I walked into the most serene and calm birth space with light music, deep breathing, gentle light coming through the gorgeous film on the windows. I watched Oscar gently touch and caress his wife, whispering words of encouragement and love in her ear. She was inward, eyes closed, swaying and breathing, moving her fingers across wooden combs. Occasionally she would open her eyes and a soft smile would fall across her lips as she made eye contact with Oscar.

VBAC-2 at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, CO

First born son birthed at Denver Health in Denver, Colorado. Birth attended by Midwives.

Unmedicated birth at Seasons Midwifery & Birth Center, Thornton, CO.

It is 2019’s National Midwifery Week (#NMW2019) and I have spent the last several days looking through some of the most incredible images of midwives walking the journey with birthing families. Reading some of the most empowering, ovary-throbbing and tear-jerking birth stories you could imagine.

Food can have astounding healing powers to the body, spirit and soul. In addition to its nourishing aspects, it has now become a traditional and familiar part of their story. A detail that will so deeply be engrained in their memories that as they move through their lives, raising their children, the moment they smell it again they will instantly be brought back to these two transformational days. Days where their worlds turned on its axis and their family grew.

Her sweet baby was born in the water, en caul (which means that the amniotic sac was still intact) and together with her husband, they gently and confidently lifted her to the surface, expertly and intuitively removing the caul from her face. Baby Ryan was born into the arms of a family that will accept her for everything that she is and will nurture her as she becomes anything she desires.

Nine female souls and nine male souls took their first breath in my presence this year. The sheer overwhelm of that last sentence just makes my heart explode with joy. This is an honor that I don’t take lightly. One that I hold the utmost respect for. I am forever grateful to you.

Peaceful, calm, and supported home birth of third child in Parker, Colorado.