testimonials

 

"Thanks very very much for your advice re breathing and making our birth personal and emotional.  It was one of the last things I thought about before going to hospital.  I actually had a lot of fear about having a caesaerian and started my deep breathing and positive thinking the minute I went into the theatre (to the extent they asked me if I was OK).  I focussed on all of it bringing me closer to Oliver (the baby) and guess what?  I actually smiled as the epidural needle went in because it was bringing me closer to my baby!  The operation went well, the baby was perfect, skin to skin straight away ... and we are now doing really really well!" 

- Tracey

" Thank you again for the brilliant Active Birth Workshops you offer - my partner and I participated last year and it was such a highlight of our pregnancy and helped us to connect in practical and emotional ways during our homebirth."

- Mandi

 "I did use positions and visualisations that I learnt in class as well as at the workshop.  I found that I was so in touch with what was going on inside my body.  I truly felt the visualisations helping to open my cervix and when I worked really well at them I felt baby move down more at the end.  I also reflected on the Thai Goddess pose during a contraction or two to gather strength.  It was a wonderful vivid experience."

- Honey

 

" Your class helped me prepare, both physically and mentally for birthing my baby.  Never for one moment did I ever think I would get through labour without some kind of pain relief (in my birth plan - which I never wrote down, I was always prepared to have gas and or pethidine if  needed, but did not want to have an epidural).  The fact I was able to get through the labour without pain relief I credit to you.  By following your advice about staying positive, as relaxed as possible, and focused on my baby and I going through labour together I was able to get through the birth much better than I ever anticipated.  As a consequence, I receovered very quickly, have a calm baby who I have bonded with and is breastfeeding very well and I have a wonderful birth experience to look back on."

- Shayne

"Thank you for the pregnancy and active birth yoga courses! My husband and I used all the postures and the songs you taught us during the classes to control breathing and achieve a drug free vaginal birth.  After 20 hours (8 of which were established labour) I delivered a healthy 8lb baby boy.  Due to the empowerment you helped me feel during my first ever pregnancy and labour experience, I found myself approaching parent hood with confidence and strength.  Suzanne you truly have a gift for enabling women to trust their bodies. Thank you a thousand times over!"

-Shivaani

" I just wanted to say thank you for the yoga classes and the active birth workshop.  Both of these helped give me and my husband the information, tools and confidence to have the kind of birthing experience I really wanted - natural, drugfree, exhilarating, thorougjly satisfying.  My girl was born with waters still intact, after an 8 hour labour, most of which we spent at home.  She was born in the shower, where I was kneeling with my elbows on a swiss ball, my arms straight and hands holding onto a grab bar on the wall.  In all, I spent 20 mins of the labour on the bed.  The whole experience just blew me away, and the recovery has gone extremely well.  Your classes played an important part in making us feel empowered to be clear and firm about what we wanted, which the hospital staff respected.  In fact, they seemed to quite enjoy the experience.

Thank you for helping my dream come true".

- Gynette

" I just wanted to let you know that at 40 weeks on my last day of active birth classes with you, I went into labour a few hours later!  It was a great experience, drug-free and all natural.  I felt very empowered by my classes and teachings through yogababy. Many breathing and visualisation techniques came into play during my 10 hour journey.  Many thanks to Lisa  and Suzanne and fellow classmates/moms-to-be!"

- Erin

"The birth was great, the best experience ever, 9 hours and full on.  Very active and I used the yoga advice and positioning, and intuitiion of course, throughout, didnt need any pain relief.  Thanks for everything that you taught me through the classes, it was invaluable to get me through it so well".

- Gretchen

"Thanks so much for your guidance and help throughout my pregnancy.  My partner and I found many of the postures and breathing we learned at the Active Birth workshop to be really useful and our labour went really smoothly"

- Charnie

"Thank you so much for all your guidance and support during my pregnancy.  The affirmation that I chose on my last class"trust birth" was my mantra during my labour and I buried this affirmation with mys sons cord stump with his avocado tree we planted for him".

- Kelly

"I never thought I would be one to say this but it was actually a good labour!  Although I'd been experiencing cramps for 1-2 weeks, once regular contractions started they were 10 minutes apart and my boy was born less than 3 hours later.  I basically stayed in the shower until things started to feel a bit "pushy" and then got onto the bed on all fours and out he came.

So a big thanks for your classes, advice and the birth stories all of which I think helped greatly.  I also had a great midwife who never mentioned "drugs" or "pain relief" and whose only advice whenever I asked if I was doing the right thing was "just do what your body is telling you".  My obstetrician is also pretty laid back though she only arrived when he was crowning"

- Jenny

" I just wanted to write a quick note to say how wonderful I found your Active Birth classes to be.  I began attending when 14 weeks pregnant and continued up until 38 weeks and I found the classes to be my little oasis of peace in otherwise very hectic weeks whilst I was working.  Not only do they provide a wealth of information for the first time expectant mother (I had no clue about anything when I first attended) but they also provided a really lovely, supportive atmosphere with a lot of laughs.  i will really miss the classes and sincerely thank you for your patience, knowledge and humor."

- Allison

"I cannot thank you personally enough Suzanne for the advise, education, techniques, support and nurturing of my mind and soul throughout my weekly yogababy classes.  I loved attending and spending the 'me' time in your classes and I know it is through your preparation that I was able to draw upon my inner strength and determination to get through the birth without intervention"

- Ellissa

"Last week I attended my last Mummy and Me yoga class with Haydie at Annerley.  I've been going to classes since my daughter was about eight weeks old (she will be one in April).  I also did Mummy and Me with my son in 2005 and Active Birth yoga through both my pregnancies.  I cannot describe how valuable the the Active Birth classes were in helping me to achieve two natural and empowering births and I only wish that more women were given this sort of information during their pregnancies.  I just wanted to say thank you and let you know I have enjoyed and valued all of my yogababy experiences."

- Kylie Feb, 2008

" I wanted to thank you for helping me through my second pregnancy and bringing the sound of music into our birth.  I decided to give yoga classes a go after my first pregnancy turned into a giant medical intervention: inducement, pain relief medication, followed by weeks on antibiotics.  My body reacted to the concoction and I was unwell for months.  The combination of Mum and toddler classes, second trimester and active birth yoga classes were worth every cent and then some.  I ended up labouring using the deep yogic breathing and humming/singing on each deep exhale.   It was an amazing experience and I cannot thank you enough for offering such a complete package for women eager to birth naturally."

- Debra

 
 "I wanted to say how much the classes contributed to me having a labour that I felt in control of, with no pain relief.  It was extremely painful but the techniques you taught helped me cope with it. Not bad for a control-freak doctor, heh!  It was how I wanted the labour to be but I wasn't sure I would be able to do it like that with my medical background. Classes like yours should be compulsory for pregnant women, I think, or at least the most important component of antenatal classes".

- Vanessa

"I had the most spectacular birthing experience and I do owe it all to my Active Birth Yoga teacher.  All I could think of during the labour was her saying to me "Loose lips, loose bits".  So thank you".

- Jasmin

 "Yoga for Pregnancy class was the most wonderful way to prepare both body and mind for the birth. All aspects of the class (yoga and the sharing of other women’s birth experiences) helped give me the confidence and strength to experience an Active Birth.” - Ainslie

"Thank you for instructing me in 2nd Trimester and Active Birth Yoga during my pregnancy with Jack.  I felt well prepared for the birth experience because of the wisdom you lovingly imparted during classes; during the three-day labour I was instinctively calm and relaxed from what I had learnt with you and I feel more connected with my son through the exercises you taught.  I believe Jack is a happier and healthier baby on account of yogababy and we are so grateful for you." - Lisa

"Each week I feel more and more prepared for my baby's birth.  I've always been of the opinion that birthing requires preparation, which is why I joined yogababy, and so far its met all my expectations and more.  You have really helped with my birthing plan and my awareness of my body during labour.  I wouldn't have thought of any of this on my own!  I now feel comfortable that I can take control of my birth, allowing it to be a positive experience.  The other ladies are wonderful and its nice to compare notes!" - Jess