On today’s episode of the Tribe of Suns Podcast, Phenecia(aka PJ) and Troy share their first birth story. They were living life like it was golden in Brooklyn, her as a flight attendant and him as an entrepreneur/barber when they learned they would be expecting their first baby. The couple knew quickly the kind of birth they were envisioning and invested both time and finances to make it a reality.

A marriage proposal in Europe followed by an intimate wedding with loved ones had made everything right in PJ's world. Her beautiful and uncomplicated pregnancy allowed Phenecia to work up to 36 weeks, and be cute while doing it! While their home was the original place that they planned to welcome their new light into the world, a 40+ hour long labor changed those plans. PJ would be faced with having less control of her birth, but still did her best to advocate for herself and make her birth plan known to those who would take over her care.

The warrior mama battled through additional complications that would make breastfeeding her daughter difficult. Even with support from those closest to her, in addition to others-- Phenecia still had to get through some tough emotions postpartum. She found peace in being able to give her daughter donor milk for a time. Her child being fed and well soon became the main goal, thus allowing PJ to give herself the grace she deserved all along.