My name is Elizabeth Patton, a birth doula serving the Austin area. I believe that birth takes grit and grace: grit to embrace the challenge of birth and grace for yourself and your baby as you navigate the journey of labor.

When I was pregnant with my first son, I planned for an unmedicated birth at a birth center. I listened to every podcast, read every book, hired a doula, and prepared my body in every way possible. Unfortunately, my water broke at 34 weeks, and my son was born six weeks early. I had an emergency C-section, and my son spent 12 days in the NICU. It’s beyond my understanding to know why or how it happened to me, the person who did everything “right.” But what I do know is that every ounce of preparation for my natural birth also prepared my body to recover from surgery and to walk the long hallways of the NICU.

Every birth asks something of us—maybe it’s giving up control or seeking peace in chaos. It could be honoring your body and learning to love yourself. Each birth is a journey, an offering. We can’t always predict the outcomes, but we can choose to be fully engaged in our experience. I would be honored if you invited me to walk alongside you on your journey of motherhood.