We just wanted to write you and say thank you for such educational and informative birthing classes! We had our baby girl last week and thanks to you we felt empowered and calm and in control throughout our birthing experience, and were able to do it naturally as we had hoped. I ended up laboring at home for 2 days because we kept waiting for contractions to get to 4-1-1, but while they were extremely intense they never sustained that frequency. At home I was on the birthing ball, in the shower, and we used some of the counter pressure techniques and affirmations we had talked about. When we finally went to the hospital in the middle of the night after my bloody show we were shocked and relieved to find out that I was already 9cm! The nurses laughed at me bc I was smiling at 9cm being wheeled into the delivery room. From there things went quickly and smoothly and our discussions in class gave me the confidence to say no to medicines and to understand how to push, even when things got scary and her heart rate was dropping. We ended up with a healthy baby girl and a positive birthing experience and I truly believe we would not have had the confidence or knowledge to do so if it weren’t for your classes!
So thank you!!!!!!!
- Carolyn and Dan K.
So thank you!!!!!!!
- Carolyn and Dan K.
It really was a joy to be in the class, Brittany. Thanks to you and all of the couples for your funny, insightful and thought-provoking questions and comments. We both agreed that we are sad to have come to the end of the classes already! - Kathleen and Brady C. I could spend hours singing Brittany's praises! Choosing her as our doula was one of the best decisions we've made. Her expertise, tireless encouragement, and soothing presence made the experience of the birth of my son just wonderful.
- Katie T. |
After taking your class I knew what my preferences were and I felt knowledgeable enough that I could express them and have a discussion about their feasibility with my care providers.
In the class, I thought you presented useful information in an encouraging way, and without being judgmental of our potential decisions. This helped us a lot in managing our own expectations, and being informed, so that even when the unexpected happened, we could re-assess and still make decisions as confidently as possible. Thank you very much Brittany! - Carol H. |
"I just wanted to touch base with you. So many of the things we learned in your class helped during my delivery. And though I certainly didn't truly feel prepared for labor, (because really how can you be prepared for your first time?!?) taking your class was very helpful in knowing what to expect and how to attempt to manage things. I would have had a much different experience if I had not taken it."
- Meg and Ashley S.
- Meg and Ashley S.
I wanted to thank you for these past three weeks, the classes were terrific and very helpful. You are extremely knowledgeable and your upbeat energy is great!
- Alexis Y. Hi Brittany,
Sean and I can't thank you enough for the recent private class in our home a few weeks ago. That Thursday was a long, tiring, and difficult day having just arrived home from the unsuccessful ECV procedure at the hospital. Your arrival a few hours later when we were just starting to wrestle with the idea of a c-section was a huge comfort. We could not have timed a better series of events if we had been able to plan them. The information you shared with us helped us to shift gears from our original hopes of a natural birth to the increased likelihood of a c-section. You shared much helpful information setting us up for more reading and immediate follow up with our midwife the next morning during our weekly appointment at Pennsy. Our time with you over those few hours helped us quickly adjust our focus, reconsider and reevaluate our expectations and emotionally prepare for a different labor and delivery. We have not stopped hoping for and working toward a natural birth but we are much better prepared for whatever our little lady's birth story turns out to be. Thank you, Margaret O. We don't know what we would have done without Brittany. We weren't even sure we needed a doula, but we were so glad to have her as part of our birth team. I can honestly say I don't know what I would have done without her. Our pre-birth meetings were so helpful. We came to feel like she was a good friend. She was always on call if I had a concern or panic. It was nice to talk to her when I was having a rough day, and she was full of useful tips
and good advice, or calming words. On the scene at the hospital she seemed tireless, knew just what to say and do, helped me greatly with physical comfort and helped coach my husband in his supporting role. When unexpected complications arose, she had invaluable information and knowledge to guide us through decision making. She was intuitive, unconditionally supportive, and very sensitive to giving us the space and privacy to make our own decisions. I don't know how I would have managed without her. Her support after the birth was fantastic, both in the immediate time afterwards in the hospital and on visits to our home in the weeks after. She's given me great guidance and support on self care, breast feeding and handling a newborn. And in the months since, I still feel she is there for us, in her new mom's group and by phone and e-mail. Brittany is a lovely person, and I feel so lucky to have found her! - Andrea S. The decisions of when, where, and how to give birth are some of the most important of a lifetime. Choosing Brittany as our doula was one of the best choices we've ever made - and one i'll never forget. We originally found her via word-of-mouth, and loved her website. Upon meeting her, we were surprised by her youth but also impressed by her wealth of knowledge and experience. She is truly an 'old soul'....
My husband and I decided to take Brittany's Childbirth Preparation Classes in the months leading up to our due date. They were, by far, the most valuable source of information that we accessed. No book could ever compare. Advice from inlaws, parents, friends, and strangers was plentiful, but Brittany's well-researched courses gave us the most tangible grip on our impending parenthood. She covered every base - nutrition, exercise, the physiology of the actual birth, relaxation, breathing, you name it. Looking back, the money that we spent on those classes was the best tool we gave ourselves in preparation. The birth itself was other-worldly. For first-time parents like us, having a trusted resource like Brittany by our side was so important. She attended to every need and anticipated every desire. From providing emotional support to both me and my husband, to just being there to snap pictures of those incredible first moments - Brittany was like our newborn son's guardian angel. And in the crucial first days and weeks of his life, she went above and beyond the call of duty - answering every phone call and little question, whether it was breastfeeding, burping, sleeping, diapering...... I truly feel grateful that there are people like Brittany in this world. Her dedication to her profession is unparalleled. And in a few year's time (but not too soon!) we look forward to utilizing her services again. -Justin and Jessica C. |
I attended a birth with Brittany recently and was impressed by her knowledge and complete support of the birthing mother and father; Brittany's calm, grounded and loving presence was a welcome addition to a wonderful team of caregivers. I would happily recommend her to any of my midwifery clients for classes or doula support.
- Karen Webster, WomanWise Midwifery "It was so great to meet you and learn as much as we did in six short weeks. Although we know we will never be fully prepared, both Joe and I are really happy we decided to take your classes. We definitely have a peace of mind that was not there before. I can honestly say you were one of the most positive and self-empowering people we have encountered along this 10 month journey. I hope our paths cross again in the future and I truly thank you for all the information and experiences you passed along to us."
- Meghan and Joe P. Thank you so much for hosting a great class. It was incredibly informative and it was great to feel supported by you and the rest of the class. You are a great help and friendly resource for all of us new parents!
- Ali and Dwight P. Thank you so much for all the extra information. I will definitely be looking at all of the links and videos over the course of this week. And thanks again for an amazing class. It really made me feel more prepared and informed, and I feel confident going into the hospital knowing what to say and do that will be best for me and the baby. I will recommend your class to anyone I know locally who gets pregnant!
- Stevie F. Of the many decisions that were involved in planning the birth of our daughter, Naia, hiring Brittany as our birth doula is one that and I initially enrolled in Brittany’s Blossoming Bellies birth class, and found her to be warm and engaging as well as professional and thoroughly on top of her subject matter. Even though we hadn’t seriously considered hiring a doula at the outset of the pregnancy, we both independently came up with the suggestion that we hire Brittany as our birth doula, and I am so grateful and happy that we did.
Brittany was supportive and available during the birth classes and continued to be so as our doula. I decided that I wanted a natural childbirth, but since the established medical community considered me a “high risk” pregnancy at 40 years old, we chose to have a hospital birth should intervention become necessary. Brittany was a wonderful advocate and calming presence in the delivery room. The delivery room midwife and doctor were demanding and impatient, and Brittany served as a grounding and reassuring presence for me and Eric while persistently but respectfully steering the hospital staff back to our birth plan wishes. She made us feel supported in the decisions that we made, and was central in making our baby’s birth experience an empowering and beautiful one. It was like having my best girlfriend there with me – my best girlfriend who also happened to be an expert in all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. She is clearly doing what she loves to do, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her for anyone who is considering engaging the services of a birth doula. - Jill D. Thanks so much for such a great class. Mike and I really enjoyed it and felt that we learned a lot. I also felt really comfortable asking questions and I think creating that type of environment is really important. It is obvious that you have a gift and passion for this type of education and that totally comes through in your class.
- Lily F. Thanks again for the great class. We'd been dragging our feet on childbirth education, not wanting to subject ourselves to the medical industry any more than necessary, and I'm SO glad we wound up in your class. You've got a really perfect balance of informative, non-judgemental and straightforward.
- Kate R. Thanks for a great class. We so appreciate the energy, intelligence & positivity you poured out. Really, well done! We are that much more prepared for a great birth because of you.
- Joanne and Randy P. Thank you for the email and for the great information over the past few weeks. Your approaches to the birth and breastfeeding classes were open-minded and extremely informative. Thanks again!
- Annie Z. |