Hi, my name is Jenny McDougall. I live in Toodyay and I’m passionate about childbirth. Did you know that your body has the power to birth your baby all by itself? Did you know that you have within you, mentally and physically, all you need to have a pleasurable, joyous birth? Giving birth and becoming a mother is a life transforming event. One a woman will never forget. Before the birth of my 1st child I was fortunate to meet a woman who educated me in the art of Childbirth. I went on and experienced a calm, peaceful, awe-inspiring birth. I knew the birth I experienced was very different to many I had witnessed as a midwife, and so began my journey of offering childbirth education. I believe knowledge is the key to removing the fear of birth and replacing it with the truth that our bodies have been wonderfully designed to birth. You can birth your baby!
• Knowledge is empowering. It allows you to understand what's happening in your body so you can make informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and birth.
• With knowledge you can communicate with doctors and midwives in a language you both understand allowing you to be part of the decision making.
• Knowledge helps you have a greater understanding of the medical procedures and drugs that may be offered;
• Helps you recognise changes during labour so you can work with your body, not against it;
• Gives you skills in the art of relaxation to help you reach a place of calm;
• Offers an understanding of the advantages of being free to move in labour for finding positions of comfort and allowing easier passage for your baby through the pelvis;
• Acknowledges the importance of creating a peaceful birthing environment where the mother feels safe and unobserved... a place where she has freedom to move her labouring body and flow with the changes occurring. In this setting her birthing hormones can flow freely to assist with contractions, nurture her birthing baby, offer natural pain relief, and at birth, release a rush of 'love hormones' to help seal the maternal infant bond.
• And knowledge recognises the importance of support from those around you...those in the role of partner, family, doula, midwife and doctor. My passion is to share with parents' this knowledge about childbirth. To achieve this I shall be running small group classes in Natural Childbirth. These classes are suitable for all women and their partners and are applicable for births in hospital or at home. A woman will never forget her birth and my true wish would be that every woman could have an empowered and satisfying birth, and that all babies are welcomed gently, safely, healthy and with love.
