Each birth tells a story that will be remembered and shared. As a way to introduce myself I will share my birth story that explains why this type of work means so much to me (and how to pronounce my name)! My mother had a dream, before she was pregnant, that she was holding a baby girl. The baby’s name was “Jhira,” pronounced ji-rah. Months later she was pregnant and after a very difficult hi-risk pregnancy, including 5 months of bed rest and 18 hours of labor that ended in a cesarean, I was born (a silent “S” was added at birth because my father wanted the family initials to be the same). When I was an infant my mother was watching Christian television and heard them singing my name. She discovered there was a name for God in the Bible that means: The Lord will provide, “Jehovah Jireh,” and after all the pregnancy scare she had been through she immediately knew where her dream had come from.
My mother shared that story with me when I was a young girl and I have been mindful and fascinated with the miracle of life ever since! But I also struggled with fear about labor and birth because of the difficulties she faced and other horror stories I had heard. At some point in my adult life I decided I wasn’t going to expect horror or maintain a fearful perspective about birth; still knowing that birth does not always go as planned. Before getting pregnant I began learning as much as I could about anything related to childbirth and it was one of the best decisions I made! What I learned was eye-opening and my fear was replaced with courage.
Almost two years after giving birth to my first son I felt a strong tug on my heart to become a doula and, with the incredible support of my husband, decided to receive my certification through Tiny Love Doulas. As a birth doula I am thrilled to be in a position that will encourage expecting couples to gain sound knowledge which will help remove fear. My desire is to empower a confidence that I believe already exists within us and support, not replace, the vital role of a woman’s husband (partner) as he is her champion. I give my best effort in creating a safe environment that allows the mother’s body to relax and her mind to focus on the task at hand- birthing a beautiful baby! With each birth a new story is told. I don’t take that for granted. It is such an honor to be a part of a glorious moment that will literally change the lives of all who are involved!
Refuge Birth 