My name is Caren Nugent. I’m married with 2 children and live in Arlington. I had 2 out of hospital, water births with the Family Birth Services midwives in Grand Prairie. Both were surprise genders and both were caught by my husband. It may sound weird and different, but I absolutely loved labor and giving birth. For me, it was not the worst experiences ever, but rather, the most powerful and beautiful thing I have ever done. My son was born at the birth center and my daughter was born at home.
After having a lot of breastfeeding issues, I sought out the help of For Babies Sake and met with other like minded moms. I made fantastic friendships that are still alive and well to this day. But it was during my hardship with breastfeeding that I realized things did not always come naturally to moms. Sometimes breastfeeding is hard and requires some interventions. I became passionate about seeking help and education BEFORE a mom has her baby so she is more prepared in case things don’t go “just right”.
When I wanted to get back into some kind of work, the birth/breastfeeding world seemed so natural to me. I’d been following Banned From Baby Showers for years and kind of watched Birth Boot Camp come about. For me, BBC was the only choice in organizations to certify with. The first birth I ever attended was for a friend of mine. She knew I wanted to be a childbirth educator and doula, so she invited me to her birth. It was the most amazing experience and it was in that moment that I knew this is why I was created.
After following the blogs of Donna Ryan and Sarah Clark, I knew these were my people. I was trained by Donna and Sarah in the DFW area. For me, it was like being with celebrities because I had been following them for so many years. I think I was a little “star struck”. I loved the experience of being away from my “daily responsibilities” and getting to talk birth all day, every day for a few days. There’s a different kind of relationship with birth workers vs non birth workers and it makes for fun conversations and friendships.
I loved learning how to use the different teaching materials to drive home points. We use every day objects, like funnels, to make points that anyone can understand. It’s not all birth jargon that nobody understands. The organization is loving, supportive, and positive. The ladies at headquarters really care about their instructors and want them to succeed. Also, the material is absolutely amazing! It’s so beautiful to look at and the information is up to date and current. The classes are really fun to teach.
I love teaching first time parents! They are so new to everything and open to all the education. I also really love 2nd time parents who want to do things differently. The most joy I get out of teaching is when I can see the “ah ha” light bulb moments in class. The one where everything clicks and starts to make sense. It’s in those moments that, typically, the partner becomes more engaged and has more questions. It’s just an amazing feeling to be part of that.
I love my students! They are so fun to get to know. After 5, 6, and 10 weeks with someone, you really get a feel for who they are and how their personalities work. I’ve had everyone from YouTubers to pastors to teachers to doctors in my classes. Most of my students, especially the partners, leave with so much more knowledge than they thought they would. I’ve had dads tell me on class one that they were only here because their wife was forcing them to come and then a class or 2 later say “This was so fun tonight! I learned a lot!” As an instructor, that’s an amazing feeling!
“Caren has been absolutely wonderful! I am expecting my 3rd child, but my SO’s first child. We took her Birth Boot Camp Class that has been nothing but splendid! Her class taught us so much that we didn’t know as well as reminded me of things I already knew but forgot. Caren’s class has brought us closer together not only as a couple, but as parents. We are more than prepared for labor and delivery as well as to bring our team Green baby into this world!” -Cortney M.
“We just finished our 10 week comprehensive child birth class. Caren is a fabulous instructor. if she was not sure of an answer to a question, she researched and talked to other [birth workers] in order to try and get the correct answer. I highly recommend taking her class. very informative and beneficial for the entire family” -Rebecca J.
You can visit my website at www.arlingtonbirthservices.com. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram @arlingtonbirthservices. My email address is [email protected].
