A Christmas Birth Story

As a doula, when you take a client around the holidays, you know there is a slight chance that a baby will come on the actual holiday and that is exactly what happened to me. My December client was a couple of days over due when I heard my phone chirp on Christmas Eve morning. It was the text that I was hoping to avoid until after Christmas morning, since this year I was hosting my parents and sister. My client was in early labor and so at this point my main goal was to finish cooking Christmas Eve dinner before I had to leave. We finished dinner just in time for me to leave. When I met my client, she was still in early labor so I knew for sure we had a Christmas baby on our hands. After some tough night labor, she had her baby.

I rushed home to open gifts, but my kids were already done opening them. My hubby graciously video-ed them opening each thing. The adults had waited until I got home to open presents, but the only thing I wanted was to eat and go to sleep. I mustered the strength to open and appear thankful (which I was) for all the awesome gifts. Then I crashed.

Later, when I was reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, I thought about Mary giving birth alone (no doula or midwife), with just Joseph by her side. How scared and confused she must have been, not knowing what to expect from labor. I thought how thankful I am to help women through that unknown and difficult time. I also felt blessed to witness the birth of a child on Christmas day--what an awesome gift! So as it turned out that the best gift I received this Christmas was not all wrapped up in fancy paper and bows, but instead came swaddled up in a pink and blue hospital blanket!