LANIAJA'S STORY

This first-time mama’s journey into motherhood was marked by resilience, intuition, and unwavering strength. Early in her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with parvovirus—a condition that can present serious risks during pregnancy. As her pregnancy progressed, her care team discovered her baby was showing signs of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which meant more frequent monitoring and an early induction plan.

Despite the challenges, she approached birth with an open heart and a strong spirit. When the day of her induction arrived, she was calm, focused, and grounded in her intention to labor naturally. From the very first contraction, she leaned into her body’s wisdom, breathing through each wave, moving with purpose, and allowing the process to unfold. She labored for 14 hours with contractions coming just 1–2 minutes apart—intense, unrelenting, and yet she stayed fully in tune with her body.

After 14 hours of this powerful work, she made the deeply intuitive choice to receive a very low-dose epidural. It was exactly what she needed to reset, breathe, and recharge for the final stretch. Just minutes after it was placed, her body was ready—and she began to push.

In less than 45 minutes, she brought her baby girl into the world—a perfectly healthy little one weighing exactly 5 pounds. No NICU, no interventions—just pure, beautiful connection between a mother and her newborn.

It was an honor to support her through this incredible experience. Her birth story is a beautiful reminder that even in medically complex pregnancies, empowered and intuitive birth is possible. Listening to your body and choosing what feels right in the moment is true strength.