8. Who Am I & Why Am I Here?
Hello there, sister! Brandy here, and I'm genuinely thrilled that you've discovered my little corner of the world. It's no accident that you're here, and I'm looking forward to building a connection with you and embarking on this incredibly transformative journey together!
A bit about me: I proudly wear the title of a "trucker's wife" to my supportive and hardworking husband, Norman. Additionally, I navigate the wonderful chaos of being a homeschooling mama to five lively wildlings. I embrace various roles, from being a foster-to-adopt mama to a babywearing, extended breastfeeding, and cloth diapering enthusiast. Guided by a holistic, low-tox lifestyle, I'm dedicated to raising my children outside of the conventional system. I'm gradually incorporating homesteading and homemaking skills into my repertoire, aiming to revive practices that our ancestors thrived on but got lost in today's culture of streamlined convenience.
When I'm not immersed in the world of birth studies, supporting clients with their health and birthing goals, or attending births, my days are spent in the delightful company of my children. Our routine is a blend of structure and spontaneity.
We find joy in reading together, baking as a team, exploring nature on hikes, participating in field trips with our local homeschool group, and embarking on summer camping adventures in our RV. Our slow, quiet mornings and evenings are cherished moments of togetherness. We intentionally leave margin in our days for quiet sunlit reflections, romping around in our woods, and allowing the unexpected to unfold!
I'm excited to share more of this journey with you!
The world of birth work truly captured my heart after welcoming my second child, my first daughter! With four incredibly unique birth stories under my belt, I won't delve into all the nitty-gritty details here for the sake of time. However, I've provided links below for those who, like me, are avid birth story enthusiasts. Feel free to explore and revel in the glorious details of each experience!
Bennett’s Foster-to-Adopt Journey
In my second birth, the first following a C-section, the presence of a doula transformed the experience. The initial two births took place in a hospital with an OBGYN. However, as my third pregnancy progressed, concerns arose from my OBGYN, prompting a swift decision to switch to a homebirth around the 30-week mark. The shift allowed us to embrace a tranquil, undisturbed birth that surpassed my dreams and prayers.
Tragedy struck after the third birth when my husband passed away unexpectedly, halting our plans for a new home and my pursuit of becoming a birth worker. Eventually, as life settled, I embarked on doula training, completing certification with ICEA in the summer of 2016. I expanded my skills by training as a Placenta Specialist in the fall of 2016, establishing Follow Your Arrow Doula Services. I also met Norman, the man who would become my husband and step up to be the dad he didn’t have to be for our children!
By fall 2017, I felt grounded as a local birth worker after attending several births. However, life took another turn as my nephew faced suspected child abuse injuries, leading us to become a kinship foster family in 2018. In obedience to God’s calling, I temporarily closed my doula services to prioritize my family. While the flame of my passion for birth work persisted, family needs took precedence.
In 2021, with our fifth baby wombside, I embraced a homebirth with a prayerfully curated birth team. During this journey, I felt compelled to delve deeper into spiritual exploration and embrace complete autonomy with full responsibility. While we engaged a midwife for my husband's comfort, I chose an unassisted birth in its truest sense. This involved extensive self-education, fervent prayers, and meditation on God's Word. I took on the mantle of complete ownership and radical responsibility for our birthing experience.
Little did I anticipate that this precious baby would offer numerous opportunities for me to deepen my connection with God. The journey included moments of worship, prayer, immersion in scripture, and a reliance on God's promises throughout the pregnancy, culminating in his birth.
Postpartum, I anticipated my passion for birth work to wane, but it did the opposite. Joining a birth worker circle and praying for guidance, I found myself drawn back into the birth community. Initially uncertain of how birth work fit into my life, I immersed myself in the space of birth, reading, praying, and building a website. An opportunity to be a backup doula and requests from a friend and midwife for birth support affirmed my path back to birth work.
After the dust had settled from those three births, a mix of excitement and confusion lingered within me. Questions surfaced about the purpose of these experiences. In a seemingly random afternoon during the summer of 2022, a friend urged me to call her. She bluntly stated, "God told me to call you; you're supposed to be my doula." It was in that precise moment that I discerned God's unmistakable call back into birth work. Right then, I committed to holding space, ready to respond to any call that came my way.
Here I stand, answering the call. I'm present because I've been summoned. I'm the birth worker that many women seek, and as a woman with hands ready to serve, I choose to make myself available to this calling.
On a practical level, my presence here is a response to a calling. In essence, it can be summed up in one word: called. This is my purpose, what I am meant to do. I'm destined to serve women, to occupy that space, and to be a trustworthy, guiding light. I am here with the intent to hold that sacred space, to respond when summoned, and to embrace the freedom to answer that calling.
I'm called to be a lighthouse, guiding others to discover a better path. Reflecting on my first birth, I yearned for someone to gently say, "Hey, there's a better way." Deep within me, an unspoken questioning persisted, challenging the norms dictated by the medical mainstream. Society often tends to dismiss our instincts and intuitions, but I want to stand as that guiding woman who affirms, "No, there's a reason for your questioning. There's a deeper truth within you." It's time to reconnect with our instincts and intuitions, returning to the wisdom of our ancestors when women supported and served each other. After all, isn't that what a midwife embodies?
I aspire to provide not just education and wisdom but also faith and trust, acting as a wise big sister walking beside you. I aim to embody the heart, hands, eyes, and feet of Jesus—a trusting spirit in your corner. The thought of becoming a Granny Midwife excites me deeply; envisioning a future where I raise children and then, as a wise grandmother, attend the births of my grandchildren. My mission is to be there for women ready to reclaim their power, recognizing that they control their bodies, babies, experiences, and journeys. The power lies within you, not me, your doctor, or your midwife. My vision is creating radical waves in our community!
Stay Wild & Free,
-Brandy
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