“A new baby is like the beginning of all things; wonder, hope and the dream of possibilities.”

– Eda J. LeShan

3 days ago I became a mom.

This comes on the heels of having spent the last few years convinced that motherhood was no longer in the cards for me.

Years of doing what was needed to accept this as a real and ok trajectory.

But there was always a little piece of me that felt differently.

Luckily, the universe loves to work in mysterious ways.

See, it wasn’t a panic this time. It was a peace and it was overwhelming.

Colby Janet Fischer arrived earth side at 12:57 a.m. on October 17th after 8 hours of what can only be described as my dream birth.

I labored unmedicated and it was a more profound, instinctual and transformative experience than I ever could have imagined.

Very fitting, I think, how the waves we experience during a natural birth prepare us for the peaks and valleys that come along with having and raising a child.

I left the hospital feeling more alive, whole and happy than I’ve ever been in my 31 years on this earth. And my wish for the world is that everyone in it have the chance to know a joy like this, whatever that looks like for them.

While this won’t even begin to capture the amount of gratitude I feel, I want to thank Nicki and Miriam of 615doulaco for leading me through the birth plan I so dearly longed to follow.

To the nurses and midwives of VUMC for making sure we felt safe and cared for during our stay.

To my friends and family who have been on this journey with us since day one, sharing in the excitement and embracing our unconventional circumstances with kind hearts and open arms.

To all of the strangers who have gone out of their way to sow seeds of hope in my heart over the course of what was a very difficult pregnancy.

And to everyone who’s reached out with well wishes since hearing the news.

Welcome to the world, Coco. It is the honor of a lifetime to have been chosen by you.