My Mindful Birth, AZ

09/03/2026

Birth can sometimes take an unexpected turn.
Sometimes, the most powerful birth stories are not the ones that unfold according to plan, but the ones that ask a mother to release what she had hoped for—and reveal just how strong she truly is.
Over the past few months, I watched this mom and her family worked so hard so that they could have a homebirth. This family had dreamed about having a homebirth and prepared for these first moments when baby would arrive in the familiar warmth of their home, with mom surrounded by the people she loved most—her spouse, her children.
But despite all hopes, prayers and preparation, pregnancy and birth can sometimes take an unexpected turn. But baby had other plans and decided to come a few weeks too early, the plan had to change.
It broke my heart when I had to tell this mom that despite giving it her best, she had progressed to a point that it was better is she went to the hospital to give birth. With a broken heart, I watched her let go, little by little, of the birth she had hoped for. And even in the middle of disappointment and uncertainty, she continued to show so much strength, courage, and love for her baby.
Even when there are so much joy and gratitude surrounding the arrival of a healthy baby, it is still okay to grieve the birth you had envisioned. Both things can be true at the same time: overwhelming love and gratitude for your baby, and sadness for the experience you had hoped for. Birth asks so much of us, and sometimes the greatest strength is found in letting go of the plan and embracing what is needed in that moment.
I am so incredibly proud of this mama. Her birth may not have happened at home, but her strength, love, and courage came with her every step of the way. 🤍
I am also immensely grateful to the nurses and midwife who cared for her. They listened. They respected her wishes. They worked incredibly hard to accommodate her preferences and create as much of the experience she had envisioned as possible. Their compassion and willingness to support her went far beyond what I could have hoped for, and I will always be grateful for that.
And perhaps that is something worth remembering: a changed birth plan does not erase the beauty, power, or sacredness of becoming a mother.

(Photo and story shared with permission)

07/24/2026

06/30/2026

A few weeks ago, while holding space for a family during a homebirth, I noticed a small gathering of figurines resting on a shelf behind the laboring mom. They stood there like a tiny portrait of her family, quiet witnesses to the threshold they were crossing. I remember thinking that soon, one more little character would belong among them — because that very day, a new baby was making its way into the world.

There was such tenderness in that room — in the waiting, in the quiet strength of labor, in the love already making space for one more. Birth always seems to hold more than the eye can see. This little Smurf felt like the perfect addition: small enough to join the scene, and meaningful in its own sweet way, with all it carries of cheerfulness, kindness, optimism, and sense of community. So, while she labored, I ordered this one little guy from an online store.
Today, the mom sent me this picture. Seeing that little Smurf standing on the shelf beside his new family felt like a small, beautiful full-circle moment — a joyful symbol of the newest soul in their story, already held in love.

05/06/2026

One of my all-time favorite sayings: "Empowered women empower women". And that, my friends, is exactly what Midwifery is all about. Happy International Midwifery Day to all the incredible women who have inspired me on my journey, and to all the future midwives still in the making.