Introducing some of the newest members of our Ideal Birth family ...
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
We cannot recommend Cheryl enough!!! This was our first baby and we had no idea what we were in for. Right from the start, Cheryl recommended I apply for birth centre - which meant I ended up getting (I think) the best support and care throughout my pregnancy and an amazing team of midwives. If it wasn't for Cheryl, I never would have known this type of care was available. We felt so much more confident going into the birth having someone as experienced as Cheryl with us. Being well informed and having that support meant we got the birth we were hoping for, and were left with the most amazing experience. My early labour was also long and irregular - I would have been so out of my depth if I didn't have Cheryl there for advice and support during this time. We are so grateful to have had her with us during our pregnancy and highly recommend her services to anyone looking for that positive birth experience!!
I found Cheryl late into my pregnancy and I’m so glad I did. My hope was to have a VBAC for my second birth, however I was finding navigating the public hospital system on my own to be suffocating. I felt my confidence to make decisions that I believed would bring positive outcomes for my baby and myself diminishing.
Cheryl provided us with practical guidance and support, with evidence-based research on topics that were the focus of my pregnancy, including big babies and mal-positioning, and additional reading on the physiological process of labour, which I found to be critical to my preparation. Meeting with Cheryl and discussing our first baby’s birth, and then confirming what we’d like my ideal birth to be this time supported me to prepare my body and mind and feel confident that my intention for a VBAC was achievable.
Having Cheryl at my birth gave me confidence that I would have support in the room to ensure I was guided in the direction that was right for my baby and me, based on the preparation I’d done, and appropriate to the way my birth was unfolding. There were times in the labour where I very much thought things were going to go in a different direction and Cheryl coached me through those moments, bringing me back to focus. Cheryl believed in me in the moments I couldn’t believe in myself. I only had my partner at my first birth, and while he did an excellent job navigating that difficult and long labour as my sole support, having him as well as Cheryl at my second birth was exceptional. They’re two very different roles.
I was able to deliver my ‘large baby’ via VBAC, with some intervention that I felt part of the decision-making process for. I’m thrilled I did it. I don’t believe I would have achieved a VBAC birth without Cheryl’s support in the lead up to and on the day at my labour.
I wanted to set myself up so that on the other side of my birth, when reflecting on my how things went, I would be confident in knowing I’d done everything I could to ensure I’d given this birth my best shot, as opposed to second guessing and wondering what if for months like I did after my first birth. It feels good now thinking back on it all and having such positive reflection on the experience. Cheryl is a mentor, a non-judgemental, friendly, informed expert on birth. I can’t believe how lucky I was to find her.
Cheryl is worth her weight in gold! She’s like that super nice caring mum everyone wishes they had, but one that knows everything there is to know about having a baby. She was not only a huge help for my wife throughout the pregnancy and labour, but she was also great for me to have the extra support, particularly in those crisis moments and when you need to make a quick decision under pressure in labour. She helped my wife have a natural birth with no intervention and no pain relief, and there’s no way that would have happened if we didn’t have her there. We highly recommend Cheryl.
I cannot recommend Cheryl enough. Cheryl is full of great advice, warmth, worthwhile connections and referrals and best of all supported me to achieve my ideal birth outcome. Cheryl is open minded, while still providing guidance on best practice. Throughout my entire pregnancy and post birth, Cheryl remained in constant contact and even made us home cooked lasagnes after birth. Cheryl consistently went above and beyond. Her service was and still is impeccable and I can genuinely say the best thing we ever did is ask for Cheryl to be our doula for our pregnancy. THANK YOU!
I had my second child with Cheryl at the beginning of the year. Even though it was three years later, it felt like no time had passed when Cheryl walked into our house for our first meeting. She is just fantastic. If you are at all considering a Doula, then Cheryl is the best of the best.
My birth was wonderful, and I felt supported even though it was an induced labour. Cheryl made a tangible difference to the baby's health and well-being, helping me be confident enough and strong enough to continue through contractions when I thought that maybe I would need some additional pain relief. Now I am all for pain relief; however, I also birth quite fast. Cheryl knew me, knew how I birth and worked with me to get through the peak point when the baby turned. A couple of contractions made all the difference, and I gave birth within 30 minutes of my most challenging moment. Had I taken the pain medication I was being offered, there could have been dire consequences for the baby.
There is no one way to give birth, but having a supportive person who links into who you are and works with you to focus your energy and mind in the birthing suite is always an asset. Both my births were fantastic, and I owe a great debt to Cheryl for that.
On advice from some friends, we decided quite late in my pregnancy to engage a doula and after chatting to a few, we decided to proceed with Cheryl from Ideal Birth and I am forever grateful we did! Cheryl's approach is informed by research, supportive and she is so knowledgeable about all facets of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. She took the time to get to know my partner and I and truly understand what we were hoping for as well as our concerns and as a result, my birth left me feeling empowered, safe, well cared for and was pretty close to the ideal birth (pun intended!) despite some early curve balls. Cheryl's advice during pregnancy and postpartum was invaluable and we are sure that if it wasn't for Cheryl, we would have had a very different birthing and postpartum experience.
I would definitely recommend doulas generally and Cheryl in particular to anyone expecting who understands the value of an empowering and positive birth experience.
“ Cheryl was a great support and always full of useful information and supplied us with reading materials, CD’s, DVD’s and books so we were fully informed of the stages of labour, comforting positions, pain relief choices if we needed them, breathing techniques, relaxation techniques etc etc.
By the time my baby was due I felt very confident that I could labour successfully and handle anything that was thrown our way. ”
Melissa
Give yourself the best chance of a positive birth in a hospital setting. A new book by one of Australias leading doulas, Cheryl Sheriff.
Sharing wisdom from her 30 years experience as a midwife and doula, and her presence at over 1000 hospital births.
After reading this book you will have more direction, and feel confident, excited and less daunted by the experiences to come.
