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Meredith Coe is an awesome photographer who has captured so many moments in our lives! We've recently completed our third photo shoot with her as the Bright Birthing team, but she has also done maternity and/or newborn photos for each of us and we could not recommend her more highly.
We're so excited for our first Ask a Doula event at Little Planets!
It’s been exactly a year since I attended my first birth with the UVA midwives. I am so grateful for the skill, and loving care they offer our community. That first experience I had with Barbara was at an incredibly powerful and beautiful birth. I was impressed with her from the beginning when she advocated for the mom by advising the nurses to bypass triage. Barbara provided such a quiet, supportive presence. She gently sat at the foot of the bed, in the darkened room and allowed this incredibly strong mom to do what her body knew how to do. Medical intervention became necessary during the third stage of labor and Barbara proved to be knowledgeable and professional. She initiated the necessary interventions and called in the appropriate medical backup. If a family is seeking a hospital birth I feel confident in recommending the midwives at UVA. I look forward to getting to know all of the UVA midwives and working closely with them again in the future!
--Stephanie Post
So, when Stephanie said that she wanted to write a ‘Thank you Barbara’ post I immediately said I wanted to share my gratitude along with hers. I attended a beautiful birth with Barbara last Summer and then another one recently last week. Both experiences gave me insight into Barbara’s way of being a midwife and filled me with a deep appreciation for what she in particular, and I imagine the midwives in general, are bringing to UVA for our community. The birth in August had the entire birth team excited from the moment my clients and I walked through the door.
The mama had made it clear that her vision for her birth was that it will be sacred. Barbara and our wonderful staff nurse Lynn welcomed us in such a way that made obvious they intended to honor this mama’s vision and were in every respect holding space for her to find her way-- uninhibited. Barbara gave us space to be alone when we needed it, helped the mama find a breathing pattern that soothed her as the intensifying contractions rose and she mostly sat in the room with us as the story unfolded, offering her support whenever it seemed like the mama needed it just so. As a student of midwifery outside of this context I appreciated how she answered my questions and was open to talking about the details with me as they emerged. I also appreciated how Lynn had her own doula bag with rescue remedy and lotion that she made at home infused with essential oils with which we all took turns using to massage the mama.
When we were together again last week supporting another birth, we recalled our experience in August and it became apparent, that like myself, Barbara was in some ways inspired by the comfort measures that this woman brought for herself to the experience. That birth left a lasting imprint on us both. During this second more recent experience together I was again struck by Barbara’s presence and her ability to coach women into a breath pattern that helps them claim their power and find their calm. As this long, windy birth story unfolded Barbara was continuously present, offering her support and her guidance when it was needed. If I had to summarize what Barbara brought to this birth in just a few words I would say-- immense patience, respect, calm, impeccable timing and judgment. She seemed to know exactly when to leave the mama alone and precisely when it was time, and how to guide her.
When I asked Barbara when it was that she discovered she wanted to become a midwife I learned that she was an L&D nurse for 18 years before becoming a midwife. Growing up, Barbara’s mother was also an L&D nurse. It was with awe at the work her mother did serving women, very early in her life when she was only 4 years old, that the desire to become a midwife took root in her heart. This little bit of history only reaffirmed my gratitude for her as it seems to me a testament to the strength of her heart’s commitment to serving women as they navigate the mystery, power and transformation of birth. I’m grateful that we have this kind of presence and passion available for our childbearing community at UVA.
-- Sara Zia
Barbara Royston, MSN, CNM
Graduated with a A.A.S. in Nursing from Piedmont Virginia Community College in 2002
Graduated with my BSN from James Madison University in 2012
Graduated with my MSN from James Madison University/Shenandoah University in 2015.
I am a local native, born and raised in Albemarle County.
I have three daughters, ages 12, 13, and 15. Our family likes all things outdoors: sports, camping, and fishing. On the rare rainy day, I like to read, sew and cook.
I decided to become a midwife after experiencing, first hand, the quality care midwives provide.
Before becoming a midwife, I was a labor and delivery nurse at UVA for 12 years.
Though I have only been a midwife a short time, I enjoy providing relationship based care and guiding women to have a satisfying birth experience.
I am eager to continue to grow as a midwife while supporting the growth of UVA’s Midwifery program.
When women feel empowered, they can move mountains.
With all this rain in the forecast I’m thinking about a similarly weathered week, probably just about this time last year. My sweet little two-year-old reminded me of two invaluable lessons in the same storm and I’m excited to share them with you on this grey day.
The first lesson was this. It had been raining for what felt like days. I was very pregnant and sick of being stuck in the house with my toddler. So, the second the clouds parted, I packed up the stroller and walked to the gym. I was feeling pretty proud of myself for getting moving until, as I was collecting my little one from the childcare center, I glanced out the window and watched as the next storm cloud rolled in. It seemed to just be drizzling so I went ahead and loaded up my sweet child. Like a good mom, I added another layer of pants so she would be warm enough and made sure I covered her as well as I could. As we walked away from the gym and it started raining harder and harder, my self-talk was something along the lines of miserable self pity. I was grumbling in my mind about poor pregnant me, walking up the hill with my “freezing toddler” in the rain when I happened to glance down and saw the happiest little hands and feet reaching out from under the stroller canopy doing what I can only describe as “dancing in the rain”. I stopped and asked her if she was having fun and she said “Yes! We’re having an “ABVENTOOOR’ mommy!!!.” And my mom heart swelled and overflowed and even broke a little bit with the incredibly beautiful sweetness of it all. She changed my whole perception of that moment and reminded me that life is an adventure if you allow the beauty and excitement to seep in.
And here is the second sweet lesson from a two-year-old. As we sat down to dinner that night. I was feeling tired and was very much looking forward to tucking my babe into bed and having a break from parenting. She was taking FOREVER to eat her dinner and asked for me to turn her chair around so she could watch the rain through the window. I took a deep breath, turned her chair around and looked out the window with her. Suddenly, I was a little girl back in the living room of my first house, kneeling on the couch looking out our big window, watching the lightning. In my memory it is unclear which parent is with me, perhaps they were both there or perhaps they each shared a moment like that with me at different times. What is very evident in this memory is the calm, warmth and protection of my home and family and the shared experience of awe at the world around us. And in that moment I was able to slow down and be present with my precious child.
I have learned over these last few years that these little humans are very wise and have much to teach us if we’re able to pay attention. Sometimes I am able to pay attention and the lessons are immense.
Great things are in store for the next few months: April village circle on Sunday April 30, the MSC Truck Touch at Ix Art Park, and we are so excited to host our third annual Mothers' Day Yoga Picnic at Belmont Park next month. At all our upcoming events we'll have adorable stickers to share:
And you can now support all of our free community offerings by ordering an adorable onesie (or TWO!) through our Booster. We love sharing our monthly village circle free of charge, free yoga classes and more - buy a onesie for your little (or as a gift for someone else) to help us continue!
We had such a sweet time sponsoring the 3 day Little Planets eco-inspired play space and baby area at the Tom Tom Founders Festival for the second year in a row. It was wonderful to see so many of you there! We hope you'll check out some of the other great things going on at Little Planets in their playroom just off the downtown mall.
We are booking up for births, henna and placenta services but if you or a friend would like to schedule with a Bright Birthing doula, please be in touch.
We are feeling rejuvenated after a long overdue team meeting today. In the coming weeks watch for stickers, event announcements, and a photo shoot (2 years after our most recent one)!
We had such a sweet morning celebrating the first play time at the brand new Little Planets Playroom. So many parents and kiddos enjoyed the light-filled space and the wonderfully curated toys.
Every Tuesday at Brazos Tacos the postpartum doulas of Month 10 host a lunch for expectant and new moms in Charlottesville. The five doulas of Month 10 (including our own Gwendolyn) take turns hosting the casual get-together and it is a great opportunity to bring your questions or simply hang out with other parents and babies!
590 Tahoe Keys Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
