Liana, Mother of Camilla Valentine

After the traumatic birth of my second child which ended in an emergency c-section, a good friend (which also happens to be one of Krista’s dear friends) said ‘You should definitely use Krista next time you have a baby!’

I toyed with the idea of using a doula when I was pregnant with my 3rd child but didn’t follow through until late in my pregnancy when I started having doubts about being able to have a VBAC. I called Krista to see if she could support myself & my husband Crosby in my third trimester. Thankfully the universe was on our side & Krista was available to be our doula.

Krista made me feel at ease & gave me the confidence again to believe I could birth the way I wanted. Krista was a wealth of knowledge & lent me books & sent me information to read & podcasts to listen to. She came to my obstetrician appointments & was there to ask the questions that I didn’t & to support me.

As I had gestational diabetes this pregnancy I was going to be induced at 38 weeks. We went to the hospital 3 times with Krista. Each time our precious girls head remained balotable & not engaged. There was a high risk that if my waters were ruptured there could be a cord prolapse & starve our baby of oxygen. After some tears & talking it through with Crosby & Krista we made the informed decision to have a c-section.

As I had suffered from birth trauma with my second child we were extremely lucky that the hospital made an exception for Krista to be able to be in theatre with us. My c-section, or what I will now call my belly birth, was calm & healing. I was able to have delayed cord clamping & skin to skin with our baby girl. Even though it wasn’t the birth that I had envisaged, I felt held, loved & supported by Krista. And I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Krista also looked after me during the postpartum period. She visited our home twice & bought delicious, warming & nourishing food & a gorgeous hamper filled with treats for myself & our baby girl. It was so nice to feel nurtured & looked after.

Krista is such a gentle yet strong soul, & I feel so grateful that she was able to be our doula & part of one the most important & special times in our lives. I feel lucky to have met Krista as my doula & to now call her my friend.