Welcome to the Great Beginnings Website. 

Here you will find information on the various Childbirth Education (Birth Matters) Workshops, Doula Services and Parenting Courses that I offer here in Bermuda to give your family a great beginning.  Also available are Parenting and Birth articles that I have written for the Royal Gazette.  Lastly, I have gathered some information about other related websites, that I think are particularly good, that might be useful to you in your birth and parenting journey. 

 

My name is Fiona Dill.  I am Bermudian but have spent much time in the UK, most recently returning with my family to Bermuda in 2005.  I am a registered nurse by profession (BSc Hons in Nursing Studies) but after having my children have nurtured a new passion for childbirth and parenting.  I completed a Diploma in Childbirth Education  (National Childbirth Trust) in 2003 and taught many groups in the UK before coming home and starting Birth Matters Workshops.  These were originally designed just for first time parents but due to demand I have now included VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) Workshops, Refresher classes and increasingly, I am doing one-to-one sessions with couples in their homes.  These workshops are for all women and their partners who are interested in exploring the options available to them during their pregnancy, labour and birth and understanding the latest research based evidence that can help them make the choices that are best for them and their babies.  While it is recognised that every woman and birth is different there is great evidence that suggests that there are ways that you and your support team can enable you to have the best chance of a positive, satisfying birth experience, however it unfolds.  Since returning to Bermuda, I have trained as a Doula (Childbirth International) and have been privileged to be present at many births  at King Edward Memorial Hospital.  Most recently, I have started facilitating Parenting Courses, based on material designed by the Family Caring Trust (Ireland).  Please read some of the testimonies from this practical Parenting Course to see how it has impacted those that have attended. 

 

I could do none of this without the constant support  and encouragement of my husband, Nick who is Pastor of St John’s Anglican Church in Pembroke.  Together we have produced six children in 18 years! He has helped me through each of my six birth experiences both here in Bermuda and the UK and is a very involved parent, despite being a busy pastor! My family are now used to pregnant women and their partners coming in and out of my house, seeing my birth charts and doll and pelvis lying around in the sitting room and all are aware of what it means  for me to be ‘on-call’ for a birth.  You will also notice that many of the parenting articles are based on my own family situations and challenges. Great Beginnings is truly a family experience – I hope you enjoy it!