My bestie Tracy had her baby in April.  I was supposed to doula again.

I missed the birth by ten minutes.

Tracy came over the night before because she was overdue and we were both overdue for some visiting.  She was contracting but talking and laughing in between and through them so we didn’t time anything and enjoyed our visit and homemade mocha frappucinos that Mark made us.

She left the house about 10:30.  I went to bed and woke up to the phone ringing at 1 and her telling me they were getting ready to go to the hospital.  I told her I would nurse Emmie and then be right over or meet them there.

Twenty minutes later, I put Emmie down and went to get dressed.  The phone rang and it was Tracy’s husband, Kevin.  He told me the baby was coming and he had called the ambulance. I just knew he was telling me a story.  His urgency made me realize real fast that he wasn’t.  I finished getting dressed, kissed Mark and ran out the door.  

But I was too late.  Kevin had delivered the baby just before the ambulance arrived.

I went from being the labor doula to the postpartum doula.  I have been so blessed that Kevin and Tracy have allowed me to be a part of each of their labors in some pretty unique and, this time, unforgettable, ways!

Two weeks after Jerni made her memorable entrance, the crew got to meet her.