms where he was completely supporting me. I buried my face in his chest and bit him a few times. (Sorry, love. Thank you.) I was so thankful that I was able to do what felt right for my body and although it wasn’t comfortable, I was never afraid. The best word I

can think of for pushing is overwhelming- but even this word isn’t

accurate because I feel like that doesn’t express how it is still somehow very empowering. 

It's just something that has taken over your body while demanding an active role in the process. It was amazing. Idid cuss during this stage. I apologize to those who were listeners. Sometimes you just feel the need to say something when you’re body is opening wide and there are no other words that seem right for the moment. Haha.

This part wasn’t my favorite part of labor. Between the nausea and thepressure, it just feels like you need to do something to get comfortable again. My body began pushing during every contraction and I thought to myself- “I’m so glad nobody is telling me to push on my own.” I just wanted my body to do it and did NOT feel like doing anything on my own in between. I had relief from the pressure in between the contractions but during them it was as if my body was throwing up, just in a downward motion. I couldn’t hold it in but I kind of wanted to- but I also wanted to get it over with. I loved knowing it wouldn’t last forever. I just had to do it. My water broke eleven minutes before delivery as I was standing- it was like a water balloon popped in between my legs. So weird. Soon I could feel him descending and I felt his head starting to make its way down. I felt stretching but it wasn’t painful. I knew he was coming and I was relieved and excited. I don’t know how long I pushed but once I stood up it couldn’t have been that long. Cindy was supporting his head and my perineum and it was just enough help to make me feel confident to let my body get him out all the way. I gave in to every push and soon I felt his head come farther and farther and then it was out! I was expecting the “ring of fire” but it never came.

Then those shoulders and body came wiggling behind him and they immediately passed me this cheesy little guy (who looked like he’d been dunked in crisco) up through my legs with eyes wide open and bright red hair and I couldn’t believe that I was looking into this little person’s eyes. Then I remember looking up at Jonathan and just

being amazed and thankful and so overwhelmingly happy. Jonathan told me all I could say was “My baby! My baby…”

We did it. He was here.

They helped me out of the tub to the bed and we inspected him. He was a boy. He was a red head! He was doing perfectly and let out the sweetest little cries to let us know he was doing great. He was born at 5:47am . We sat in the bed while they did their assessments on us, he latched right away like a champion and has been eating great ever

since. The morning sunshine was coming through the windows and we were all just basking in the joy that was overflowing from that room. What a sweet gift from the Lord that morning had been. It was glorious.

Triumphant. Miraculous. I never want to forget it. They got me up to the shower- I was still shaking- not from cold, just

from lovely labor hormones- and my people were all so sweet and helpful to me as they got me clean and comfortable.

They weighed August James in at 7lbs, 1/2 an oz, 21 inches long. He was much bigger than everyone was anticipating!

We spent the morning in that birth magic haze and prepared to go home around 10am .

I told Jonathan months before that if we had him at night, I wanted a chicken biscuit on our way home for breakfast. (We don’t have a chickfila near us but there is one right by the birth center.) I

realized as we were getting ready to leave that they were still serving breakfast! All of my dreams for his birth had officially come true. We were on our way home with our sweet baby and chicken biscuits. I’ve never had a sweeter morning in all my life. As we were driving, Jonathan told me “You know what today is don’t you? Its

November 18th . Nathan’s birthday.” We both instantly were struck with tears at the realization of the

Lord’s added mercy in this little detail. His grandparent’s tragically lost one of their children when he was struck by a car at 9 years old.

November 18th was his birthday.

We brought our baby home on the most beautiful day of the year. The cows mooed their welcomes to him. We spent the day swooning over him on the couch in the comfort of our own home. We couldn’t have dreamed

up a more perfect adventure and we’re excited for it to continue to unfold. It felt so miraculous and supernatural to be involved in such a powerful event that I was so active in, yet had no control over. I can’t express how honored and

thankful I am to have had the opportunity to be used by God in such a way. I am still overwhelmed by the fact that I get to be mama to this sweet baby boy and I am so thankful to have been chosen for the job.