“Yes Mrs Heli you can’t imagine how much you helped me with your book “Confident Birth”. I bought it at the only 2015 “birthvoice” gathering that I could attend. I didn’t know you were invited…. your book was one of the things I wanted with me when I giving birth. I knew and I could recognize my Fear. I had a quick natural birth at a hospital. It is my second child. The previous birth was completely different. It didn’t start by its own pace but it was a labor with appointment…. epidural but no caesarean. This delivery is the best thing I have experienced so far in my life. I feel it’s healing effect even now!!!! It was just what I wished-dreamed. I think I healed many of the wounds – traumas of the past. I Feel my Feminine power, which I scarcely knew it was there. Thank you!!!”

/Midwife

“I have attended both NCT and Hypnobirthing courses but Birth Without Fear was by far the best! NCT is great from a social aspect and for that I would recommend it. In terms of actual labour however and how to cope it does not cover the depth that Birth Without Fear does.

From the session I understood that there were many areas where I went wrong in my first labour, which lead to it being a long, drawn out and for me quite traumatic event. The main thing I have learnt from the course that I was in fact in fight/flight mode for all of my labour. Instead of letting the contraction do it’s work I was fighting each one. Which in turn slowed them down. I didn’t understand at the time (which I learnt from the course) is that the contraction is there to help bring you closer to giving birth, to help bring the baby down further. A simple concept that I had just not understood.

I felt that the information provided was factual and as opposed to Hypnobirthing where I felt the over all message was that it’s wasn’t painful – birth is painful. However Birth Without Fear gives you the tools to cope and manage the pain!

Emilie was outstanding in her delivery of the course, she’s to the point, kept all information relevant and engaging. I couldn’t recommend Emilie highly enough as an instructor. Anyone who is fearful of birth, or has had a rough time in their previous labour would do really well to give this a go – nothing to lose and everything to gain! I was worried that a 4 hour sesion would be too long and that I would lose concentration. This was not the case as the way Emilie delivered all content kept me interested the whole way through. Time flew by!

Thank you so much Emilie.”

/Isabella

“Thank you so much for today Emilie. It really helped a lot and has made me feel very optimistic about labour- and actually very aware of how privileged and lucky I am to go through it! Ed loved it too as he likes to feel helpful so it’s given him a good direction in how to help me. Very much looking forward to introducing you to little Tangerine when he arrives! Thank you for everything. Love Jess and Ed xx
Jess, Feb 2020.“

/Jess and Ed

“With Emilie’s guidance and expertise surrounding the Birth Without Fear method, I was able to go into labour with a huge amount of positivity. Understanding that I already possessed all of the tools I needed to give birth helped to eliminate any fears I may have had, and the inclusion of my partner Gerard in the process made me feel confident that we were going into it as a strong team. Birth is an incredible process and our capabilities are truly amazing.“

/Harriet

”It cannot be overstated how essential the principles of the Birth Without Fear system are to being the best support you can be for your partner. Trying to understand what they are experiencing and implementing the techniques outlined in the book, can turn a potentially very daunting and overwhelming experience into a manageable and even enjoyable one.”

/Gerard (Birth Partner)

”I was first introduced to Birth Without Fear antenatal preparation through a local antenatal program. Having read the book, and had an antenatal session based on it by a trained practitioner, I knew it would enable my partner to prepare beyond what routine antenatal classes provide. I was very anxious therefore preparation was even more important.
During my induction and labour I used 3 out of the 4 tools described by the program to support and enhance our birth experience. Practicing these tools antenatally brought us even closer as a couple and made us feel very prepared no matter the outcome.
The birth of our son was of higher risk and he was delivered by caesarean section. However we found the 37 hour birth experience enriched by the methods we learnt and I felt I had a very positive, relaxed, enjoyable and confident birth experience with no regrets nor feelings of trauma.”

/Agnieszka (Obstetrician)

”As a partner, I found the method very helpful. It is not entirely intuitive in how to calm your partner when she feels she is unable to go on, but the method taught me such things as simple words, yes, slow, heavy etc worked remarkably well. We had to spend a greater part of the labour than we would have liked in a hospital setting, but knowing the importance in feeling of safe familiar surroundings, we brought music and many other things and managed to make it feel like it was indeed our room, and I do think that helped maintain the feeling of safety and keep anxiety at bay. Overall, I feel that the birth would have been a much more stressful process had we not known about the Birth Without Fear method.”

/Magnus (Birth Partner)

“Chris and I attended Emilie’s online ‘Birth Without Fear’ course in June 2020 when I was 37 weeks pregnant with our first child. The focus of the course is to learn the why, and importantly the how, of keeping Mum in an emotionally safe place so that oxytocin can flow whilst giving birth. Emilie shares an approach designed by a Swedish doula and physiotherapist Susanna Heli; the course covers some theory but mostly practical tools for Mum and the birth partner. This has been very useful for both Chris and I to understand our roles, individual and together, in the lead up to and during birth. I’d highly recommend Emilie’s Birth Without Fear course to anyone who wants to understand how to keep that all important oxytocin tap flowing!“

/Chris and Caitlin, June 2020

“Having had a traumatic experience with my first child due to reasons completely out of my control, I was keen to find a way to feel more in control and prepared this time around. I found out about ‘Birth without Fear’ and was lucky enough to be able to work with Emilie in the lead up to the birth.
For me, the best thing about the birth without fear method is that Emilie deals with the realities of giving birth and gives practical strategies that can be used whether you are in the labour ward with an epidural, having a home birth or anything in between. She doesn’t sugar coat the realities of childbirth but empowers you with a toolkit techniques that allow you to face it. For me this meant that if the birth didn’t go ‘as planned’ (as they rarely do!) I was able to feel prepared for whatever came my way.
The course gave my husband a practical and active role and meant we really talked about what was coming and felt like we were both in it together. Practicing them in the weeks up to the birth gave a sense of focus and also made us laugh a lot, which again, helped us both feel less anxious and more in control.
The birth itself went as well as I could have hoped. We used all the techniques in some way during the birth, I particularly liked the voice technique, it made me feel grounded and really helped me focus my energy and remain calm. My husband and I were totally on the same page and I felt connected to him throughout. That physical and emotional support meant that unlike my first birth experience, I felt empowered and positive before, during and after.
A huge thank you to Emilie and the ‘Birth without Fear’ team for being part of a very positive birthing experience, which has in turn helped me to heal from my previous traumatic birth experience.“

/Abi and Jim, London, July 2020

“As a second-time mum, I’d had some experience of preparing for birth. First time around, we did the NCT course and hospital antenatal classes, but they were both very focused on medical interventions, getting your paperwork or birth plans in order etc., and they did not really probe how you would actually feel ahead of and during birth, or how to cope with those feelings. Doing Birth Without Fear was very different. Instead of learning about the different stages of birth and how complicated they could be, we learned instead how to acknowledge, understand and address our fears, which was fantastic. It felt like a deeper and more meaningful approach to birth and it was surprisingly uncomplicated. The four tools were very easy to remember and we spent a decent amount of time exploring each one. Emilie was a brilliant teacher and spoke clearly, informatively and warmly to the class. She was particularly good at bringing in our partners and making them realise how important they were too – it’s not just about us as mothers. I’m now feeling a lot more prepared and a lot less overwhelmed than I did first time around. We’ve been practising using the tools and they are very fresh in my memory, so if I give birth tomorrow… I’ll know what to do! I’d definitely recommend this course to others, especially second-time mums who may not have had the best birth experience first time around.“

/Alice, September 2020.

“Emilie – thank you so much for the birth course, I really enjoyed it. I did the official NCT course back 5 years so I don’t remember a lot from it, but I definitely don’t remember being armed with such an honest and practical guide to labour.
Even 3rd time on I feel more aware of what to expect and empowered to deal with it than before. Therefore the course is beneficial to 2nd/3rd time parents too, and because it’s short and digestible and just focuses on the labour the content is all relevant. Also very relevant for people like me who’ve had births with intervention before and want a course which gives confidence in achieving a natural birth next time.
I liked your honesty with the fact there will be pain and I really liked your direct approach with the birth partners! I think Men do just need to be told direct what to do, and that’ll help all the Mums that they’ve been told by an expert.
You’re a very natural teacher too, very engaging and delivery clear. I honestly wouldn’t have known you were practising that content, you’re ready to go for real! Jamie said afterwards you’re very good.
Some great points about relaxing at the beginning and just taking it contraction by contraction. Thinking back to Lucy’s birth if I’d had some of this focus and someone championing me when I got scared, could I have avoided epidural and forceps. I’m determined to do this one without epidural which is making me anxious as I remember the pain, but I definitely feel better armed to take it contraction by contraction, rest at the beginning and for Jamie to help get me through the pain and reminding me ‘yes!’

I’ve never done hypnobirthing, I watched a few YouTube videos but I’m so much happier with your method keeping things simple – rather than having to count all my breaths. I couldn’t even do that whilst practicing let alone in labour. Hypnobirthing method also seems to imply you won’t feel pain with the right breathing, but your content appeals to me much more with some honesty to expect pain and how to alleviate it.“

/Emma, June 2020.

“Taking part in the Birth Without Fear course was incredibly empowering for me as an expectant father. Throughout the duration of the course I felt like I was as important to the birth of my child as my partner is. Emilie made it very clear what my role should be as a birth partner, and I now have extremely practical tasks that I need to carry out when the time comes. The way in which the course was delivered by Emilie was inclusive, calm and reassuring. I would have no problem in recommending this course to other expectant parents, and would particularly encourage birth partners more generally to sign up.  “

/Mark, Alice’s partner, September 2020.