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After 10 years with her partner, Liz was facing two daunting life changes simultaneously: a failing relationship and a positive pregnancy test. 35 years old and pregnant for the first time, Liz had the amazing opportunity to become a mom, but she grappled with the fact that for her and her child to be safe and happy, she must leave an abusive relationship. Although difficult, with the support of her friends and family, Liz was able to safely start her life over and pregnancy gave her focus and great joy.
Liz’s pregnancy was physically pretty easy, but emotionally the 9 months were very trying. With her doula best friend at her side, Liz was able to plan for the labor and birth she had been wanting ever since she started dreaming of having a baby. With advanced maternal age and gestational diabetes, she was told an induction was unavoidable, but Liz was determined to have a medication (aside from Pitocin) free labor and birth.
A slow start to the induction and a few “old school” nurses who doubted her plans didn’t deter Liz from what she was focused on accomplishing. Once her labor kicked into gear, it was only six hours until she pulled her baby girl onto her chest for the first time. The experience changed her in so many more ways than just becoming a mother. Liz wants other women to know that no matter what circumstances surround the conception of your baby, you are entitled to celebrate, love, and be fulfilled from the experience of pregnancy and birth.
Liz Ekelund Bio
Liz and her 2.5 year old daughter, Neila, live in rural Southwestern Oregon. They enjoy time outdoors and traveling around the state to visit friends and family. A self-proclaimed “birth nerd,” Liz loves to study all things pregnancy and birth related when she is not working her “9-5” job in the mortgage industry. They are hoping to expand their small family in the near future, as Liz is actively trying for baby #2 by way of becoming a “Single Mother by Choice” to a little sibling for Neila.
FamilyAlbum Photo Sharing App
Today’s episode is sponsored by FamilyAlbum. FamilyAlbum is a family-focused photo sharing app with over 5 million users worldwide. FamilyAlbum helps you save, share, and remember the special moments in your baby’s life. You can even get started before baby is born and document your pregnancy.
FamilyAlbum app offers unlimited free storage, is completely ad-free, and provides smart, automatic organization. But my absolute favorite thing is that you can invite friends and family to view your photos privately and securely. You can even specify which family members see which photos. Your family will be notified when new photos are added and they can leave comments creating a fun conversation! You can also use suggested ideas for monthly photobooks, or create your own and then have them shipped straight to your door. The app keeps your memories safe, allowing you to recover them even if your phone is lost or damaged. To download this fun app head to the apple or google play app store and search for FamilyAlbum, or go to family-album.com!