I had the pleasure of working with Sophie and Andrew earlier this year, who found my course to be a form of marriage therapy- helping them to both feel on the same page about their birth preferences and choices, and creating the all important birth partner role for Andrew- always unique for every labouring woman's needs.
Here's their story...
"Ive been meaning to message you about Charlie’s birth...such a positive experience.
Contractions started in earnest at about 10.30am on the 7th May, had a lovely chilled day in the garden, I felt very calm and excited...already so different to my labour with Finlay where the thought of the next contraction sent me into a spin!
I was determined to stay at home for as long as physically possible and ended up heading into St Richards at 11.30pm, I was examined and found to be 7cm dilated! I was over the moon. The midwife filled up the pool and I carried on breathing through my contractions, we put on some nice music, I remember feeling so excited that I was in the birthing suite and set to have the water birth I’d wanted! I got into the pool just after midnight, my waters broke half an hour later and he was here by 1am. The last 30 minutes were tough and there were times when I really lost my cool but the whole process was so calm and it was amazing to just let my body do its thing with no medical intervention, I didn’t even have gas and air! I loved how the pool gave that physical barrier between me and the midwife, all she did was guide him out right at the end.
Charlie is such a chilled out, happy little chap, I feel as though part of the reason he’s like that is due to how calm his birth was. It really was so straight forward, and I’m sure a lot of the reason for that was down to a shift in my mindset thanks to the course we did with you! Thank you so much!!"