As an Atlanta birth photographer and videographer, I pay attention to what creates and supports the story. I’m watching who’s in the room, what’s necessary, and how the space feels. I’m capturing how it looks, the tone of the room, and the moments that matter. My job is to document it honestly and beautifully, without interrupting it.
I’m also a doula, which means I understand how to move through a birth space without changing it. What really stood out to me at Kirstie’s birth was how well planned it was. I wanted to know more.
A Birth Designed With Intention
Kirstie is an Atlanta doula, educator, and author. She approached her own birth with the same clarity she brings to clients: a trusted team, a protected space, and a plan that supported peace.
I wanted to understand the plan behind that calm, and Kirstie graciously obliged. That openness is her through and through: warm, grounded, and genuinely here to serve. Her Instagram is full of free education and support. If you’re the kind of woman who wants both practical strategy and faith-forward preparation, she shares more through her online birth course (40+ videos), or you can read her book, Birth Like You Believe.
The First Decision
Can you walk me through what mattered most to you when you started planning your birth?
”What mattered most to me was my birth location. My first birth was a hospital birth and my second was a home birth. Having another home birth felt like a ‘must-have,’ like ‘once you go home, you can’t go back!’ Haha. So I began my mission of searching for a home birth midwife who aligned with my values for birth.”
Why An Atlanta Doula Chose Home Birth
What led you to choose a home birth this time?
”My first home birth was sooo peaceful! My body was relaxed, finding it easier to release tension because I was in my safe space. My labor progressed much faster than my first birth that was in the hospital, and I believe the reduced tension played a role. No beeping machines, no constant interruptions from nurses, no bright lights, no painful car ride to the hospital nor pressure to time contractions and decide when to leave home.“
“I had plenty of food right there in my own kitchen; I had access to my own bed for early labor rest; and I had an environment I had already bathed in prayer. Throughout my pregnancy, I prayed over my birth space regularly and envisioned myself delivering in the peace of God and in powerful worship. That vision came to life, and everything within me wanted to prepare for another home birth that was no less than the last one, but another level of glory!”
The Atmosphere
When you pictured your birth space, what did you want it to feel like?
”I wanted it to feel like a serene worship zone, consecrated to God and full of His peace. To prepare for that, I anointed the birth pool, doorways, and windows with oil that I had prayed over; I had multiple worship and prayer sessions in the space, praising, praying and singing to the Lord; I posted comforting scriptures and birth affirmations on the walls; and I played worship music.”
The Details That Matter
What sensory details mattered to you: lighting, sounds, smells, warmth?
”All of it! I hung lights on the walls, I posted meaningful scriptures and birth affirmations on the walls, I lined the birth pool with lights, played worship music, used a diffuser for aromatherapy, cleaned the environment thoroughly, and made sure the temperature of the room was comfortable.”
Curating the Room
How did being a doula influence who you invited into your birth space?
”It made me more selective of those invited into that space. I did not want anyone there who did not serve a specific purpose. For example, besides my midwife, her assistant, the doula, and birth photographer, I had my husband and mother present. I outlined specific tasks for each of them on a document they received in advance. These tasks included items such as hydration, labor snacks, aromatherapy, childcare for my older children, sending updates to my designated contact list, making sure my lighting was set as planned, and so forth.”
How did you choose your midwife and the rest of your team?
“As a doula myself, I was already familiar with other birth professionals in my area. As for my photographer, Maegan Hall, she was highly recommended to me by another professional in the space, and she certainly lived up to her reputation!“
Atlanta Doula Brain vs. Mommy Mode
As a doula, what did you hope for emotionally going into your own labor?
“I hoped to have the best birth experience so far after even more that I’ve learned over time that I worked hard to implement throughout my own pregnancy–practicing what I ‘preach’ to my own clients! I wanted to experience the FRUIT of my own knowledge and expertise in action within my own body. I hoped for perfect peace and a beautiful worship experience as I co-labored with Christ to deliver the son He so masterfully created in my womb.“
Was there anything you had to release or “unlearn” from your doula brain?
“I prayed to not experience a sense of ‘hurry’ in my soul from the logical side of my brain working to strategize during labor for time efficiency, as I routinely do while serving others in labor. I wanted to function purely in ‘mommy mode’ and rest in my soul. While I did find myself doing both, thinking as ‘Doula Kirstie’ while flowing instinctively as a laboring mom, God helped me to do both gracefully and peacefully.“
Intention and Non-Negotiables
What was your biggest intention for this birth?
“To fully surrender in the adventure of labor, God’s design, and rest in the peace of God.“
What were your non-negotiables for labor?
“Location and noise.”
When It All Came Together
How did your actual birth experience line up with what you envisioned?
“It exceeded what I envisioned! It was peaceful, worshipful, smooth, and the shortest labor and pushing stage I’ve experienced out of my three births. It was just over three hours long, and I pushed for about five minutes before my son was born. I had no tears even though he was almost nine pounds!”
“I am truly grateful for the many prayers God answered to take this birth experience to a higher level of glory than the last one, even though I was blown away by the beauty of that experience. And how fitting that my best birth yet was beautifully captured by Maegan Hall Photography so I can not only cherish the memories, but re-live them through masterful pictures and video footage!”
What surprised you about giving birth as a doula?
“That I was able to operate both from the instinctual side of my brain and the logical side of my brain simultaneously and gracefully as both a doula and the laboring mother. I thank God for that and for the clarity with which I could hear His voice guiding me throughout labor amid the powerful sensations in my body.“
If another doula were planning her own birth, what would you want her to know?
“Put in the discipline to practice what you preach no matter how tired you are as the pregnant mom yourself, haha. Give yourself grace, too, and trust God. Release pressure to be perfect and allow yourself to be a human pregnant mama. And invite the Holy Spirit to help you every step of the way during pregnancy and labor. His presence is the secret ingredient to putting the ‘super’ on your ‘natural’ for a supernatural birth experience that brings God glory and blesses you beyond your imagination. Scripture tells us that faith without works is dead: as a doula, you have the power to add FAITH to your WORKS, tying in professional expertise with supernatural power. It doesn’t get better than that!“
Watching It Back
What was it like seeing your birth on video afterward?
“It was more emotional than I expected. I began crying immediately, re-living the glory of those moments and feeling the presence of God. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and absolutely thrilled to watch those special moments on the screen for me to keep forever.“
Did the video reflect the experience the way it felt inside your body?
“Yes! Peace, power, glory, strength, and beauty–that’s what I felt and that’s what I saw on the screen.”
More About Atlanta Doula Kirstie
If you couldn’t already tell from her answers, Kirstie is the kind of birth worker who leads with warmth and competence at the same time. She is deeply prepared, genuinely kind, and the type of person who makes you feel like you can exhale. She supports Atlanta families as a doula, teaches childbirth education, and writes with the same faith-forward clarity that shows up in her work.
If you want to learn from her, start with her Instagram for free encouragement and education here. For deeper preparation, her online birth course (40+ videos) is here, and her book, Birth Like You Believe, is here.