Looking back, I just, I think it was just like meant to be me and the baby, you know?

Like my husband wasn't there. And if I needed him, I would have grabbed him. But like I just didn't need. And the nurse wasn't even in the room. Like it was just like a silent, peaceful, sacred time, like an hour or two that I had labored in the hospital like that. And that's all I needed in that time. And it was just kind of extra special. I have no regrets about, again, if I needed someone or I needed more support, I would have,

I would have spoken up. But me and the baby in Labor Land were just, you know, a really special

part. So getting pregnant and giving birth are two of the most exciting things you can ever hope to experience in this life.

The moment you think you could be pregnant, you're frantically searching for all the best information.

Which is why you're here today?

I'm Stephanie King and with my many years of experience as a professional childbirth educator,

doula and lover of all things, pregnancy birth and postpartum, I'm here to make preparing for your

birth enjoyable, empowering, and totally easy. Each week I'll cover different topics, interview

professionals, and get into the nitty-gritty birth stories from mamas just like you.

And when you're ready for more, you can join me in the My Essential Birth course at myessentialbirth.com,

where I take you step by step through exactly how to prepare your mind, body, spirit, and partner for a birth you love.

So let's get started.

Our birth story today is a little bit different and it does include loss. So for moms who are completely uninterested in listening to that as you prepare for your birth, I want you to be

aware of it so that as you listen, you understand that as you prepare for your birth. I want you to be aware of it so

that as you listen, you understand that that is part of this story. Now, Sarah reached out to me

with an incredible birth story that she called devastatingly beautiful. She had had a prior birth and

then went on to have this pregnancy and this birth that did end with loss. And she also called it an extremely redemptive birth.

And as we listen to this story today and you hear her walk through her decision making,

her preparation, her birth of her baby and how everything went,

including the ending part here, it is devastatingly beautiful.

I think that it was the perfect way to put it.

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