" We had a wonderful birth experience with Kate!  It was such a joy to get so much attention and comfort from another woman who has been there many times.  She was a joy and we hope that all our children will be born with her at hand"  -Noel

"When Kate walked into our house for the first time, I knew that she was going to be our midwife.  Not only does she give incredible care, but she is also a wonderful friend and confidant in one of the most important stages in your life-pregnancy and birth.  I am incredibly blessed to know her and have her as my midwife." -Tiffany

"Kate made my husband and I feel confident about our decision to attempt a homebirth.  She is very easy to talk to and she (and her apprentices) were always candid with us and fully answered our questions without ever making us feel like we were wasting their time.  We never felt like just another client, we immediately felt like a sort of family" -Jennifer

 Birth of Corbin

 From the moment I discovered I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to have a home birth.

Pregnancy for Brad and I was something that we both very much wanted and unfortunately had to pay a great deal of money to achieve. I still think Kate described it best; we were having ‘the platinum baby’.

Brad and I met Kate, and her assistant Courtney on a sunny early spring afternoon. After our initial meeting, we were both even more convinced that a home birth with Mazzara Midwifery was what we wanted to do. We had our intake appointment a few weeks later and off we went, on the magical journey to have a home birth.

Nine very nervous months later, contractions began at 1:30 am on Monday January 2nd. I called Kate all excited, only to hear her say, it might be labor, it might not, call me back in the morning and we will talk more.. Kate arrived at our house almost 30 hours later, because things were progressing slower then we all had expected. I was planning on having a water birth and when Kate arrived, I was happily parked in my tub, which took over a good portion of our living room. I did my own thing as Kate silently observed over the next few hours. She was always there for me, to rub my back or listen if I had a question. When my water finally broke Kate looked at me and announced, congratulations you’re in labor! After a short 30 minutes of pushing our son Corbin was brought into this world, exactly how we wanted it!

The days after Corbin was born, are still a blur even today. The hustle and bustle of having a newborn in the house consumed us, but Kate was still around. She stopped by the house many times during that first week, offering postpartum care, newborn assistant and breastfeeding support. When I began to struggle with breastfeeding, Kate arranged to have a lactation consultant come to our house and assist us. At my final six week appointment there was a sad feeling lingering in the air. I was done, my pregnancy was over, I delivered my baby and Kate wasn’t going to be stopping by anymore. My relationship with Kate had changed, she was once my midwife but is now my friend who witnessed our miracle.  

My decision to have a home birth was my first real grownup option and choice I have made. During this journey, I realized that some people will never see eye to eye with you, and having a home birth isn’t for everyone, but for us it was the best decision that we have ever made.  

as told by Adrian Sarkozy Fear

The Home Waterbirth of Dylan Andrew 

It was 2 days after my "due date", I was awoken by contracts coming every 2-4 minutes. I woke my husband Jesse up and told him I thought he should call our midwife Kate and let her know to bring all her stuff with her for our 40 week appointment. While he called her I got into the bath tub to relax and gather my thoughts. Jesse had instructions to start filling the pool. Half way through he ran out of hot water. 

Once I felt composed and ready for my labor day I got out and began to fold some laundry and vacuum. The contractions were getting more intense and I had to stop to breathe through them now. I had Jesse call Kate to let her know things were getting more intense and she was packing up her car and would be there soon. Then Jesse called his mom to come watch the kids. I wanted our 3 other children there to see the birth of their brother.

Meanwhile I was posting on my forums and talking with friends over instant messages. I would stop during contractions and lean back and breath through them, then continue on with my conversations. Then the kids woke up and we told them I was having the baby that day and they were so excited!

Kate got here a half hour later and she immediately wanted to check me to see how fast I was going. To my surprise I was 7cm and 100% effaced! I was so excited because I didn't have to walk around for hours like with my previous hospital births, or have that dreaded pitocin. Kate then started setting up her stuff, Jesse finished filling the pool. I wasn't ready to get in yet though, I was still feeling pretty good.

I then called my best friend Jen to come over. She answered her phone and I told her today was the day and asked her if she could come over. Her reply, "well, I'm going to take the girls to the zoo real quick and then be over". I told her I was 7cm and 100% effaced... "OH, I'll be right over!" She was too funny. Jen and my Mother-In-Law, Dianna arrived at the same time. I told Jesse that Dianna had sit on the steps and stay out of the way until I called her and the kids over. Dianna did a great job with the kids and kept creeping up the stairs to see what was going on. She was like a little kid trying to sneak a piece of candy or something.

I decided it was time to get into the pool because I was starting to feel some pressure. The pool was so great! I got in and it was instant relief, just amazing! There I become one with my body. My water broke shortly after getting into the pool. It was my first spontaneous rupture and I was so proud of my body. My waters were stained with meconium and that's when Jen freaked out a little. So while contracting I told her it was normal for post term babies to have meconium. Kate then checked Dylan's heart rate and it was perfect, and doing great.

I started feeling the urge to push and I could feel Dylan's head come down a little. I said "I feel like I have to push" and Kate said "go ahead if you need to". I could feel that Dylan's head was too high and didn't want to waste my energy and said "I'm not ready to yet". I got a little chuckle from the crowd. So I let my body push a little while I hummed through the contraction. 
I felt his head come down some more and then Kate checked me and I just had a small anterior lip and she asked me if I wanted to feel his head, so I did. Then my urge to push was overwhelming and couldn't control it anymore. I had Dianna 
bring the kids up to watch. Ashlyn, my 3 year old said "Mommy, quit your whining!" 

12 minutes later at 11:48 AM on September 29th, 2007, Dylan Andrew was born gently into water. He was 8lbs 13oz and 22" long. The experience was truly amazing and my only regrets are that I didn't give birth to all my children at home in the water.

as told by Kristina