Best Baby Shower Gift
Baby showers are an important tradition intended to equip new parents with the essentials of parenting a little baby. These days, the mother chooses many of her gifts ahead of time but traditionally each person attending would bring a gift that they found helpful themselves as a new parent or something special to remember the gift giver by like a silver spoon or a handmade quilt.
When my daughter was expecting her first baby, I realized I had a shower to plan. Grace had planned a spectacular wedding, so I knew the bar was set high. This was my gift to her and I really wanted it to be special. I wanted my daughter to love her shower. I took her suggestions into account as we made the plans.

The Most Important Gift
Her most important gift was not unwrapped at the shower. I had already given her that gift – the gift that made childbirth and motherhood easier for her. Grace came to childbirth well-equipped with confidence and support. She has a distinct advantage over most other pregnant mothers. Growing up with a mother who was a Midwife supplied her with many positive impressions of birth. She understands the innate strength of women. She is also a labor and delivery nurse so she has witnessed birth many times. She knew how she wanted her birth to go. But just wanting a certain birth does not make it happen. Unless a woman believes in herself and has the support team she needs, she will often be disappointed or even traumatized by her birth. A young woman might be unrealistic about the support her doctor and her hospital will provide while she is in labor. She needs the guidance of other women and the assistance of her family, particularly her mother, to arrange for the childbirth education, healthcare provider and labor advocate she will need to make her birth an empowering experience. It is especially helpful for the mother to grow up with family members who have had positive birth experiences. Often, when a girl is present when her mother gives birth, she is not fearful of birth when she approaches childbirth herself. Of course, my daughters have a powerful advocate in me. From early labor on, Grace had her Mom as her doula and Midwife. Grace had to work hard for her birthcenter birth but she was fortunate enough to have the best conditions to achieve natural childbirth.




Midwives Have the Model of Care that Brings the Best Outcomes
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