80 | The Moment of Surrender - Marissa Msefya
Hiring a doula is the part of Marissa's journey that set in motion building her dream birth team. Speaking with her doula and getting educated about her birth options, she would switch from her OBGYN to a midwife at eight months of her pregnancy. After discovering alarming rates for surgical births and episiotomies, she knew switching to midwifery care was more aligned with her and her husband's birth plan.
Marissa's estimated due date was July 4th, but her intuition told her her daughter would make her arrival on July 6th, so when labor began on July 6th, it wasn't a surprise. With her husband and doula supporting her, Marissa labored at home until they all felt that the contractions had reached a good point to head to the hospital.
Marissa attributes her birth team for really guiding her in the moments when she thought she couldn't do it. Her doula and husband continuously reminded her of her strength, and her midwife was talking her through her options. Whenever there might be a shift from her birth plan, she always made sure to check back in with Marissa and her husband about what they wanted to do. With that support, eight hours after arriving at the hospital, Marrissa and her husband met their daughter.
In postpartum, their community support would be just as vital as their birth team. Navigating the newborn parenting fog, Marissa relied heavily on the check-ins, meal drop-offs, and any other filled request. And as things arose with breastfeeding, her doula, birth coach, and lactation consultant were always there with advice. Marissa is grateful to have a community to lean on and in every step of the way.
Resources:
Jesus is King, Friend and Savior Children's Book | by Joseph and Marissa Msefya
Le Leche League International | advocacy, education, and training related to breastfeeding
Shannon Your Doua (Shannon Serrano) | prenatal and postpartum doula support