Six years ago, I had a new baby girl myself and attended the birth of a baby boy. It was a long labor and it bonded me to Amanda and Kurt as I watched them become parents. Fast forward a few years and I attended the birth of their daughter one special Christmas morning. This third baby came one cold December night. Amanda is the most prepared human I have ever met. She had planned and prepped everything for this birth. It was her first birth at the WNC Birth Center and she was dreaming of a peaceful water birth. But if you’re in the birth field you know, no one can plan for birth…

Amanda show up that night…done. She had been having prodromal labor for weeks, she was throwing up all the time and she just wanted her baby earthside. After being checked she wasn’t quite to a place to be admitted. The midwives were so kind and encouraging and told her to stay two hours to see how things progressed.

It was dark. It was so dark and peaceful in that room as we encouraged Amanda to rest and let her body do its thing. Music filled the room as she softly moaned through the waves. Then she couldn’t sit still. All the while I’m thinking she’s going to have to go home and this might not be it.

Then as her love supported her (literally) she started making sounds that confirmed for me that she wasn’t going anywhere. She got in the shower for relief and right before her two hours was up her water burst.

I thought we had time to fill up the tub, to turn up the lights a bit…but baby was coming.

When she found out the tub couldn’t be filled in time there was a moment where she yelled up into the sky “NOOOOOOOOO”. And then she focused and a few short pushes brought this precious one forth. Not one of her carefully labeled bags had even made it inside.

Immediately. Immediately the veil of weariness lifted and Amanda was so full of love and light. She ate and it stayed down. I just watched her breastfeeding, smiling and eating and bouncing around like a giddy school girl. It was a beautiful sight.

And when those siblings came to meet their baby sister….oh my heart. The tenderness, the joy, the snuggles with their beautiful mama. I felt like I was the fly on the way to a miracle.

Wamsley family, I am so honored (I think you know this) to have been there for the birth of all three of your babies. The way you support, Kurt, is inspiring. Amanda, you are a birth goddess, pure and simple. You’re strength is staggering. You’ll always have a special space in my heart

This blog post contains beautiful images of raw and real birth and nudity.