| After years of collecting birth stories i finally have
my own to share! I have asked myself many times: what makes a good birth? Having
now experienced it, I think a good birth means having enough yes answers to the
following questions that it feels good to remember: 1. Did your choices
you made come from an educated, empowered place?
2. Did the experience deepen
your relationship with your loved ones?
3. Did you feel you had a team of support
people helping you stay inspired, relaxed and connected?
4. Were there moments
of kindness and respect from caregivers that uplifted you?
5. Did you find
the right balance for yourself of trusting nature and utilizing western medicine?
6.
Did you discover strength you didn't know you had?
7. Did you feel you responded
to the events that were beyond your control with clarity, rather than just reacting?
8.
Were your decisions respected and your requests honored?
9. Did your birth
help you in some way become a mother?
10. Were you and your baby healthy in
the end? For me, the answer to all of the above was yes, and for this I
am very grateful. Click here for my story.
here's
rachel and tessa, with una and julian in belly...and me getting as close to the
babies as i can. 
a
letter from new mom, Rachel... hello to everyone - i've been thinking
of you all, and i can't wait to come by and show you my beautiful daughter, Una.
just wanted to tell you all how much our class helped me during labor.
not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, spiritually. i really drew on
it, and it honestly helped me get through when i wasn't sure i could do it anymore
(38 hour labor, transfer to hospital, 7 hours pushing, almost 10 pound baby -
wow!). i thought of each of you, and your upcoming labors, and the beautiful babies
inside of you. you can, and will, do it!!! and i'm so excited to hear your stories
as well. earlier in my pregnancy, one day during class, jessica got us into
warrior pose, and asked us to think about this question "what will you be
a warrior for?" i thought about that a lot during the pregnancy, and it echoed
in my mind throughout the labor. and now that it's all over, and i'm holding my
sweet daughter in my arms, i absolutely feel like a warrior, and let me tell you,
it's the best feeling on earth. so thank you, each and every one of you,
for being such a beautiful and strong part of my experience of becoming a warrior.
with love,
rachel bruno | 
