Hey y’all! I’m Shelby Tolar and I became a Mama in 2017. The pregnancy and birth of my first daughter was the complete opposite of everything I had dreamed of for 8 years. We had to have 4 ECVs around 36-38 weeks and she refused to stay head down, and once she did finally get in the right position, my platelets plummeted and required us to transfer care from our birth center at 39 weeks. It was devastating, but not as much as the emergency c-section that ended my pregnancy after four days of labor. I walked away a different person, in all the wrong ways, and endured PTSD and PPA/PPD for the next year, and simultaneously having a baby who would NOT gain weight and was finally 10lbs at 10 months old.
It was one of the hardest things I have gone through, but I would do it over and over again to hold my sweet girl in my arms for the rest of her life. Jesus and a licensed postpartum therapist helped me get my life back and become the Mama I am today. My second daughter’s birth was, of course, in the middle of our global pandemic which had its own struggles, but besides progesterone injections for 25+ weeks and some diastasis recti, her pregnancy was relatively uncomplicated. Platelets tried to become an issue, but we hit it hard with supplements and were able to safely deliver my precious girl in the tub and I’m still soaring over my VBAC. I like to say that my first birth refined me, and my second redeemed me. I LOVE being a Mama.
I first became interested in birth work after my own births and the amazing community that I found myself in. I had so much support, I just want to pass that on to others. I would definitely say VBACs, and cesarean awareness are imprinted on my heart!
I chose Birth Boot Camp as my certifying organization because I took the course in 2017 with my husband, and those 10 weeks are easily some of our favorite memories! We LOVED our instructor and felt so confident in our birth. We met some of our best friends as well, and there’s not a price tag you can put on a community like that.
I did a virtual training last Fall and had Donna [as my trainer]! I loved it but would have really loved to be in person- it just wasn’t an option for me at the time with my baby and this COVID stuff. I would have loved getting to be more hands on, but again, it was pretty great for a virtual training! I think the most helpful thing [in training] was probably just going through the entire outline and making notes along the way. I have little notes in my margins, and it never fails that in class, I add that in, and it helps the info click better for them.
I am teaching the Comprehensive, Home Birth/Birth Center Class and Basic Training. My favorite so far is the Comprehensive because it covers EVERYTHING, and my parents that take the class are SO confident in their births and so far, have had their dream births. My favorite thing about teaching would be the looks I get when they learn something that blows their mind. I LOVE watching them light up and even get teary eyed during the birth videos. There’s also nothing like getting that text that they are in labor and need prayer- and then when I get that picture of them holding their baby…. gosh, I have tears in my eyes just typing that out. Nothing like it. My heart could burst, and I am SO PROUD of them. I also love the relationships that linger after the class has ended. I love getting questions about breastfeeding or sleep advice etc. I basically just listen and tell them they are not alone and sometimes that’s all we need to hear right? We are not alone.
This was my first review from the dad, and it literally made me cry. I couldn’t ask for more: “I learned so much from our classes with you and was WAY less nervous about what our birth would look like after everything you taught us. I’ve always been a hands-on learner, so working with you was a major help to me and we appreciate you”
Website: love2mama.com
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