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What past childbirth students have said:

"We have learned so much in your class.  You are a great teacher.  I hope your future students learn as much as we did"

"Very informative.  I feel more comfortable about labor and delivery now"

"Class was great! We learned a lot"

" It was great having interaction and having my husband involved in the learning and "doing" process.  The knowledge we gained today should help us through meeting our baby."

"This class was very informative.   The "hands'on" is great!"

"Great class :-) Learned a lot"

"Very informative.  We learned a lot more than we had anticipted to learn."

 

 
 

Do you have any comments? Please send us an e-mail at:

alovingembrace@hotmail.com

 
 
A Loving Embrace
Testimonials
 
 
 

Comments written by some of my doula clients-

"Thank you so much for everything you have done.  I would not have been able to stay clam through the contractions if you weren't there to tell me to relax :-)"- M.G. New mommy- 1st baby

"Tracy was a big help.  We enjoyed the labor process and will certainly have her around for our next child." - L.P.  New mommy- 1st baby

"Great Job!  We were so happy to have your help!" - J.B. New mommy- 2nd baby

"It was night/day for me to have you here compared to last time.  Made it so much better for me and I have such fond memories b/c of your help!  Thanks a million." -L.B. New Daddy- 2nd baby

"She was very supportive and helpful of both patient and husband" - Nurse

"Very supportive of patients' choices, positive." - OB/GYN

"After an unsatisfactory birth experience with my oldest, my husband and I decided to hire a doula for our second birth. We were hoping to have a natural birth but didn't feel prepared to do that with just the two of us.

I was completely comfortable with Tracy from our first meeting. She was easy to talk to and be around but I could tell she had enough backbone to stand up for me at the hospital if that's what we needed. She was extremely supportive and helpful during a long month of regular false labors before our baby came. She supplied us with information and emotional support... not to mention the two nights she stayed up with us before the labor pains stalled.

When our real labor finally started it was very fast and intense. Having Tracy there made such a difference for my husband and I both. She was able to guide him with suggestions and be a support for him as he worked with me. At the same time she was able to read my reaction to the birth pains very well. She was able to remind me of all my relaxation techniques so I didn't have to think about it. I could just listen to her and do what she suggested which was definitely what I needed! I am proud to say I had a medication-free childbirth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl! I would hire Tracy in heartbeat if we were to become pregnant again!"- Janel- 2nd time mommy

Since I wanted to experience childbirth without medication, a friend recommended we seek the services of a doula. I knew my husband would give me all the emotional support I needed during labor, but I feared that his desire to protect me would get in the way when it came time to coach me through the contractions. So, after doing some research, we realized that having a doula by our side during this important time in our lives would provide us with the knowledge and support needed.

After meeting Tracy in person, we knew she was the right doula for us. During our meetings, she answered all our questions, gave us thorough explanations of medical procedures, told us what we could expect when the contractions began and made herself available 24-7 to address any additional questions or concerns that may come up.

My contractions began ten days before my due date, so we immediately called Tracy. She arrived at the hospital shortly after I was admitted. She came fully prepared with all the labor essentials at hand – ready for the many sleepless hours that lay ahead.

With Tracy’s help, I labored stress-free and without medication – just as I wanted. I reached nine centimeters, beautifully and within a reasonable time. Whenever I hit a rough patch, Tracy kept me focused on my mental beach scene. Her breathing techniques and help with changing positions, kept me comfortable and helped the baby descend naturally toward the birth canal. However, as Tracy mentioned to us during one of our meetings, the course toward childbirth can change direction in the blink of an eye and my experience was not the exception. My childbirth path took a series of detours. I went from an un-medicated labor, to IV drugs, an epidural, a pushing session and finally, a C-section. The only thing that remained constant was Tracy. She never swayed in providing unconditional support to my husband and I, at every turn. When we were informed that I required a C-section, Tracy explained what to expect and gave us great comfort.

My childbirth experience didn’t go as I had envisioned, but if I had to live it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing and I know it’s all because of Tracy. She helped us feel confident, calm and supported, which is exactly what we hoped for in a doula. In the end, we had a healthy baby boy in our arms and a very memorable birth experience. We cannot thank her enough for that! - Heidi- 1st time Mommy

We hired Tracy as our Doula for our baby born in May 2008. This was my first pregnancy and I had no family close by. We felt comfortable with Tracy from the first time we met her. She does not have a personal agenda to push, she really supports the parents in having the birth experience they want. We met with Tracy several times before the delivery and even though I am a pediatrician and had a lot of medical knowledge, Tracy's practical advice was very helpful. For example, she let me borrow a book on breastfeeding before the birth and I was so glad I had read it because the knowledge helped me out a lot when I had feeding difficulties in the first 2 weeks. When I went in for my 41 week visit, I was told my I had an amniotic fluid leak and had to be admitted immediately for induction. I called Tracy on the way over not expecting to see her for a while since she lived an hour away and it was rush hour but she came very quickly. She helped me stay active to get the baby in the right position despite the difficulties of being attached to a lot of monitors, IV's... She was also very helpful to my husband who does not have a medical background. I did not worry about having to explain things to him since I knew she was there. She helped us stay focused on the important things. She stayed with us throughout the whole labor and delivery and several hours afterwards. She was probably with us for about 20 hours! She also visited us a few days after the delivery and helped us "debrief." She is truly committed to her work and we would highly recommend her. When she worked with us, we were her third couple to deliver so she was still fairly new at her work. She was great then so I can only imagine that she is even better now!- Meredith- 1st time Mommy