*** Happy Halloween everyone! I'm disguised as a little baby who is scared of big pumpkins...(thank you Jen for bringing by the pumpkin!)***

Today we're going to see Joan, my midwife, for the final six-week postpartum checkup. Here's a picture of Joan shortly after Ruby was born.

Joan was refered to us by our friend Lucy, whose daughter Anoura, was also born at home. When we first met Joan we were impressed with her no-fuss approach to pregnancy and birth, the fact that we had a huge say in most decisions regarding the various tests and the way we wanted the birth to go (as much as anyone has a say in it, ultimately the baby and our bodies have the upperhand) and her activism around home-birthing and midwivery. I would visit her monthly or more often in her home and I didn't have to pull out my check book for every single visit, so it felt less like a sterile medical checkup and more like a social visit with some time allocated to my pregnancy and hearing Ruby's heartbeat (always my favorite part of those visits).

Unfortunately when my labor finally started, Joan was busy with another birth. She sent another midwife, Cara, who was just as amazing and savvy. Joan was able to attend the final 30 minutes or so of my labor and she caught Ruby when she came out. So towards the end of my 12-hour labor I was surrounded by four women (Joan, Cara and their respective assistants) and David. Our downstairs neighbor Bob (Varda's husband) was closeby, in the apartment, and ready to help with whatever. I couldn't have felt more taken care of and supported, which totally gave me the confidence to get through the birth. Thanks Joan!

Here is the text of a card we're giving Joan today:

"We couldn't have imagined a better experience for Marsha's pregnancy and Ruby's birth. Thank you for your wonferful care--we all felt taken care of in the best possible ways.

With Marsha's globetrotting past and David's sense of adventure, who knows if we will always stay in Brooklyn. But our little Ruby will always have roots here--because she was born here and especially because she was brought into this world by you. Enclosed is something for your garden; our way of deepening those roots.

-- Ruby, Marsha & David"