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After unsuccessfully trying to have a baby for a number of years through IVF we fell pregnant naturally, which was a welcome shock. I wanted a natural birth and booked into the Birth Centre. I was concerned that having never been through a birth, how would I know what to d, if things were progressing well or if things were going awry?

Friends had an excellent experience with a Doula and we thought it was a good idea to have someone supporting us, who knew how to navigate the medical system and believed wholeheartedly in natural birth.

Birth Right and Susan came recommended.

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Jo & Silas

Birth Right and Susan came recommended. After having read Susan's book (Birth Right), which made perfect sense to me, it felt like with Susan we would be in practical, pragmatic capable hands. We met and I was impressed by Susan's approach to supporting couples and in particular felt that she and my partner got on well. I felt very confident as our pregnancy progressed that both Silas and Susan knew what I wanted and would be able to support me through the birth.

We had six nights of pre-labour and Susan was on the end of the phone answering questions and I felt secure knowing that this was a normal set of events. As labour failed to kick in naturally, despite all our efforts, and the time after my waters broke ticked away, Silas, Susan and I made our way to the Birth Centre. Sadly for us, meconium was present and we were transferred to the Delivery Suite.

Having Susan helped to ensure that we had the birth that we wanted. At all points Susan, explained the options as the medical team presented them and helped us to negotiate less intervention, rather than more. Having Silas and Susan there meant that I felt able and confident to get on with breathing through the waves, focusing and enjoying the birth. I knew I could give birth naturally and that is exactly what we did. Matilda was born calmly despite the kerfuffle all around me.

On reflection, it was evident that without a Doula with a clear head and our interests at heart, rather than an eye on the clock and the Dr's wishes, our birth could have gone down the severe medical intervention front. I thank Susan from the bottom of my heart for agreeing to be our Doula and working with us practically and pragmatically all the way through our pregnancy.

Reading Susan's book, Birth Right, was a turning point for me. I realised that if I just trusted my body, I would be well equipped to cope with a natural, drug-free birth. From that point I was guided and encouraged by Susan. Using Susan as our Doula gave me the confidence to embrace the whole birthing process knowing my husband and I would have expert support throughout the experience and indeed afterwards. Thank you Susan.

Angela

Once I decided I was going to the birth centre I knew I wanted a doula. Susan was an excellent choice for us. She is fantastic. I wish I'd had Susan there for my first birth too! Having someone with the experience and knowledge and sensitivity Susan has, on our side, all the time, through whatever decisions we had to make would have made a HUGE difference to the
slightly early birth of our twins by c-section under a general due to pre-eclampsia.

It definitely made a difference in my totally natural, drug free, in the caul,

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Rilka

It definitely made a difference in my totally natural, drug free, in the caul, VBAC. Without Susan's support it would have been easy to lose trust in myself and listen to the voices of the
midwives offering to break my waters. (I had tested positive to strep B and knew that there was only a problem once my waters had broken so I was in no hurry to have them break. I also wanted as little intervention as possible and saw no need for my waters to be broken). I had placed my trust in Susan and asked her advice when I was unsure. Having her there to remain rational also helped my husband, who hates hospitals, so that he did not have to negotiate on my behalf. He was able to hand over the role of advocate to Susan and she became the advocate for both of us.

I also believe that all the birth preparation (chiropractic, acupuncture, talking to my baby about what I imagined the birth could be, trusting myself and my body) I did at Susan's suggestion helped me be able to deliver my 5kg+ baby. I had a mantra that I would say every time I went to my appointments and any other time it came to mind: I trust my body, I trust my baby. And even though I tore, and even though the student midwife I allowed to be present wouldn't shut up, and even though I ended up with a pph requiring a blood transfusion, I laboured and birthed naturally and my gorgeous and HUGE baby boy was born in the caul approximately 12 hours
after the first contraction.

If there is a next time I will probably labour and birth at home. However, if I ever need doula support in a hospital again I will be calling Susan for sure. If I could change one thing it would be to decline the student midwife. I agreed to her presence because I feel strongly about giving learning opportunities to future midwives and I had liked her during appointments. However, it turned out she was not able to tune into me or the process I was going through and I found her presence and her inappropriate comments throughout the labour inhibiting. I truly hope she learned something but next time I won't be offering up my labour and birth to students. With Susan's support I was able to re-focus on my body and my labour and continue to birth my baby.