Kirk and I welcomed our daughter, Sophie Josephina, born Friday, October 30th at 7:46AM. She seemed to fall gracefully through me and into this world with her eyes wide open. My entire pregnancy, labor and first week at home with our daughter has been magical. I do believe this has a lot to do with the amount of work I put into my pregnancy and the preparation for labor. Preconception care, a healthy pregnancy diet, exercise, meditation and striving for balance in my life, has each played a role in an easy and uncomplicated pregnancy and empowering labor experience. I feel inspired to share. As a doctor, I understand that every pregnancy is different. One woman may experience her first pregnancy with ease and her second with difficulty with no change in her own dietary and lifestyle patterns. My recommendations are not meant to be a recipe for an easy pregnancy and birth. Rather, they are meant to give women the tools to optimize their bodies for a healthy pregnancy, birth and baby.