The Long Journey Home......
For as long as I can remember, my dream was to be a midwife. However, life's twists and turns would steer me away from that path. Children, marriage, and career all led away from it. Until recently, I did not think I would ever make it. Ah, but then the stars seemed to align...children are grown, career allows me flexibility, and two wonderful women taught me that "I am a Doula!!"
While I never made it to school for midwifery, I did find my way to being a "birthing assistant". I had the honor and privilege of attending my sister's three births, as well as that of a close family friend. With each of my sister's births, she would tell me, "this is your calling...you really need to pursue this!"...and so the seed was planted.
After a lot of research and some gentle persuasion from loved ones, I bit the bullet and found a DONA Birth Doula Training, which as fate would have it was close to me and only a few months away. Right after finding the class, my oldest daughter had an announcement...she was expecting my first grandchild!!! Well, now I was motivated and the rest is history!
I have forever had a fascination with the birthing process and am still awed by the strength a laboring woman finds from her "inner birthing goddess!" My own three birth experiences were amazing, magical, empowering, and all oh so different! I bring to the table personal experience with pregnancy and it's ups and downs, as well as the experience of assisting in additional births which each offered their own challenges. I look forward to working with expecting women and their partners, eager to offer education, emotional and physical support, understanding, and advocacy in a non-judgmental and nurturing environment.
I am home!
Namaste
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Carla Ward, Birth Doula, CBE
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