Dear Expecting Moms, On Being Human: A Letter from a Birth Doula

Dear Expecting Moms,

I admire you.

You’re doing so much, and most of it’s hidden plain out of sight. Tucked inside like a secret, protected within. As you drive to work, wrangle your toddler, or relax and watch Netflix, there’s incredible things happening in your body—without you thinking about it at all.

To put it simply, you are amazing.

Your body grew an entire new organ to sustain your baby through this pregnancy. And when that work is done, your body will release it—and that will serve as a signal to begin making milk that will fully nourish your baby in their first months of life. And this is just scratching the surface.

It’s wild.

For most of my life, I’ve used the phrase “I’m human” to talk about my limitations. I’m tired. I’m stressed. I don’t know. You know—I’m human.

But through my own motherhood, and as a witness to so many inspiring mothers as a birth doula, one day that phrase suddenly flipped for me.

Now when I hear, “I’m human,” I also remember this: I am a miraculous creation. I have more strength, wisdom, and capacity than I know. I have the ability to create, love, and sustain. I am human.

So if you ever sigh and think, “I’m only human,” I hope you remember the other side of that truth, too. Because both exist.

You are human.

And that is truly amazing.

With love,

Kim