Testimonials & Birth Stories

Calmbirth Classes

I just want to say a huge thank you for the weekend classes, they were absolutely mind blowing! I feel so much more positive that I can labour our baby girl :-) We are so relieved to have done this course, and we totally recommend it to anyone who would like to make themselves aware of what actually happens during labour and how you can be positive through the intensity of contractions & labour.

A and A

Yes our expectations were definitely met. In fact we feel the classes have been THE MOST valuable resource to us.

I would recommend it thoroughly to all new dads to be. You have inspired confidence and made me aware as well as given me tools to cope with this enormous change in my life. Thank you.

Dad L

Doula

Welcome, Tom!

I had a 30 hour labour and an emergency c-section when I gave birth to my little boy, Tom.  While labour was hard and a bit dramatic, it was not at all traumatic - I felt in control and empowered ....and I put that down to Rachel, my doula, helping me though. 
 
In the weeks before Tom's birth, Rachel and I spent time together talking through my fears and expectations. Rachel helped me put my fears into perspective and develop some strategies to deal with them when they bubbled to the surface during labour. We also talked about the physical side of labour, the importance of remaining calm and going with the flow of what your body is doing. We practiced breathing and relaxation.
 
During my labour, Rachel was with me in the birth suite throughout. When I was getting tired or frustrated she pepped me along. Rachel was my link to the nurses and doctors - helping me understand what was going on, and helping the nurses understand what I wanted. When it came to decisions, Rachel helped me think things through and make the right decision for me.  Having a doula is like having a coach in your corner - someone completely, 100% on your side - standing up for you, caring for you and supporting you.  I thank Rachel from the bottom of my heart, for being there for me and helping me give birth to my beautiful baby boy.

Helen, well done on such a gorgeous, passionate and calm birth. Thank you, it was a real pleasure to support you and beautiful Tom xx Rach

Welcome lovely Ella!

I can still remember vividly the moment Ella came into the world, was laid on my chest, opened her eyes and looked straight into mine. I hope I always will. The memory of the preceding birth has faded a bit, but what is still strong is the feeling of being supported and loved throughout.

The decision to have a doula was prompted by a close friend who was training to be a doula, and as neither my husband nor I had experienced birth we felt it would be great to have someone on board who could provide us with support and advice who wasn’t medical staff or a family member. I had also made the decision to try for a natural drug free birth and was booked into a birthing centre for the delivery.

We had met with two other doula's, both with different levels of experience but after meeting Rachel we knew we’d found the right person for our ‘team’. She has such a calm and quiet confidence as well as genuine warmth. We met with Rachel regularly in the last months leading up to Ella’s birth and she provided some great information on the body’s natural ability to birth instead of focusing on pain relief  like the hospital birth classes did. She also did some wonderful relaxation exercises which left me feeling recharged and peaceful.

I had been feeling fantastic throughout my pregnancy and although I was excited to meet my bub I didn’t think she’d be so punctual, but Ella ran out of room the day after her EDD. On the evening of the 18th I had taken my dog for a walk around the block and struggled to make it home as I had a severe stitch like pain, which I just put it down to my uterus and stomach muscles doing some final stretching. At midnight I realised that I might have been in labour. I started timing the contractions and they were 5 mins apart, so I alternated between sitting on my fit ball and trying to lie down while watching early morning TV. By 5am the contractions were getting stronger and closer together so we decided to call Rach. She arrived just after 5am and didn’t blink an eye as my very large dog joined us in the bedroom for the event!

I was loving the idea of the large bath in my room at the birth centre so we decided to head to the hospital just after 7am, I tried to relax in the bath and by midday the contractions were getting more intense and I was getting the urge to push but felt like Ella was just hitting a wall. The midwife did an internal examination and discovered that my hind waters hadn’t broken so she would have to rupture them to get things moving more quickly. I was pretty exhausted by this stage and Rach suggested we take some time out, so everyone left the room and my husband and I crawled into the bed and tried to rest between contractions. I remember the only thing I could think was ‘Do you think they’d let me go home and I can just try again tomorrow’. No such luck though, my waters were broken and after a very tough couple of hours Ella Grace was born at 7.57pm on Wednesday 19th March, and Rach cut the cord of our Easter Egg (a giant 8lb 9oz egg)!

I can’t recall exactly who did what and when during labour only that my husband and Rachel were always there with a hand to grip, a reassuring word or a cool wipe of the brow. Although the birth was not exactly what I’d hoped and imagined, the support was, and I can’t imagine having done it without Rach.

Thanks Kylie, Ella’s birth was a challenging one for you, however your perseverance and inner strength, willingness to give it 110% was wonderful and well worth it! Your gorgeous Ella can be very proud of her mum and dad, bringing her so safely and lovingly into the world xo Rach

Calmbirth® Welcomes Eli!

I participated in Calmbirth® classes with Rachel late into my first pregnancy in 2007. I recall being quite nervous about labour, and a little sceptical that any birth could actually be ‘calm’ and even pain-free. However, I felt relaxed and comfortable with Rachel straight away. She has a gentle confidence in women’s ability to give birth naturally that is very reassuring, especially to an anxious first-time mum!

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed each Calmbirth® class. The sessions were quite long, but I found that the time went really quickly because of the way Rachel presented the material. Each session included practical information about the birthing process, dvd presentations, as well as relaxation time. Rachel explained everything very clearly and gave me plenty of opportunity to ask questions. The best part was, she always had the answers! Nothing was taboo and she never made me feel silly for not knowing even the most basic things.

Rachel has so much knowledge regarding pregnancy, labour, birth and mothering. Her practice as a doula adds to her own experiences of giving birth. Her understanding and familiarity with so many different births enhanced the material of the Calmbirth® classes. It was lovely to hear ‘real’ birth stories and comforting to know that while every birth is different, it is always possible for labour to be a positive and enjoyable experience.

For the record, the birth of my son Eli was wonderful. The breathing and relaxation techniques Rachel taught me in the Calmbirth® classes helped get me through a very long labour. Despite having some intervention, Eli was delivered naturally and is a beautiful healthy boy. I firmly believe that I would not have been able to endure labour without the knowledge and skills I gained from the Calmbirth® classes. I have no hesitation in recommending Rachel as a Calmbirth® practitioner. I am so grateful to her for everything she taught me.

Congratulations on the birth of lovely Eli. So glad that you were able to use the Calmbirth techniques, and that they could assist you through your challenging labour. Big hugs xx Rach