I didn’t have on my life list of watching a live birth, but in the beginning of 2019 it became a life changing, dramatic, event- one of my first lessons that you don’t have to travel far for an experience. I wasn’t sure how I would handle it, I wasn’t even sure what it would look like,  I didn’t know how anyone would react in the situation and I didn’t know how safe we would be.

Our first night when the arrival was getting closer, we stayed at Chloe’s brothers house awaiting when we thought it would be time to go to the hospital. Shawnda took care of Chloe for comfort but the contractions slowed down. We went back home after being up all night, and waited another day. The birth experience did not go as planned, with the disparities of lack of medical care but Elon was born through Chloe’s resilience and loved ones.

I’m grateful for the friendship and collaboration I have received knowing Chloe after she trusted myself to be in that space with her. I hope I can continue to grow my understanding of navigating this part of life as I slowly learn to be a doula.