03/23/2026
✨March 11’th 2026✨
This is beautiful baby Scarlett’s birth story!
“I’ll spare you the details of my first birth story, but it was less than ideal—largely due to previous issues and needing to heal. However, I was unable to birth at TOL the first time, and while my care team was amazing, having another baby was not something on my radar ever again…
Faith plays a huge role in mine and my family’s lives. The season after having my first living child here was extremely difficult and hard, yet that faith in Jesus carried us through. Eventually, that same faith led to a hope of a second chance at new life. A redemptive birth story & postpartum experience.
After figuring out some deeper health issues, finding the right supplements, counseling, and visits with the midwives at WomanCare, my husband and I both felt the conviction and green light to try for one more. I reached out for some final health tests, last minute questions, and spoke with some medical friends and doulas and decided it was time. My two year old son had also been begging for a sister, and kids have a funny way of telling you what you already know.
I prayed so hard for an easier pregnancy (it was), better control and awareness of my hormones (success), and to be able to birth at the TOL this time (and here we are).
At 39 weeks and 6 days, I went into labor around midnight, began active labor around 4:30am, reached out to my doula, Maddie, and Jenn who was on call. Around 7, I showered and knew it was time to get things moving. At the same time, Maddie text me let’s hurry.
When I arrived, Sarah was was waiting (which was funny because she just saw me less than 24 hours prior at my appointment) and I was greeted with such warmth and peace by her, Maddie, Diana and midwife student, Lindsey.
Sarah checked my vitals and then my dilation and said I was at 9 and a half cm, which blew my mind.
They started the tub for me, I labored in the tub for a couple hours which helped with some of the pressure. I was able to relax in between contractions and joke around some… until I wasn’t. I got super cranky and kept pushing back. I was fighting a constant battle trying to stay internal and not get distracted. I know I wasn’t easy to handle when my attitude shifted.
I asked my husband to call one of my closest friends (who was on vacation) and hearing her voice helped remind me who I was and that I could do this. God would pull me through again.
My care team responded so well to my shift in attitude and pushback. Maddie knew exactly what to do and helped keep the peace in the room, Diana knew exactly when to say something light hearted, and Sarah knew exactly when to give me the reigns and when to take them out of my hands and firmly get me back on track.
Sarah had me get on the toilet to open up more and continue progressing. Diana got my husband closer to me, and I knew I wanted to transition to birth on the bed with him holding me to feel safe. It almost felt like he was literally with me in the labor at that point.
Sarah was telling me it was time to push and giving me calm, but firm warnings that my daughter was literally right there, but heart rate was dropping. She said it’s now, and repositioned me against my protesting and gave me exactly the pushback (literally) that I needed to get her out in one big push. Minor tearing. No repairs.
My husband cut the cord after it was done pulsing and I couldn’t believe we were done.
No interventions, no Pitocin, no nitrous, no fear. Completely different experience. Went home 5 and a half hours later. Completely in my right mind and at peace.
The TOLFBC, along with Maddie, and of course my husband and support from friends/family provided me the perfect environment for my redemptive birth story. There’s no place I would have rather given birth.
Scarlett Liora Pruett
03/11/2026
11:18am
6lbs 13.5 oz
19 inches
My son chose her first name from a few I presented him. Scarlett reminds me of the scarlet thread in the Old Testament. Liora is Hebrew for, “God’s gift of light to me.”
This name is two fold. To me, it means “the scarlet thread is my light” and also that she is God’s gift of light to me after such a rough, dark season.
Thank you to the TOLFBC for doing what you do! “
