Having Amanda's support before, during and after birth has made the whole experience smoother and so much more enjoyable.
This was my second pregnancy and after having a c-section with my first which left me with PTSD, I felt a bit fearful. Amanda helped me create a birth plan and asked questions I had never thought of to help me put on paper what I wanted to happen during the labour and birth. Her thorough approach really helped me psychologically prepare for the process.
When my labour began, she came to our home and supported me though contractions, made me food that I actually felt like eating and encouraged my husband to get some sleep before we had to head to the hospital. Having Amanda there made me feel calm and in control; her questions and suggestions helped me to get in tune with my body and choose what worked best for me during labour. She had a seemly endless supply of coping mechanisms to suggest!
Amanda helped us determine when was the best time to head to the hospital and when we got there she encouraged us to ask questions of the hospital staff to ensure we were always in charge of our care.
When we ended up opting for a repeat c-section, Amanda gave us the support we needed and validated our decision. She was able to come in to the operating room with us and helped us through the process - somehow she even found time to take the photos we wanted!
After the birth, Amanda came to our home and cooked, cleaned and took care of our older daughter. A few times in the postpartum period, I called her in tears and she always made time to listen to me, validate my feelings and suggest how I could cope.
Amanda feels like a part of our family. Our kids love her and my husband and I know we would be drowning in laundry without her help. Having Amanda's support made it possible for us to focus on our new baby and enjoy the first weeks to the fullest! read more