There were so many questions I have that I felt no one can answer, and so many personal thoughts and experiences that I felt no one could relate to. Without me having to ask, you continue to amaze me when I go back through your blog posts. Just by being the wonderfully, swirly, incredibly wonderful person you are, you make me feel like I can start to be me; the true me.

At 18 I began to think about my future children, and how I wanted to care for them, and educate them, and up until now at the age of 24 I was afraid that was strange.

I plan to become a goddess circle sister in the new year, and also I believe I’ve found a potential non-virtual circle of my very own. I’ve already made contact and they were so warm, and wrote from the heart, just like I did.

Thank you for everything you are, and thank you for the simple message I’ve received from you. That is:
“You’re alright. You are on the right path. Keep going”

Thank you bubbly, mermaid mama Leonie.

Love,

The goddess that is now known as Danielle

Thank you for explaining what a doula is. I had read about them but never really understood the distinction between a doula and a midwife.

You are my dearest goddess Leonie!

These two vastly different experiences left me believing that more natural you can do it, the better. I don’t remember pain with either, but I do remember how stressful it was to be induced and to listen for 12 hours to her heartbeat going up and down, and to have them poking and proding at her head. The second was beautiful, in fact, so fast my beloved almost missed it, he literally walked into the room as she was coming out.

You’re going to have a wonderful birthing experience, I can feel it! Love and light to you, beautiful Goddess Leonie.

The pic of you and your belly is so beautiful! I loved the article about birthing options. My daughter’s birth was horrific – drugs, having my water broken, 8 hours of labor ending in a C-section. I was 19 at the time and woefully ignorant of any options.

Then, 11 years later, I became pregnant with my son. I was better informed about options, and was determined to have a vaginal birth with no drugs. My water broke at home (while I sitting on the toilet – how convenient was that?), and off to the hospital I went. My labor stalled about 8 hours in and the doctor put me on Pitocen. we argued about it first. I did agree to a bit of Demerol, as the Pitocen does make contractions much harder and more painful. I dilated so quickly the doctor didn’t have time to gown up, and he thought I didn’t know what i was talking about when I said I had to push. Ha!

But I did it! I delivered my son vaginally, yelled and swore, pushed like a fiend, and in less than an hour had my son. I still consider it the greatest accomplishment of my life. And the cool thing was I was up and about the next morning feeling great, while my room mate, who had an epidural, was confined to bed.

You make your birthing experience what you want it to be. You are a smart, beautiful, and joyful Goddess sister. I bless you and thank you for sharing all this wonderful information!

The two home births were beautiful and calm (still hurt though!!!) and empowering. The key is to feel calm, in control, supported and nurtured whilst giving birth and you can achieve this at home, in hospital or at a birth centre so long as you have educated yourself in what to expect. Well done for inspiring lots of mamas to be to do this.

Ps doulas and hypnobirthing are fab!