“Before doing the birthwell birthright course with Tanya the thought of labour and delivery made me quite nervous and anxious. A lot of that came down to fear of the unknown, fear or pain and fear of complications. As a single mum I was also unsure if I was emotionally capable to handle it.

That all changed after completing the classes with Tanya. It was the biggest game changer!! I went from fear to excitement! Tanya provided more information and practical knowledge then you would ever get at a hospital birth class (I did one and it was almost a waste of time). She helped me see this amazing experience of giving birth is what I am designed for as a woman. She helped me have faith in my body and put me in a completely different headspace, one that eliminated all the fear.

My labour and birth was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had and I’d do it all again in a second. I had an exceptionally long pre labour, and a long active labour with 2 hours of pushing. But not once did I feel I couldn’t cope. I knew what my body was doing and I knew to give in to the waves of contractions. I was exhausted but I knew my body and mind was up for it. I had no pain relief and no tearing. Baby was healthy and I was out of hospital the next day!

I one hundred percent owe it to birthwell birthright. It was invaluable. Without doing this course and without Tanya’s beautiful positive encouragement and coping strategies for birth I don’t know where I’d have ended up. I very strongly believe in minimal intervention and doing things naturally when possible.

The other thing I loved about the course was seeing other people’s positive birth experiences. Too often people share their bad birth stories, so much so that it is what people come to expect- ‘the pain!’, ‘the tearing!’, ‘the terror!’. Positive birth experiences happen and they should be celebrated, not for bragging rights but to encourage other women to have faith in their bodies and to give them confidence to have a natural, safe and beautiful birth as well. It is so, so worth it for mum and baby alike.”

Denise and baby Fred, South Yarra