So how do you thank someone for being your strength? For holding your hand and making sure you know that you are strong and can do it, even when you feel like you can't and just want to give up. For knowing exactly the right place to touch to relieve the pain. For saying the perfect thing at the perfect time to give the best possible reassurance. For being the oasis in the desert so that the water flows and nourishes exactly when it is needed. For having the balance to juggle the emotions that run wild, not saying too little or too much. For being a rock and a pillar to lean on when it is needed the most. For knowing the right time to let it be and the right time to speak up. For loving and caring and being one of the most important people at the birth. Well, I don't know the right words to thank you for all of those things, but here goes...*Thank you!* You can never know what it meant to have you here.

With my first child, I hoped for a natural childbirth. Instead, I ended up with a very long labor, a transfer from the birth center to the hospital, and a series of interventions. None of that seemed to matter when we saw our beautiful daughter, but when I became pregnant again, I realized that my first labor had left me scared and insecure.

Jaime was amazing. She listened to my whole story and helped me work through my fears. Again, I wanted a natural birth, but I was also very scared about a long labor, and I didn't want to rule out interventions altogether. Jaime never made me feel judged or pushed any one birth philosophy. She just listened and helped me clarify my own position while calming some of my nervousness.

At 39 weeks, I had 24 hours of OP labor. It was a very difficult experience, physically and emotionally. Again, Jaime was amazing. She advocated for me at the hospital and helped me to work through my disappointment and feelings of inadequacy at not being in "real" labor. She then was instrumental in keeping me sane through the next two weeks of my pregnancy.

When I finally went into labor at 41 weeks and a day, it was the middle of the night. As soon as Jaime got there, there was a stunning difference in my experience of the contractions. With Jaime's help I was able to relax through much of active labor. She was incredibly resourceful, sensitive, and flexible. She knew when something was working or wasn't working before I had to tell her. She knew when to step back and let my husband take over and when to step in with a suggestion. When the contractions overwhelmed me she talked me through and kept me going and, maybe more important, kept my labor going by making sure I changed positions. Because of Jaime, I was able to have a beautiful, natural childbirth with much less pain and fear than I thought possible. I can't even imagine this birth without her. I'm happy, relieved, and proud of what we achieved, and I will always be incredibly grateful to Jaime.