Ariana Lazo – Be Brave Award Winner Spring 2020

Hello, hello! It is an honor to be the recipient of the bebo mia’s Be Brave Scholarship Award! My name is Ariana Lazo. My family and I are from Colorado, USA. It’s my husband, our four children and myself. We are a pretty close bunch, and enjoy camping and family movie nights. As a mother, I support my children and tell them they can do anything they want if they stick their mind to it. My children have not seen it with their own eyes. They cannot grasp it until they see it first hand. I want them to see their mama being brave and taking the steps she needs to take to follow her heart. I can do this. I will do this. I will have a successful doula business, but more importantly, I will teach my children that being brave is all it takes.

I have always wanted to be in an industry that was for the good of humanity. I pondered careers where I would make more money, but in the end, I could never commit; they just weren’t in my heart. One of my favorite jobs was working as a caregiver in assisted living communities. I love hearing stories of “the good old days,” and how time has changed our way of life in many aspects. I just couldn’t stay in this career field because of how I felt after losing someone close and it happens all the time. I love caregiving and I do know that this is what I want to do with my potential. I just want to be on the other end of life this time, bringing humans into our world. I want others to know that we can be unique human beings with unique wants and needs. We do not need to adapt the birthing process. I want to help people. I want to educate people. I want people to feel empowered on one of the best days of their life. I want to contribute to that joy we all feel on that day, but more importantly, I want people to just have the freaking OPPORTUNITY to experience joy on what is supposed to be an amazing day. I will not speak for anyone, but I will amplify their voice and offer education and resources so they can make informed decisions, for themselves. I just want to be supportive. 

When most people become pregnant, the person who birthed them becomes the first source of birthing information. Then it continues with generations. When I asked my mother, she said she got an epidural and it was amazing. If you think about it, I was born in 1991. Epidurals were still all the rage after becoming so popular in the 1980s. With my business, I want to educate these up and coming generations. I want to teach them that there are other ways to birth their babies. My ultimate goal is that they will be able to pass new information down to the next generation. I want these young mothers to one day tell their babies that they have a choice and can birth their babies the way they feel is best for them. Being a mother was the only thing I ever felt like I was good at. I have given birth 4 times, each was very different, but I absolutely loved every minute of being pregnant. I felt like I had a purpose, to fight and protect this little being inside me. We fight so hard for our babies because we love them with our whole heart and soul, even before they are earth side! I support my children and tell them they can do anything they want if they stick their mind to it, but they have not seen it with their own eyes. They cannot grasp it until they see it first hand. I want them to see their mama being brave and taking the steps she needs to take to follow her heart. 

I can do this. I will do this. I will have a successful doula business, but more importantly, I will teach my children that being brave is all it takes. I applied for a bebo mia scholarship because of the innovations the company is making in the birth work field. They not only teach us how to care for our clients, but they do it in a special way. bebo mia teaches care by providing it to each and every student. They also offer multiple certification options and bestow this support to all “want-to-be” #bebobabes. bebo mia is paving the way for birth workers to know how to serve each client in a way that suits their individual wants and needs. Not every person having a baby is a married, heterosexual woman and it is time for birthing education to get an update. That is what finalized my choice in bebo mia. I want a modern education regarding birth. I feel like this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I have new goals now and I am so grateful that I can finally set foot to accomplish these. I do intend to take further classes with bebo mia and will eventually apply to the Midwives College of Utah when my youngest is in kindergarten. My business will help low income or teen parents. I believe anyone who is pregnant deserves a doula, they just can’t always afford it. People in labor need support. That is all there is to it. We want babies coming into this world healthy and loved, to informed parents; parents that feel like their wants and needs are heard. It’s plain and simple. Every birth is dignified, no exceptions. 

Thank you bebo mia! 

-Ariana Lazo