100 |Prepare and Let Go - Leslie Lissant & Caryn Fields

Leslie had started preparing for parenthood by learning as much as she could and discovered many pathways for birth, parenting, and creating a home environment that would be different from her own life experience. She had learned about homebirth in college and kept the knowledge in her mind until she and her husband, Carvens, were expecting their own child. They hired Caryn as additional support but found that she would be there for unexpected aspects of pregnancy. She found herself vulnerable and needing reassurance as she managed pregnancy during a pandemic and racial unrest in our country.

Leslie sought grounding and joy through the uncertainties of the environment. When her labor ensued, she committed to her affirmations, breathing, and leaning into her support. Learning to surrender to that space and moment allowed her to power through. And birth her baby into her arms. Leslie refers to her birth experience as a “posture of gratitude.”

Resources:

Joyfull Beginnings (Caryn Fields) | doula & Educator

The Business of Being Born | a 2008 documentary film that explores the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States.

Nurture | a modern guide to pregnancy, birth and early motherhood

The First Forty Days | the essential art of nourishing the new mother

Mindful Birthing | training the mind, body, and heart for childbirth and beyond

Birthing from Within | holistic approach to childbirth that examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a medical event but as an act of self-discovery.