For first-time parents, bravery is born alongside the baby.
It is October 25, 2022, and nervous Caleb Moyer “pops the question” to his bride-to-be, Luciana. She joyfully accepts his proposal, only to have a surprise of her own to share with Caleb…She’s going to have a baby! The couple retells this story now, knowing it has a happy ending. But, as reality started to set in, Luciana had to consider that she just started a new job and didn’t have insurance, and Caleb’s income was not sufficient to support a family. Caleb started exploring resource options online—and discovered Womankind.
Luciana recalls thinking, “I’m a first-time mom. I have no idea what to do!” After she saw the image of her “little blueberry” on the screen during her first ultrasound at ICU Mobile, she knew she wanted to learn everything about how to have a healthy pregnancy. She’s grateful Womankind was patient and took time to educate her about what to expect every step of the way, including maintaining a proper diet.
Life wasn’t easy for the young couple during the early months of Luciana’s pregnancy. Luciana had recently completed school for dental assisting and had just started a position at a busy dental office. It was a “catty” work environment, as she described it, and the workdays were unusually long, requiring her to be on her feet for many hours at a time. They even had to reschedule Luciana’s first appointment with Womankind because her job wouldn’t give her the time off. In addition, they were living in an unsafe neighborhood, and Caleb’s job was financially unsustainable.
Determined to do whatever was best for their budding family, they relocated to Streetsboro, Caleb found a better paying opportunity driving a truck locally, and Luciana quit her job in favor of being a stay-at-home mom. The latter was a decision they both felt strongly about, as Caleb shared one of his favorite quotes by C.S. Lewis: “The Homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only and that is to support the ultimate career.”
Baby Ari, whose name means “rising,” came into this world on July 4, 2023, after mom enjoyed a healthy pregnancy and an uncomplicated delivery with the assistance of a doula recommended by Chemarra Bryant, Womankind’s Director of Counseling and Support Services. The couple’s protective dog T-Rex kept Luciana company while she was in labor.
Now she can’t imagine life without her beautiful baby boy, who the couple agrees looks like his dad. Luciana said Ari opened the doors to life for her, adding that motherhood has changed her in ways she could never have expected. She credits the wonderful team at Womankind for giving her the resources and confidence she needed to enjoy a healthy pregnancy, especially as a first-time mom. Caleb proudly exclaimed, “Womankind was the best possible first step. And, for us, it was the only step we had to take!”
This story first appeared in our Fall 2023 newsletter.
