11/07/2025
✨September 9th 2025✨
This is baby Shepherds birth story!
“This birth may have happened on the most common birthday of the year, September 9th, but how we got there remains my most unique pregnancy yet. When I was 33 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma, ER+/PR+, HER2-). Thankfully, after discussing with the midwife, Alison about some unusual and uncommon lactation I was having, I was referred to get a mammogram and ultrasound where it was discovered.
Due to me being so far along and because of the type of breast cancer I was diagnosed with, I was recommended to wait until postpartum to do any further testing.
(Did you know some women have to do chemotherapy while pregnant?)
I prayerfully weighed the risks of not inducing at 37 weeks, but we decided to wait until Baby Four came on its own.
Baby's due date came and went without fanfare. Three days later, I had my membranes swept and woke up at 6:30am to a very strong contraction, which continued about every 20 minutes or so with some easier ones in between. By early afternoon, I realized I didn't want to labor through the hard ones at home anymore and they were getting closer.
I let the folks on call at the Tree of Life and our doula, Joy Bear, know we were heading in. We arrived at 3:15pm, got settled, turned on the Christian Hypnobirthing soundtrack, and the midwife, Danielle Ray, said I was 5cm dilated, cervix was thin, but Baby was still high, which can happen with subsequent babies.
Doula, Joy led us through several positions to help Baby drop and contractions ramped up, while she spoke godly words of affirmation over me. After laboring throughout the room, I made it to the tub and enjoyed a moment of relaxation before things picked up quickly. With Joy and my husband each taking a hand and Joy doing pressure points on my feet, we went through about two contractions before Danielle said, "It sounds like you could push these down if you wanted to." Joy agreed. I never would have thought it was time to push Baby out after my last 3 hospital births but it did feel a lot better to direct the contractions down. After two more intense contractions, including my water breaking during one, I pushed an extra long push (and screamed) and felt Baby's head come out then kept pushing until I felt its body come out too. It was a boy!
Born 3 hours after our arrival, we had our sweet baby in our arms and were enjoying that post birth euphoria. If only that could be bottled! We drove away at 2am rating our experience a 10/10 amazing.
This was a springboard experience for us to remember how strong my body can be to fight for life as we head into this next cancer-fighting chapter. We were made to do and overcome hard things and be strengthened by them, and I am so thankful for the support of midwives and nurses during this rollercoaster pregnancy and for our unforgettable teamwork experience bringing our Shepherd Abram into the world.”
✨ I don’t typically add onto a birth story, but I felt led to share more of this strong momma’s journey. Our hope is that many are encouraged by her unwavering courage as she steps boldly into a new season to fight cancer.
Dottie wrote in her birth story,
“We were made to do and overcome hard things and be strengthened by them, and I am so thankful for the support of midwives and nurses during this rollercoaster pregnancy and for our unforgettable teamwork experience bringing our Shepherd Abram into the world.”
We are made to do hard things. And just as our wise midwife Beth often says:
Birth will not be the hardest thing you ever go through in life —
but it will be something you draw strength from again and again.
Dottie, everyone here at Tree of Life is cheering for you as you enter this next chapter.
It has been a privilege to walk beside you through pregnancy and birth, and we continue to stand with you as you fight with the same strength, grit, and faith you brought into the birth of your sweet Shepherd Abram.
We are here for you — today and always.
