I am so incredibly grateful for the Willow team, midwife Susanna, doula Susan Lane, and my husband for fighting for me and encouraging me through my 30 hour labor. I have had a life long fear of giving birth; and working in the hospital as a nurse has done nothing to alleviate my fears. One of my biggest fears of birth was being forced into interventions that prolonged recovery, were avoidable, or/and caused permanent damage. I have heard endless stories of births in the hospital that ended in drastic and painful interventions because birth is approached in a posture of emergency. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for Willow and their approach to birth. I never felt pressured into anything. I felt safe.

As a first time laborer, I was not expecting the length of the labor or the pushing to take 7 hours—but with the Willow team I felt like I could handle each moment as it happened. As long as the team was not giving up on me, I knew I could find enough resolve to not give up on myself. The Willow birth team took a patient approach to my slow progress, and continued to find new angles and ways to solve each problem or roadblock that arose. Everyone there was incredibly affirming, and their words helped me learn how to manage the pain better and keep my focus on moving forward rather than getting caught in the temptation to panic. If I would have given birth in a hospital, I am quite sure I would have been pressured into a c-section. Because of Willow, I was able to give birth naturally without complications, without tearing, to a healthy baby boy.

Thank you all for everything you do and the values you stand for. It is a breath of relief to know there is a place like Willow that offers true support and is safe for births to take place with respect and dignity for the mother, father, and child.