Thank you for everything.

Having a doula saved me.

My first pregnancy was normal, but hard. It was my first time being pregnant, and you truly don’t know what to expect. The nausea, the extreme fatigue, the aches and pains, the vomiting, the sudden bursts of energy, the highs and low moods, the “we’re so excited for our first baby” moments followed by the panic that the baby is actually on the way.

Handling all these highs and lows during a first pregnancy can feel isolating and scary. No one gives you a book as a woman that truly walks you through pregnancy itself, let alone postpartum and caring for a newborn.

I didn’t have a doula during my first pregnancy, and looking back I wish I had. At the time I thought, “Well, I have my husband and he’s my anchor. I don’t need another person to guide me. We’ve got this.”

But I was wrong. Not because my husband wasn’t there for me or didn’t care—he absolutely was—but because I needed someone experienced to guide me through something I had never done before.

That leads me to my second pregnancy.

After my first experience, I decided I was going to find someone who could help me mentally and physically through pregnancy, because I already knew how tough it was for me. I met LeNay in August of 2024. Let me tell you—she is the most kind-hearted soul I’ve ever met, even from the very first phone call.

You know when you talk to someone and you just know they are a gift? That’s LeNay.

We had an instant connection, and I knew she was going to help me in every way. LeNay would send me updates, guides on movement, and check in just to see how I was doing that day. She calmed my anxieties, helped me process my thoughts, validated my feelings, shared honest guidance, kept me grounded, and was there for me at all hours of the day and night. There was never a time I reached out when she wasn’t there to support me.

During my second pregnancy, because my first birth plan didn’t go the way I had hoped, I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth. For those who know me, my pain tolerance is very low. But I wanted to try—for myself.

LeNay walked me through creating a birth plan and what that meant for me. I told her I wanted to go as far as I could without medication. If I asked for it at some point, I would be open to it. I just wanted the chance to try.

You might think a doula would push you one direction or another, but not LeNay. She validated my feelings and understood exactly where I was coming from. Medicated or not, she was there for us.

Sure enough, when labor began with our second baby, the anxiety hit. All the thoughts started racing through my head:

“Can I do this?”
“Is it going to hurt?”
“How intense will it be?”
“What if there are complications?”
“What if I’m not strong enough?”

As contractions intensify, your mind can wander to places you didn’t even know it could go.

But there was LeNay—to ground me and keep me focused during what I truly believe is one of the hardest and strongest marathons a woman can go through.

Just having her there, squeezing my hand and saying, “You’ve got this,” was enough.

Our second baby was born unmedicated, healthy, and without complications. I felt so relieved and proud that I was able to do it. In all honesty, I could not have done it without LeNay. I would have let fear take over and given up. Instead, she helped me push through.

Fast forward to now—I’m expecting baby number three.

I didn’t hesitate. The minute the pregnancy test lit up, I texted LeNay. She was overjoyed and so happy for us. And of course, the anxiety crept in again.

Once again, LeNay validated my feelings and helped me through it all. Even though I had already experienced an unmedicated birth, I was still scared to do it again. Throughout the pregnancy I kept thinking:

“Is this symptom normal?”
“Is this supposed to happen?”
“What if I can’t do it?”

Even though I had already done it before.

And again—LeNay was there through it all.

When I went into labor with my third baby, she was right there reminding me, “You’ve got this.” She helped keep me grounded and reminded me that everything was okay.

To the mamas reading this: you do not have to live in anxiety or feel alone during pregnancy. I know it can feel like a very private journey, and sometimes you feel like you have to handle it all on your own.

But coming from someone who normally “takes the bull by the horns” and rarely asks for help—I needed it.

Every pregnancy is different. Every birth story is different.

Having a doula doesn’t mean you have to have an unmedicated birth or give birth at home. You can start wherever feels right for you. But finding the right doula to support you is key.

Having someone like LeNay advocate for your needs and support your choices is invaluable.

Pregnancy and birth can be scary. The unknown is scary. But having someone there to ground you through it all is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself during that time.

To the mamas out there who struggle with anxiety and fear like I do—if you can open your heart and allow a doula to guide you, you can do this too.

You will be in incredible hands with LeNay, and you may even find yourself truly enjoying every step of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum because she’s there beside you.”

~KZ, Second Time Client