Imagine falling in love young and keeping that youthful spark alive through the years. That’s just what happened to Michael and Olga – two kids who fell in love in high school. They planned their lives in faith, hope, and love - working through school and careers, traveling the whole journey together.

Their latest journey celebrates that original teenage love – a baby.

Together they planned for the birth of their baby’s arrival just as they had everything else around their life together – with care, patience, and lots of love.

They carefully assembled their birth plan and picked their support team. They chose the wonderful Fort Worth Birthing and Wellness Center midwives for their prenatal care and labor and beautiful delivery location. One of the best doulas in the DFW area, Maggie Wells, Bluebonnet Birth Services, was hired for support.

With all the details in place, it was time for Olga and Michael to sit back and wait.

As happens during most first-time pregnancies, Olga’s due date of February 7th came and went. There was no sign that their baby would be arriving any time soon. (I like to think he was avoiding another possible ice day; weather controls labor, of course!).

Finally, Olga started having contractions. In the early hours of Valentine’s Day, Olga notified her team – she was in active labor and was not stalling in the slightest. By 6:30 a.m., we were all headed to the birth center.

Olga found the most comforting comfortable position to be sitting on the toilet backward – a doula’s favorite as it allows the hips to open and gravity to work its magic, and so much more. Olga tried a few other options, but laboring in the dark and calm of the bathroom worked the best when it came to her labor progressing comfortably.

Michael was steadfast by her side. On his face, you could see the worry and concern he had for Olga, his lifelong love. At times, his emotions welled and fell in tears down his face. No matter the request, he stayed by her side, providing all the support he could to ease her labor pains – from hip squeezes to compressions.

Finally, after a short nap (between contractions) with a massage gun rhythmically working away at sore spots, Olga asked to have her water broken. Her baby was very low, and after a very short period of contracting, her sweet little boy was ready to arrive.

Olga moved into the birth tub, working to find comfortable positions to push. With each contraction moving their baby closer, Michael moved closer, readying himself to help catch his precious new son. Finally, with just a few pushes…

Olga’s sweet baby slipped through the water as Olga’s hands quickly reached below to grab her boy.

Leo Aleksander had arrived!

Both Michael and Olga were overjoyed at the arrival of their precious little one. They spent the afternoon cuddling and resting as their wonderful midwife Cassie helped them navigate the newness of an hours-old baby.

Before long, it was time to find out all about little Leo. The midwife carefully weighed and measured him, counting all ten fingers and toes, ensuring he was just as healthy as he looked. As they finished, they swaddled him up and stamped his feet on the famous wall of baby footprints at Fort Worth Birth Center.

It was time to go home!

Michael, Olga, and Leo packed their things and made their way home – now a family of three.