Welcome, and congratulations on your pregnancy!

My name is Maria ‪‪❤︎‬ I’m an accountant turned birth educator, and boy was it a crazy ride to get here! I’ve always leaned a little crunchy, so when I got my long-awaited positive pregnancy test, I eagerly dove into all things natural birth. My husband, Sam, and I took a birth course, read every book, and explored all facets of labor and delivery. I even summarized our research on index cards to have a quick resource when the busy “birth day” arrived. Needless to say, we were prepared . . . or so we thought.

At our 35-week appointment, we received heartbreaking news that our baby was severely growth restricted and would not survive much longer in the womb. An induction would be attempted, but we were warned that a c-section was highly likely. I was devastated. I had dreamt of an empowering water birth, my husband by my side, and the glorious moment where we'd meet our healthy baby face-to-face. Now, in addition to the disruption of my birth plan, I was nauseatingly fearful for my girl’s safety.

Armed only with our box of index cards and the audacious hope that all would go well, Sam and I slumped into the L&D unit disoriented and afraid. We waited for hours. And hours, and hours. By the end of the day, I was frustrated that the only “contractions” I felt were so slight I hardly noticed them. After a hefty dinner (laboring women need to eat!) I looked through our box and pulled out the “Speed Things Up” card. It had eight pre-researched suggestions and we followed what felt comfortable. We walked the halls, I sniffed clary sage, and drank more water than a goldfish. To our very great surprise . . . it worked! Strong, even contractions started rolling in. Encouraged by our success, we increasingly turned to the cards as the hours continued. From nausea to back labor, we had quick solutions for every little ache and pain. A few hours passed and at 4:57 the next morning, we welcomed our precious Josephine Agnieszka into the world.

The medical staff said I was lucky and called me “the model induction patient”, but Sam and I knew it was more than just luck. I was able to deliver without an epidural despite having the trifecta of birth difficulties: induction, back labor, and a sunny side up baby! The doctors themselves were surprised. Sam and I are convinced that having quick access to all the best research gave us the edge we needed to have an optimal birth in suboptimal circumstances.

Time passed but the memory of birth didn’t leave me. “Why was I so lucky? Don’t other people know this stuff?” Conversations with mom friends told me that parents want this information, but they lack the time to find it. This broke my heart. I saw strong, intelligent moms and dads consent to unnecessary c-sections and pray through avoidable NICU stays. “Something’s got to give”, I thought. A hop, skip, and a career jump later, and I am now a passionate birth educator, eager to summarize the best research for time-crunched parents like you.

Oh, and those index cards we found so helpful? I turned them into an app! In the middle of a contraction, no one has time to flip through blogs and articles - your coping tips are all right there! The Ecco Natural Birth app takes you through tricks proven to progress and relieve pain through each stage of labor.

As for Josephine, I encourage you to read her story here. She is truly an incredible gift to our family, and Sam and I are beyond lucky to be her parents.

Moms and dads, please know that I sincerely care about each and every one of you. You deserve an empowering birth and it would be my honor to help you achieve it ‪‪❤︎‬

- Maria Lilly, M.S., LCCE