Baby Nichols’ Birth

From a hopeful home birth to a 37 week hospital induction, Josi was there when and how I needed her.

My first birth in 2024 was a hospital induction and epidural at 38 weeks for high blood pressure. That was only my partner and I, and it was challenging. For my second birth, I wanted to go all natural. I hoped for a homebirth with a midwife without any use of induction. I honestly didn't intend to get a doula, but as time progressed and my nerves got worse, I went ahead and hired Josi through a friends recommendation. I just thought that a midwife and a doula might’ve been a bit redundant, but as my pregnancy progressed and homebirth quickly left the table as I fell in the same rut as my first pregnancy with high blood pressure (no pre-e), I quickly realized how valuable both of these ladies would really be for me in their unique roles. Josi stayed with us for 3 long days of induction as we navigated finding the best route of induction to make this hospital stay less medicated. At the end of the day, we still fell into rounds of cytotec, two bags of pitocin and an epidural. But the entire time, Josi was having conversations with me and providing me with all the knowledge I could have in order to truly feel like I had actual informed consent. I denied things, and I accepted things, all with Josi providing me with the knowledge, support, and comfort that I needed to make this birth my own. At the end of the third day, I had a crazy fast epidural, breech, vaginal birth that Josi helped me feel proud of even if it wasn't my original vision. Having her, turned my entire labor and delivery around, and I honestly don't know how we could have done it without her.