Thank you for giving me the confidence to navigate that journey. I was terrified and clueless about birth before doing the Active Birth Classes. I went into the experience however feeling empowered and knowledgeable and I believe that is what allowed me to labour for so long at home.
Read MoreI still can't believe I was able to have the birth I wanted and an absolutely incredible experience. I am so grateful to you for your knowledge and experience. I remembered our lessons from our Private Couple Sessions on the day and had an incredible birthing experience with no trauma, something I didn't think was possible. I can't thank you enough for what you have enabled me to do.
Read More“I knew she was there and she just melted into the action, whispering in my ear, reminding me at every turn how strong I was and simply that I could do it.” A new mother speaking of her doula. Women helping women give birth is an ancient practice that is still widespread today.
Read MoreYour workshop filled us with knowledge and confidence, and with our very supportive midwife we felt empowered to make decisions along the way. We both feel like we gave it all our best shot and did what we needed to when it was needed. A really positive experience over all. Despite, and I think even because of, the intensity of the contractions due to the Synto, I feel powerful, like I could do just about anything now! So thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom with the world!
Read MoreSo you’ve covered pregnancy in your teacher training course, or maybe you’ve even been pregnant before, but can you remember what to say in the 5 minutes you have with her before class begins?
This is especially important if your pregnant student is under 14 weeks or over 36 weeks. Here's a refresher on some key points to remember:
Read MoreI was in labour for about 20 intense hours and I strongly believe, that the skills learned in the Online Active Birth Skills course. enabled me to have a natural birth that was a thoroughly positive experience. The exercises, classes and information provided made me feel like I could approach my delivery with confidence and calm. I’m sure this attitude and preparation was so incredibly important for my positive birth experience. The course also really helped me understand what was happening to my body and my baby at all times during the process.
Read MoreNothing I read or anything anyone told me could have prepared me for birth, it was short but intense. Thanks again for all the yoga classes and breathing. Like so many people said you’ll do all this preparation but it just depends on the day! Georgina is doing really well and we’re over the moon. I didn’t think it was possible to love a tiny human as much.
Read MoreThings moved really quickly after the induction at 7pm and by 10pm my contractions had well and truly started. Our beautiful son, Frederick (Freddie) arrived at 2:50am without the need for my waters to be broken or an Oxytocin injection and by the time I thought the pain might be too much it was too late for an epidural. Everything happened quickly but naturally (other than the induction to kick things off). I'm so grateful and wouldn't have wanted it to go any other way.
Read MoreThat one class I did helped so much! I used my horse lips to get me thru to deliver naturally with no intervention or drugs.
Read MoreI remembered something Suzanne said in active birth yoga class ‘lean on your supports’ and I think this big group of supporters was exactly what I needed for this birth.
I feel like this confidence definitely came from my yoga classes and listening to Suzanne’s yoga meditations during pregnancy. My midwife and the midwifery student stayed after their shift finished to be there for the birth of my baby Julie, so she arrived in a room full of people smiling and excited to see her (like her own personal cheer squad!)
Read MoreMy husband was right there with me squeezing my lower back and shimmying my back with a scarf. After a few intense and long contractions, I felt the need to push and I was up on all fours before I knew it. Delivery was super quick and my waters broke dramatically on his way out. I may have roared a few times but it felt wonderful.
Read MoreThanks for having us back at your Active Birth Workshop for baby #2. It was so wonderful to just breathe, surrender, and embrace the moment without panic or fear. Two hours of spontaneous drug-free labour, and just 9 minutes of pushing. We were in hospital all of 8 hours in total (the birth centre have such a wonderful discharge policy).
Read MoreThe benefits of being upright include a reduction in the length of pushing time as gravity can help bring the baby, there is better supply of oxygen to the baby, the baby can get in a better position and less pressure on the pelvic floor. In the active birth classes we practice the positions that widen your pelvis.
Read MoreWe all have the capacity to visualise. Did you know that conjuring up an image of your baby during labour can help you remember what the powerful sensations your experiencing are all about. Try this visualisation practice during your pregnancy to help create a deeper bond with your baby.
Read MoreMidwives know that when a labouring woman feels safe, private and unobserved she will move unrestrictedly, make sounds uninhibitedly and will more closely follow her instincts. Making sounds during labour helps you to shift your consciousness into a deeper, calmer state of mind thus optimising your birthing hormones helping you labour more efficiently. There is also a physiological connection between the vocal cords and cervix.
Read MoreI would like to thank you for running the yogababy classes and for keeping on doing so during these strange times of self-isolation. It was very important for me to still be able to do it from home. I am sure the only reason why my pregnancy was so easy and delivery was fast (according to the midwife, my impression: it was way too long:) is due to yoga classes. I tried my best to use some of the yoga practices during labour and it helped to progress it. Our baby girl Emily arrived on term without any artificial stimulants.
Read MoreAs things were moving along, my partner and I used postures and acupressure points we learned at the Active Birthing workshop. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to really appreciate our birth plan because it all happened so fast, but I am so thankful that we used what we learned. My partner swayed my hips and it was the most grounding thing anyone could have done for me and it really alleviated the pain.
We arrived at the hospital at maybe 9:50am, I was wheeled through the corridors on a bed up to the maternity suite. Our private midwife had organised for the bath to be run in advance and I immersed myself immediately. Within just a few minutes, my son was born!!
Read MoreI had my baby Eva on her due date! and the labour went great! I had a natural birth and used the vocalisation and breathing from your Active Birth yoga classes. I had no stitches and she was 3.5kgs (and she’s perfect!).
My water broke and my contractions started soon after, my partner came and picked me up and we went to the hospital (I expected to be sent back home). When we got there and I was checked out the midwife told me I was in active labour! As the contractions got stronger my partner would breathe with me through the pain and when the pain grew stronger I started to make low pitched sounds (like from class) which really helped me with the pain!
Read MoreWhile the delivery didn’t quite go as planned (the active birthing spontaneous vaginal delivery I had pictured in my mind) we did end up having the most perfect birth in the end. We ended up having a c-section and were 41+1 but it was so calm and enjoyable. My obstetrician, midwife, anesthetist, and pediatrician all supported our wishes for an active birth and worked together seamlessly. From a completely pain-free epidural, photos capturing the entire procedure/birth, delayed cord clamping, immediate skin to skin and a pain-free recovery post-c-section, it all went better than I could have ever imagined. I put a lot of it down to the physical and mental preparation that you supported us to develop.
Read MoreThe Calm Birth course my partner Brandon and I did in August with Suzanne Swan was such an amazing course, it gave us all the tools we needed and was quite honestly the best thing we did to prepare for the birth of our little boy! As luck would have it, on the day my midwife couldn't make it so we were able to use the birth plan we'd written up for our stand-in midwife. I ended up having a beautiful, empowering waterbirth
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