“My husband and I welcomed Fiona as our doula for all three of our babies, and we highly recommend her to anyone expecting! Each of the pregnancies was unique with it’s own challenges - one premature, one past due date, one breech position - and Fiona was a trustworthy and reliable source of information and support throughout. I consider myself fortunate to have had three amazing delivery experiences, and I give much credit to our doula, Fiona, who helped to clarify medical interventions and give strength to our voices so that we remained in control. Having a doula can help you to bring your baby into the world on your own terms!”

“My husband and I had our baby boy in January 2017. We completed our Birth Matters course with Fiona in September 2016. During the weekend Fiona turned my movie verision of labor into reality with confidence and more understanding of the process, the class put my nerves at ease. By learning so much I trusted Fiona and asked her to be my doula for my birth. Fiona was so kind and understanding throughout my entire pregnancy. She was always open for questions and was very available. From the moment my water broke until the birth of my baby Fiona helped me feel confident in the decisions I made and helped me understand everything during the intense time at the hospital. I am so happy I chose birth matters and her as my doula, I can say that she truly made my pregnancy and birth a positive experience. Thanks again Fiona for everything you do!!! I still look back at Jet’s birth with no regrets knowing you and Kevin were by myself each step of the way!”

“I hadn’t heard of a doula until I moved to Bermuda. I didn’t have a good birth experience first time around so had looked in to hypnobirthing. I kept hearing about Fiona and having met her at Bible study we decided to hire her. I soon realised I wanted to try for a natural drug-free labour and thanks to Fiona that was made possible. She supported us through the whole process including helping with writing the birth plan and teaching me to advocate for myself and what I wanted. The two births were so completely different, my husband found comfort knowing that I was properly looked after and we could welcome our baby empowered and fearless thanks to Fiona. I hope more women get to experience birth as it should be thanks to Fiona.
”

“Pregnancy is an exceptional journey full of welcomed, but much more unwelcomed advice. Through my process I have made the decision to only give one piece of advice: hire Fiona.

From the moment Fiona became involved in my pregnancy (6 weeks) she took it on as if we had been life long friends. The care and comfort I received leading up to my labour, my very long labour at home and my time at KEMH; Fiona supported both my husband and I in ways we didn’t realize we would need.

Being my first pregnancy, I had no idea what to expect once labour truly began and I felt so intuitively cared for with her by my side. She was described to me as “worth her weight in gold”, both my husband and I second that statement. She is one of a kind, and we could not have done it without her. ”

“Our twin birth would have been so different without you...

Once we found out we were having twins people asked if we were going to have a Doula. After asking around it was more than obvious that Fiona is the best Doula in Bermuda! Without any hesitation, we quickly signed up and attended the Birthing Matters classes and also the highly recommended breastfeeding class. Before attending the class we thought we knew a little something about birth, however, it was very clear that there was SO much we didn’t know and wow, thank goodness we were taking and learning just how it all happens! We went over almost every scenario which in the end helped us be emotionally ready and so informed. With Fiona’s teachings and guidance we were able to know what to expect and we were able to achieve aspects of the birth which we otherwise would not have had or would have handled so much differently if we hadn’t been informed through her teachings. From being assertive with taking as much time as we wanted with our twins as soon as they were born, to making sure daddy had skin to skin time are just a couple of priceless examples of things we learned from the class. Fiona gave me invaluable breastfeeding advice and the encouragement I needed in order to be so successful with feeding our twin boys. Our entire experience of welcoming our new little ones into the world would have been so different without Fiona and if we were to do it all over again, we wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks Fiona from the bottom of our hearts for everything you did and for the knowledge you taught us - totally priceless.”

“If you would like to shoot over a testimonial of your own, please fill in the form below!”

“I feel so educated, empowered and informed....
I just wanted to say thank you times a billion for this weekend! It was so much more than I expected. I knew I wanted to have a natural vaginal labor but I feel so educated, empowered and informed. I think I’ve sent 5 emails to friends today telling them to sign up. It was worth every penny. Being an underwriter I am always researching so I had done alot already on the topic but it’s so wonderful knowing my husband is informed and not having to educate him myself. He’s so on board and we’re excited to conquer the labor through teamwork.”

“Your classes are definitely what brought Mieke into this world without me having to go through a c-section!
Your classes are definitely what brought Mieke into this world without me having to go through a c-section. No doubt in our minds!! Johan was able to tell the nurses that we would like to try something else before they intervened. As your classes also told us to discuss every little detail and what we wanted out of the labour experience, we had these discussions and he knew what I wanted... So he pressed on for normal delivery as we were in no danger at all. Without your classes he would not have been informed about all the options and we would probably have had a section 5 hours into labour. I am really glad that we attended your classes and we can never thank you enough for doing what you are doing. You can definitely be proud of yourself Fiona. This was truely the right class to attend. And yes - we attended other classes as well and no doubt in my mind that yours prepares one better than any of the others. Thanks again for the brilliant job you do!!”

“We have three beautiful little girls and Fiona has been there as our doula for each one.
We have three beautiful little girls and Fiona has been there as our doula for each one. I don’t know how we would have done it without her and in fact the thought of not having her never once crossed our mind even after our first when we “knew” what to expect. Her presence is calming and her experience is an ever present reassurance in the room. We are so thankful for her support and being an instrumental part in allowing us to have the natural unmedicated births that we wanted for our girls. You can tell when someone loves what they do and have a passion for it and I’m thankful that Fiona has both of these and is able to provide such a wonderful support to expecting mothers in Bermuda.”

“Having Fiona as our doula proved to be a great decision and we would recommend her in a heartbeat.”
“Being unfamiliar with the Bermuda healthcare system, combined with the usual nervousness of having our first child, we decided that we wanted a doula to help us through the childbirth experience. We chose Fiona after hearing positive feedback from many of our friends.

In the run up to the big day, we felt very prepared. We had attended Fiona’s Birth Matters workshop and we had our birth plan ready. Our baby, however, was not quite ready, as his due date came and went. Fortunately, Fiona was in regular contact with helpful suggestions over those uncomfortable last few days. On the day itself, my waters broke and my contractions began shortly thereafter. My contractions had no discernible pattern and we became anxious about the progression of the labour. After calling Fiona, she came round to our house in minutes and quickly realised that I was already in active labour. We were in the hospital’s birthing room within the hour. During the hours that followed, the nurses on shift at the hospital changed several times, but Fiona was by our side throughout. Her continuous presence and words of encouragement were very calming and allowed us to stay focused. When it came to making decisions during the labour, having Fiona’s knowledge at hand helped us enormously.

After we arrived home with our baby, Fiona came to visit us the next day and she continued to keep in contact over the following weeks to check on his progress. We really appreciated this personal touch especially with having no family in Bermuda.

Having Fiona as our doula proved to be a great decision and we would recommend her in a heartbeat.””

“She was an answer to prayer!
Fiona was in my corner from the moment I approached her asking for advice on trying a VBA3C (vaginal birth after 3 c-sections). I had never considered having a Doula with any of my previous pregnancies... I didn’t even know what a Doula was until a couple of years ago! But she was an answer to prayer. She stood my my side, gave me advice and reassurance along the way, gave me a realistic picture of what I was up against and heped make the whole birth experience what I had prayed for. I don’t think I could have had an unmedicated, natural birth without her help. Would I recommend having a Doula? Absolutely! I try not to play the what if game, but I truly believe that if I had had Fiona the first time, I would not have had the first c-section which in turn lead to the next two.”

““Prior to becoming pregnant I had heard a lot about Fiona Dill. Many women I knew had hired Fiona to be their Doula and each and every one of them had only positive things to say about their experience.

From the first time we spoke on the phone Fiona made me feel comfortable and cared for. As part of Fiona’s Doula services she takes the time to meet with you and your partner and really makes an effort to get to know you both so that she understands your unique personalities and goals for your birth experience. Fiona makes herself available to you via phone, email as well as in person from the moment you hire her into your child’s first year of life and beyond. She is there to answer any questions that you or your partner may have, she is willing to discuss pros and cons of all prenatal care and birth choices and is a wealth of information on these topics. Fiona will support and advocate for your choices whatever they may be.

My husband and I chose to plan a home birth knowing that this was the setting we felt most comfortable birthing in. It was our uppermost desire to have a natural birth with as little intervention as possible. Had we ended up needing to transfer to the hospital for any reason, we wanted Fiona by our side. Fiona is highly respected by all of the OBs and hospital midwives and we knew we would have a much better experience navigating that setting with her on our team. As it turned out, we had a wonderful birth in the comfort of our home. Fiona was the first support person we called when my contractions started to intensify. She alerted our birth team and was by our side within minutes. Fiona was with me for the entire labor and beyond. She knew exactly how to support me both physically and mentally. Fiona played a major role in making the birth of our son successful. For the time, energy and attention Fiona provides her doula clients she could easily double her fee. Now I understand why all of the women who have birthed with Fiona’s support say that they would never birth without her.”
”

“I can’t imagine how differently my birth would have gone without Fiona
I knew I wanted Fiona as a doula before I was even pregnant! Contacting Fiona was one of the first things I did when I did find out I was expecting. From the moment she told me I was ‘in’ the support began. I touched based with Fiona frequently throughout my pregnancy and attended a Birth Matters workshop with my husband. When the time came to have the baby she, of course, was right there for us. She is an amazing woman with the ability to put people at ease in a sometimes less than relaxing situation :). I can’t imagine how differently my birth would have gone without Fiona. I don’t even want to think about it. Her humour, warmth, enthusiasm and knowledge are her gift to moms and dads from the minute you first make contact with her.”

“Fiona helped us have the best birth possible
We have three children, Emilia, Josephine and George and each one has its own birth story; I just wish they were all like George’s. When we were pregnant with Emilia we did the normal birthing classes and assumed naively that people have babies every day so it would just happen. We would know what to do. Natural instinct and all that. My mother and both grandmothers had all their babies early and without any terrible complications so I was going to be the same. Right. How wrong I was. At 35 weeks they told me she was going to come early and she was so big they must have got my dates wrong. I had contractions for the whole month before she was due, each time I was thrown into panic and thought she was going to arrive on my living room floor. I read everything I could on the internet about big babies and was panicked by the knowledge that big babies if left too long have a higher chance of still birth. With no one to communicate this with except my OB she suggested I was induced. I think she thought I was a nervous fruit- loop. I was. I was scared and felt totally out of control. I went in two days before Emilia’s due date to be induced. Forty-eight hours later Emilia was delivered my emergency c-section. She was beautiful. 9lbs 3oz. I had every drug under the sun during the gruelling labour and they tried to vacuum her but to no avail, so the only option was a c-section. In the following months I had serious infections, several courses of antibiotics, thrush and as a consequence gave up nursing entirely when Emilia was 9 weeks. Two years later I was pregnant with Josephine when an acquaintance asked me if I was having a natural birth or a c-section. I said c- section as it never occurred to me that I had any other choice. She told me about a course Fiona Dill was running on VBACs. Before I knew it we were signed up, probably more because I was too polite to say no rather than I was sure I wanted to attempt a VBAC. The course was amazing. If only I had been armed with all this information the first time, I would have made different choices. I knew then I wanted a VBAC, James was still not sure but went along with it. However, when I went overdue my OB convinced me to book in for a c-section. Luckily, Josephine decided to arrive the day before. Josephine’s labour came on very quickly. Within three hours I was in the hospital and 6cm. At 8cm they broke my water which in hindsight I should have never let them do. Everything kept progressing until they decided it was time to push. The baby then took three hours of pushing, gas and air, a bit of the vacuum and an episiotomy to arrive. I was on my back and never felt the urge to push, it was incredibly stressful and exhausting. However, she arrived naturally, to our delight, and Josephine was gorgeous. We were in love immediately. All 10lbs 2oz of her. While Jojo’s birth was a successful VBAC I came very close to having another emergency c-section. We also felt pushed into decisions and were a bit shocked by the way I was spoken to by the OB on call. We were left a bit shaken despite our delight of Jojo’s safe arrival. Fiona arrived the next day and was pivotal in helping me start breastfeeding on the right foot this time. Jojo was breast-fed for a year and self-weaned. When we found out we were expecting George there was no doubt in our mind that we would ask Fiona to be our doula. James and I both wanted another natural birth and we wanted someone in the delivery room who could be an advocate for us and our choices. What we hadn’t realised is while Fiona was wonderful in the delivery room her true value came in the days leading up to George’s birth. Her calm phonecalls would reassure me when I was having Braxton Hicks. She would talk me through my fears, when I was big and tired and fed up of being pregnant, she managed to lift my spirits and encouraged me to keep going. George’s labour was intermittent over three days but when it finally started to progress it did so reasonably quickly. We met Fiona at the hospital and they decided I was 8cm. In the labour room it was calm and focussed. They largely left us to it. After two hours of standing and rocking next to the bed the urge to push became overwhelming. Fiona suggested going to the loo one last time before we called the midwives in. My water broke into the loo and I honestly thought the baby was going to be born in that bathroom. Luckily, he was born just a couple of minutes later with me kneeling on the bed. The midwives were wonderful and the OB, the same one I had with Emilia was fantastic and incredibly professional. George is the happiest little boy. 9lbs 10oz. No tears, no drugs, nothing, just a beautiful baby and a happy mummy and daddy. (At 12 weeks he is still beautiful and the whole family is happy, thrilled with this gorgeous little boy. He is 100% breast-fed). Finally, I had a normal birth. Finally, a birth that did not leave us with any regrets or fears. My body and the baby were allowed to do what they were meant to do. James was empowered by Fiona and was the calm hero that I needed my husband to be. The two of them together encased me with the support and love that I needed to have faith that it would all be Ok and any decisions we had to make for my safety or the baby’s were the right ones and ones we could live with. Having Fiona, James says was the best money he has ever spent. I agree. Looking back the big difference was knowledge. We were better equipped each time to make the decisions birth presented and I was no longer scared of this natural process. I have no doubt if I had met Fiona the first time it wouldn’t have taken me three times to have the birth I wanted. I may have still had a c-section with Emilia but at least I would have known it was necessary and not the last resort after a long series of bad decisions. The other difference was intervention, the first time I tried to control the process by being induced and that started the whole process on a path of intervention and ultimately I was never in control and in a lot more pain physically and emotionally before, during and after. With George there was no intervention at any stage. The irony is the last time I was finally in control, and the natural instinct was there. Fiona helped us have the best birth possible. We will be forever thankful, because ultimately Birth Matters.”

“Giving birth to Chase was the greatest day of my life, and because of Fiona and Steve, one of my proudest moments.
The decision to hire Fiona as a doula was mostly thanks to our unborn son, Chase, who, at our 32 week ultrasound was in a posterior position. That wouldn’t have meant anything to us had we not attended Birth Matters, but at this point we knew that we could potentially be in for a longer and more complicated labor. My husband Steve, thought that Fiona would be the best resource to still help us achieve our goal of an non-medicated birth- again, something I would have not even considered had we not attended Birth Matters. We were fortunate that Fiona had availability to take us on. She gave me some helpful hints and contacts on trying to get the baby “facing the right way” for delivery. In the meantime, she kept in contact with us, which was especially helpful after my due date passed and I needed someone to talk to. Fiona listened to our concerns and helped us make a birth plan that would achieve our goals. When labor did start, Fiona came right away, never commenting on the fact that it was 2:30 in the morning, and was extremely understanding when, after waiting a few hours, the contractions went away. She was right back with us again at 7:30 in the morning, and toughed it out with us until Chase was born at 1:30 the next morning. During those 24 hours, I don’t know what we would have done without Fiona. Steve and I felt very strongly that we wanted to wait as long as possible before going to the hospital, and Fiona made sure this was possible. As a day of back labor can seem very long, Fiona encouraged us to move around, get outside, and take walks on the beach. She talked to me and took my mind off the pain. She also made sure I was fed and hydrated- all things that in the moment, we would not have been thinking of. Because I went into labor on the weekend, Fiona was our continuity and our only familiar face at the hospital. Chase was born, naturally, and without medication, via vacuum delivery as he never did manage to turn and was “stuck” (even after 4 hours of pushing…) All things considered, the labor and delivery of our son would be considered by most to be difficult and somewhat complicated. In spite of this, I felt like I had an amazing experience. The memories I have of his birth are those of being supported and comforted¸ and ultimately empowered to have the birth experience we had envisioned. None of this would have been possible without Fiona’s experience, knowledge, patience, and understanding. Giving birth to Chase was the greatest day of my life, and because of Fiona and Steve, one of my proudest moments. Without their support, I would have never realized what strength I had. And my happy, alert, sweet baby was the greatest reward”

“We couldn’t have done it without her!
We hired a doula because this was our first child, we don’t have any family on island and we wanted the extra support. Also, neither of us had ever been in hospital and wanted someone there who knew the “system”. Having a doula gave us the encouragement we needed to birth as naturally as we could, and helped support us through the most important day of our lives so far! We couldn’t have done it without her!! EVERYTHING she did was designed for us!! She helped us try different things during labour to try to progress things and to help alleviate the pain (or at least the focus on the pain) of the contractions. She made us feel comfortable about the process in the hospital and it reassured us! Hiring Fiona as our doula was the best decision we ever made and we are sooo happy she could accommodate us. She feels a member of our family and we are honoured she could be there with us! I truly feel her helping us was “meant to be”. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts!”

“Having Fiona as our doula was the best decision we made when we prepared for the birth of our daughter.
The journey started by taking Fiona’s Birth Matters course which was really informative and gave a great overview of all the different options and choices that you have when giving birth in Bermuda. It helped us a lot in deciding what we wanted for our birth experience and was the basis for our birth plan.
On the big day, Fiona came to the hospital right away and stayed with us the whole time (about 12 hours), even though that day was 5 weeks earlier than planned. Our labour started slow, but chatting with Fiona about any topic was so easy that we quickly forgot about the time. When the labor intensified, Fiona was there to assist with everything. She was always very calm and sometimes just stayed in the background for a while and made sure that we were comfortable. It was great to have her with us in the room at all times, it helped us to stay calm and concentrate on ourselves without worrying about anything else. Fiona’s encouragement and reassurance especially during the final stage of the labour helped so much to manage the pain and get through the hardest part of labour.
For the first two weeks after the birth of our daughter Fiona checked in on us on a daily basis. She visited us at the hospital and at home and gave such useful tips on breastfeeding which made all the difference.
With Fiona by our side we had a great birth experience, even though we had to deviate from our birth plan in some aspects. We felt well cared for before, during and after the birth and we cannot imagine how it would have been without her. We highly recommend to anyone who gives birth in Bermuda to call Fiona.”

“Friends don’t let friends have a baby without Fiona Dill
I remember when I heard the word Doula for the first time. My first instincts were skeptical and I was pretty confident that the best place for me during labor was in the hands of the hospital and my doctor. Oh how my thought process changed so drastically in just a few short months with a little bit of knowledge. As my pregnancy progressed and I began talking with more moms and moms to be, the word Doula kept coming up in conversation, simultaneously with the name Fiona Dill. I even heard a “friends don’t let friends have a baby without Fiona Dill” slogan, more than once. I knew, at about 3 months, I needed to meet this Fiona Dill and learn more about what having a “Doula” actually meant. We set up a meeting with Fiona and I knew in a matter of minutes, I wanted her by my side in the labor room. Fiona is an encyclopedia of knowledge on pregnancy, labor and raising babies (and I’m sure children and adults as well!). I guess that comes with having 6 children of her own, supporting countless women through pregnancy and labor and all of the research she has done over the years. Not only is she one of the smartest people I have ever met in the field of pregnancy and labor, but she emits a certain calm and strength when you are in her presence – two paramount characteristics to have in your toolbox during labor. We booked Fiona as our Doula within a matter of days and enthusiastically signed up for her Birth Matters class. I had read a few books about pregnancy and labor prior to attending Birth Matters, but no book, internet webpage or peer, could have prepared us as much for labor as Fiona had in her class. The lessons and abundance of information she taught us in two days (including take home packets) was astounding. My husband and I went from two nervous, naïve expectant parents to feeling confident and well versed in what was to be one of the hardest (but most rewarding) experiences we would ever have. Even though class left me feeling empowered, I also remember feeling so relieved to know Fiona would be by our side, on our special day. Long story short, February 7th, 2013 came and went and we now have a beautiful, healthy baby girl who is the love of our lives. I can’t say labor was painless, but we got through it “au natural” with no complications in just a few short hours (with no rips, tears, bumps or bruises!). I know we would have had a very different birthing experience if it wasn’t for Birth Matters and Fiona by our side in the delivery room. Not only did we have Fiona’s support during pregnancy and delivery, but we had Fiona’s support in those early months with breastfeeding and various other questions an anxious mother needs to vet. There are so many wonderful words one can use to describe Fiona - teacher, mentor, coach, expert, mother – but, my favorite is friend. Every mother (and father) walks away from labor with a beautiful new bundle of joy and a lifelong friend in Fiona. Remember ladies, “Friends don’t let friends have a baby without Fiona Dill.” With all of our love, Maddie, Seamus and Colette.”

“You helped me stay calm and focused
We chose to have a doula to improve my chances of having a successful VBAC and positive feedback from friends who had hired doulas. Having someone knowledgeable and gentle to support us. It helped me stay calm and focused, as I knew that I could depend on you throughout the labour. I felt that the single most effective form of pain relief I used was touch/massage, and you were able to use touch to guide my breathing, and were able to guide my husband too. I don’t think I could have stayed in control through the labour without this. Also, your calmness throughout gave me peace during the process. I must say that at no point did I even consider asking for pain relief (gas&air, epidural etc) as I felt that you were helping us manage it so well. It was very helpful to visit the day after, especially to help with breastfeeding, and I appreciated the frequent calls to check in on me. If I were to have another baby, I would definitely ask you to help again – I can’t imagine doing it without you. Thank you thank you thank you.”

“Having Fiona at my side meant that I was more prepared, more confident and more empowered to have the birth experience that I wanted.
Having Fiona at our side was by far the best decision we made along the pregnancy road and worth every penny! Fiona empowered me to have the birth experience that me and my husband wanted for our first born child.
Through taking Fiona’s birth matters workshop, reading additional information provided by Fiona, and doing my own research I was able to mentally prepare for the birth of my son. Most importantly Fiona helped me overcome my fear of hospitals and the hospital environment. I have had a fear of hospitals since I was a child and so giving birth in a hospital setting made me very nervous and I knew that could have a negative impact on the birth experience for me and the baby. Early on in my pregnancy Fiona suggested that I use natal hypnotherapy to help ease my fears and provide positive mental images related to giving birth. This was an excellent suggestion and something that I likely would not have considered on my own. I can’t thank Fiona enough for making that suggestion as I believe it helped me obtain the mental focus, clarity and confidence that I need for a positive labour and delivery.
Fiona’s calming presence in our home and at the hospital birth also helped to give me strength throughout the labour and delivery process. Just knowing that there was someone else by my side, working with my best intentions, and providing guidance and humour to me and my husband was a huge relief and made me feel confident about labour and delivery. Her encouraging words throughout the process helped me to persevere even when I thought that the delivery was stalling and that I wasn’t making any progress.
We welcomed a son into the world on January 27, 2014 through a natural birth which was what I was striving for. Having Fiona at my side meant that I was more prepared, more confident and more empowered to have the birth experience that I wanted.
I couldn’t have done it without her (and my husband of course!) and quite frankly would not have wanted to. Thanks for being such an important part of our new little family.”

“I cannot thank you enough for your support and help ... which otherwise would have been overwhelming for me.
Thank you so much for jumping in to assist me last week when I was feeling so anxious about the whole affair! I truly think that it all worked out for a reason. I cannot thank you enough for your support and help through the entire process which otherwise would have been overwhelming for me. It may have been my second birth but it truly was the time I needed you most. I have been singing your praises to everyone I know - so be prepared for a few extra clients soon! Lastly, we have finally settled on a name for our girl! She is Adelaide Grace Anne McLeod. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes to you.”

“Fiona led me out of my personal panic with calm distractions
It is hard to accurately put into words just how important Fiona was to our amazing experience of childbirth. When I first heard about doulas a couple of years ago I thought it sounded like some sort of indulgent service for the reinsurance wealthy! But after becoming pregnant myself, after my sister had a particularly gruelling labour (every intervention bar a c-section) and after hearing rave reviews of Fiona’s service, we realised that a doula was not only a good idea, but a necessity for us. I was really worried about going long overdue as my sister had done and Fiona’s classes taught us relaxation and visulisation (I credit this with my son arriving a week early!). I was nervous of going through such an altering and intimate experience in a strange place among strange people but Fiona met us at the hospital, and helped us make ourselves at home and break the ice with the midwives. My husband was worried about having to make panic-based decisions but thanks to Fiona’s encyclopedic knowledge of birth we know that we made every decision with all the information we could possibly have needed. I was terrified of having my labour augmented and losing my grasp on my natural delivery but when the pitocin drip started Fiona led me out of my personal panic with calming distractions. And when my labour took off as if I was suddenly birthing a freight train and I was quite convinced I couldn’t do what was necessary, I can remember Fiona quite sternly saying ‘you are doing it Eve! This baby is coming right now! which made me feel like I was in a movie of my own life and still makes me smile. Just minutes after Ray was born Fiona helped me breastfeed him and in the first hours and days and weeks afterwards Fiona was there (or at the end of the phone line) to answer every one of our million questions with with empathy and warmth and much needed humour! 6 months later and we can look back at those moments in that whirlwind of pain and exhaustion and we can almost remember enjoying it. Almost. Thank you!”

“Words cannot express how grateful we are to Fiona....
Words cannot express how grateful we are to Fiona for making our birthing experience so amazing. Hiring Fiona for her doula services as well as attending the Birth Matters Workshop are two of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Initially my husband wasn’t too keen to spend 12 hours in a birth class over the weekend, however he is now one of Fiona’s biggest fans! We were both amazed at how much we learned and felt so much more comfortable knowing all of our options, in particular what your options are “in Bermuda” as opposed to how births may be handled in other countries. Fiona was so supportive to both Carter & I from the early stages of labour throughout the birth as well as into our daughter’s first few days of life. Her consistent support always put us at ease at all steps along the way. If and when we are fortunate enough to get pregnant again, Fiona will be one of the first to know. I can’t imagine childbirth without her incredible support.”

“We enjoyed this workshop and found the information invaluable.
We enjoyed this workshop and found the information invaluable. It was empowering to learn about all our options to help prepare for what is to come. Encouraging parents to be, to develop a voice when it comes to their birth plans is such a wonderful thing. It sure beats sitting back and not being informed about what options exist and the implications of certain actions. We really enjoyed the group size and lots of laughs were shared.”
Amy and Anthony October 2014”

“She was flawless and together, Ben and Fiona were the most amazing team of support
WE LOVE FIONA!!! I could gush for paragraphs about Fiona. She is beyond lovely as a person and so professional and knowledgeable as a doula. We took her Birth Matters class as well, which allowed us all to get to know each other. By the end of the two sessions she felt like a part of our family. We felt so much more confident going into the experience knowing that she’d be by our sides. Once the day came, I ended up having a natural labor. Fiona helped Ben find his place amid the craziness and helped me go beyond any pain threshold I ever thought existed. 🙂 She was flawless and together, Ben and Fiona were the most amazing team of support.

The best complement that I could give Fiona is to pass on a complement that a nurse gave her during our experience. After my daughter was delivered at 3:21AM, and all of the staff packed up the delivery room and left, Fiona stayed with Ben and I for over an hour in the middle of the night as Olivia nursed for the first time. We chatted about our experience and how grateful we were for her. It was so special. In the middle of our chat, a nurse came in and thanked Fiona personally for being the only doula who actually stays with the new families to make sure nursing, etc goes well. I was so glad to witness that, and to see how humbled Fiona was by the complement.

WE LOVE FIONA!!! I could gush for paragraphs about Fiona. She is beyond lovely as a person and so professional and knowledgeable as a doula. We took her Birth Matters class as well, which allowed us all to get to know each other. By the end of the two sessions she felt like a part of our family. We felt so much more confident going into the experience knowing that she’d be by our sides. Once the day came, I ended up having a natural labor. Fiona helped Ben find his place amid the craziness and helped me go beyond any pain threshold I ever thought existed. 🙂 She was flawless and together, Ben and Fiona were the most amazing team of support.

The best complement that I could give Fiona is to pass on a complement that a nurse gave her during our experience. After my daughter was delivered at 3:21AM, and all of the staff packed up the delivery room and left, Fiona stayed with Ben and I for over an hour in the middle of the night as Olivia nursed for the first time. We chatted about our experience and how grateful we were for her. It was so special. In the middle of our chat, a nurse came in and thanked Fiona personally for being the only doula who actually stays with the new families to make sure nursing, etc goes well. I was so glad to witness that, and to see how humbled Fiona was by the complement.

Fiona is so dedicated to her clients and their wishes, even in the weeks and months following the delivery. I honestly couldn’t imagine going through it again without her.

I honestly couldn’t imagine going through it again without her.”

“I’m so glad we met......
Hi Fiona, I have just read our doula, Tammy\’s wrap up of our Birth Story, in which she mentioned how much your class changed my perspective of what the birth experience was going to be like. I\’m so glad we met!! I can\’t tell you how much it changed me and how rewarding the experience of becoming a mother was, and continues to be!! I hope you know that you are doing a great job and a big service to the community in Bermuda and women in general. If you ever have doubt that you’re doing the right thing with your professional life, I can say - you are! The passion certainly comes through and you are inspiring! Thank-you very much for everything!”

“Thank you for your words of encouragement and amazing message....
I have been a very blessed person, to be an actual birthing partner of my friend. I was asked to attend this incredible Birth Matters Workshop , where I was treated as if, I was the Father of the baby, due. The invaluable lessons that I was taught for a natural vaginal child birth and the assistance as a birthing partner; to a mother was/is the best and thorough skilled class,that any potential Father or Birthing Partner could acquire. Not only did I learn that I am there to assist in emotional and physical support but also to aid in the delivery of a new baby as per natures’ rule and guidance. I have experienced the joy of massage during the first part of labour , correct assistance in a nurturing manner- but also experienced the pure joy of what was meant to be an incredible experience to any Mother to be. Thank you, Fiona for all your help, words of encouragement but most of all your amazing brilliant message that you deliver that makes your classes a must for every birthing partner and mother-to-be. I cannot thank you enough for this incredible journey that experienced in the deliverance of a gorgeous baby boy.Thank you so much, Fiona!”

“Our expectations were certainly exceeded......
Our Dear Fiona, Words can’t express our gratitude for the wealth of invaluable information which you provided us with during the Birth Matters workshop, or the fabulous support and care which you provided as a doula. Birth matters was tremendous in helping us to understand not only what to expect on the big day, but how to prepare before hand and the physical and emotional changes to expect post delivery. The handouts have been a fantastic reference point, and we especially appreciated how all of the information provided was fact based and not based on opinion or personal preferences. The fact that all 8 babies from the November 2012 workshop had normal vaginal deliveries speaks volumes to this! Your doula services had come highly recommended therefore as soon as we found out we were expecting we contacted you. Our expectations were certainly exceeded and we can’t say enough nice things about you. Had we not have had you with us coaching and supporting, we are quite certain that Connor’s delivery would have played out quite different than it did. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts. We look forward to seeing you soon! Take care, Sarah, Stephen and Connor Xxx”

“I just wanted to thank you again for such an informative and interesting birthing class. Not only did the class increase the bonding between my partner and I, but it was very special to see how much he had learned and taken away from the class.

When we got home that evening, I had mentioned (quietly to myself) how my back was hurting and he jumped out of bed and was so excited to do some of the moves he had learned, saying “usually when you complain or are in pain, I don’t know how to help you...but now I do.”
The thought alone helped me to feel better and the moves themselves were great!!

Walking into the class, I felt scared and nervous but now I feel empowered and excited...It was a realization that my body is amazing and that I’m not alone. Knowledge is truly power and I thank you for providing us with that! Although I’m sure the journey won’t be easy, it is reassuring to know that we are least more informed, aware, and excited!! 🙂

Thanks again Fiona... we had a great time!
”

“I will always be grateful for Fiona’s involvement!
I think the birth of our daughter, Katherine Olivia Haworth, is a great example of how even the best laid plans go awry! My husband Bryan and I attended Fiona’s classes which were excellent for both the expectant mums, but also wonderful for the dads too. The classes provide time for exercises in which the mums group together and discuss their thoughts on a particular topic and the dads group together and discuss their views and then we all share together. The classes of course cover the important details of the labor and delivery but they also encourage the couples to think about their lives after the arrival of their baby. It got us thinking about some of those issues and talking about them before Katherine arrived (and along came the sleep deprivation!). Following on from the classes, we devised our birth plan and discussed things fully with Fiona, who we had selected as our doula. And then, our 36-week ultrasound came along ... It revealed that our baby was very happily sitting bum-down in a breech position, which if it did not change would result in a c-section. I was devastated. I tried my best to remain optimist that she might turn head down. We tried everything (from moxibustion, to reiki, to handstands in a pool!), but unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be I guess. Fiona was incredibly supportive when I shared my anxieties about having a c-section, being in a surgical environment, etc. More than anything else, she listened to me at a time when many people were telling me that having a c-section is ‘fine’ or ‘no big deal’. To me, it was a big deal and Fiona never minimized that. Even though we weren’t going to have the labor/delivery experience we planned, we still wanted Fiona to be involved. It was a tremendous support having her meet us at the hospital the morning of and talk with us while we waited; it helped the time past by just that much quicker and she made sure that we knew exactly what was going on. Fiona offered practical thoughts of how Bryan could help keep me calm during the c-section and even though she couldn’t be in the operating room with us, knowing that she was just outside and would be in our room when we were reunited as a family, meant the world to me. I especially found Fiona to be like a surrogate mom to me at a time when my mom couldn’t be with me. A week before Katherine’s birth, my grandmother died in Canada. Both of my parents and my brother had to go to be at her funeral. It was a difficult time for our family: one of much sadness at the loss of my grandmother, but great joy with the coming arrival of our child. Fiona checked in on me almost daily which I truly appreciated. It was important to me to breast-feed Katherine. Fiona was there the first time I fed her and when I had some difficulty, it was her guidance and encouragement that helped me persevere. I am very grateful for that because had it not been for her help in those first couple of days to get my breast-feeding on track, I do not think I would have continued. I was re-admitted to hospital and put on medication that prevented breast-feeding when Katherine was just 5 days old. I pumped (& dumped!) because I had already gotten breast-feeding established well in those first 5 days (thanks to Fiona) and knew that I wanted to continue with it as soon as I could. Thankfully the feeding resumed, without any difficulty, a few days later when I was able to go home. Breast-feeding, I believe, gave Katherine a great start and provided a wonderful connection between us. I will always be grateful for Fiona’s involvement in the birth of our wonderful baby girl, even though the birth did not go according to plan. I’m hopeful that when the time comes, Fiona will be able to guide us through another birth, this time hopefully a VBAC!”

“You were so crucial in those pivotal moments
I tell everyone, pregnant or not how much you helped me have the birth I wanted. Hands down, no question, I would never have had the beautiful twin birth I had, without you. I still daydream about all the ups and downs we had over the 28 hours and how you were so crutial in those pivotal moments and realise that it could have been so, so different without you.”

“I cannot tell you what a difference your presence made.......
Thank you so, so much for all your help with not just this pregnancy but Daniel’s as well. I cannot tell you what a difference your presence (not a doula, YOU!) made at both of these incredible moments of our lives. Your calm, loving, knowledgable and fun personality made a stressful and emotional time so much calmer and enjoyable (if labour and delivery can be enjoyable...!). Thank you, thank you, thank you. Xxxx” From someone who never thought she would ever have a doula but is very glad she did!”

“We cannot say enough about the level of support that we received
We simply could not have had the same experience without a doula. We know without a shadow of a doubt that with the presence of a doula, we were able to go through the process with a much more natural approach. There was also a far greater level of peace throughout because my husband had the support and advice he needed at a time that can often leave men or birth partners feeling quite helpless. We cannot say enough about the level of support that we received before, during and after the birth of our daughter. Your experience, advice, candour, warmth and obvious love for what you do, were inspirational and motivational.”

“I couldn’t have done it without her....
One of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy was to hire Fiona Dill as my doula. I also attended the Birth Matters workshop and had a birth plan written and ready to go. The actual birth experience, however, was nothing like I imagined and did not follow my birth plan. Nevertheless, I had an extremely positive experience! I think a large part of my positive birth experience was from having Fiona there as my doula. She really helped during the hard labour and helped make a new birth plan as things changed. I couldn’t have done it without her. 🙂”

“Having you with us at the hospital was like having an angel with us!
Thank you for everything. Having you with us at the hospital was like having an angel with us watching over us and Morgan. Your support before and after Morgan was born was invaluable and kept me sane, calm and confident. We were blessed to have you as our doula.”

“I would advise any father-to-be to participate in the BirthMatters class - it was truly worthwhile
Having already had children in a previous relationship, when my partner told me she wanted us to attend BirthMatters I was less than pleased. I felt it was going to be a complete waste of my time. My feelings were, having already become a father, there wasn’t going to be anything Fiona was going to tell me that I didn’t already know. How wrong was I?! I dutifully went to the first class, knowing it was important to my partner, still convinced that I was going to know it all and be bored silly for six hours. That wasn’t the case. Fiona welcomed five other couples into her living room along with us, which put me at ease to start with; at least I was going to be comfortable! The sessions were informative and fun as we all got to know each other and did the exercises Fiona had planned for us. Fiona was aware that I had the “I know everything” attitude but actually used that to make me feel it was OK to comment on things and share my experiences with the other couples. We would break into groups of Mums in one group and Dads in another and she would ask me to talk to the other Dads about my previous experiences, feelings, etc. It was really nice to feel that I was helping the first-time Dads be more prepared for what was going to happen, and therefore be more helpful to their partners. It also allowed Fiona to explain where things had changed without making me feel like I was wrong and in turn, helping me to be more prepared for what was going to happen to us as well as helping my partner without suddenly feeling lost when something I had expected to happen, didn’t! Many things have changed since the last time i was in the labour and delivery rooms, more than i was originally willing to admit. The tour of the maternity ward was invaluable; it was completely different from how i remembered it. It was well worth the visit as it really did make a difference to how we both felt about the clinical side of it all. There are so many new approaches and ideas but Fiona helped us understand them, what is common practice in Bermuda and how to compromise so that everyone - medical staff and ourselves - would be happy. The biggest thing Fiona taught us was how much choice we now have during the whole birthing process. I had no idea how much things have moved on since I had last become a father. I must admit that I did not understand the significance of writing a birth plan (something Fiona taught us about), and the importance of discussing the plan with the OB at the 36 week appointment. Thanks to points we made during that process, i was able to be completely hands-on during the birth of my daughter, be involved in cutting the cord and have time with our new arrival for at least an hour before all the medical necessities were completed. Just wonderful. I never thought the Midwives would pay it much mind but they did as much as possible, even to the point of allowing two people in to see us as proxy family of my partner (she’s from the UK, and had no family here at the time) - small things, maybe, but very important to us. I can honestly say that only thanks to Fiona’s guidance, tutoring and advice, we were able to have such a wonderful experience in what can be a very scary and overwhelming event. I would advise any father-to-be to participate in the BirthMatters class - it was truly worthwhile.”

“She...helped us understand our choices and make the best ones for us!
I don’t know what we would have done without Fiona! The advice she gave us in her Birth Matters classes was invaluable and really helped us understand our choices and make the best ones for us. We thought we knew it all until she opened up this whole new world to us! Fiona, as a doula, was exceptional and I have no doubt that without her, the birth of our baby would not have been such a positive and empowering experience. She gave my husband confidence in the process and was a calming, re-assuring presence during my entire labour. Hiring Fiona as our doula and attending her Birth Matters classes were some of the best decisions we made and was certainly the best thing we could have ever spent our $ on!”

“I would strongly encourage every parent to take it....
Having recently attended the Birth Matters workshop, my husband and I found it to be extremely informative. The class covered all of the necessary information to be able to make informed, confident decisions during our labor and birth. The class enabled us to understand the advantages and disadvantages of many pain management techniques, and interventions which has empowered us to create a birth plan while being fully able to understand what is best for us and our baby. This class came highly recommended to me, and I would strongly encourage every parent to take it. It was the most valuable information that I have received and has made me much more confident about the birth process.
”

“We would definitely recommend Fiona
We had a wonderful birth experience with Fiona’s support and guidance. She is very knowledgeable about the birth process and hospital protocols in general, but also knew our birth plan and the experience we wished to have, and assisted to ensure this was followed. We appreciated her professionalism, and the realistic approach she takes to providing information and answers to any questions we had, providing us with options to make our own decisions. We would definitely recommend Fiona to anyone who is looking for a positive birth experience.”

“Fiona was an invaluable resource
I was discussing our pregnancy, my first, with a pregnant friend who had experienced a less than ideal birth experience with her first child. She introduced me to the concept of a doula as a birth coach. After doing some research, I felt a doula might be a great help in improving the probability of a positive birth experience. Although skeptical at first, my husband did his homework and agreed. Embracing the idea of doula, we enrolled in the Birth Matters workshops. The classes helped us become more comfortable with the health and safety of natural childbirth and helped forge a relationship of trust with Fiona, our doula. As a pregnancy and birthing coach, Fiona was available to offer reassurance whenever I was uncertain about any of the changes that occur during pregnancy. Most importantly, Fiona helped us to understand the entire birthing process and develop a birth plan that would help us to heighten our childbirth experience. When the signs of labour began to present, Fiona helped provide comfort and reassurance until the time came to go to the hospital. Although the middle of the night, Fiona met us at the hospital and remained until the baby was delivered safe and sound. Throughout the labour Fiona helped with pain management techniques, assisting with the TENS machine, breathing techniques, massage, and pressure points. Fiona provided guidance in getting the baby into the best position and with finding comfortable positions during labour and delivery. Fiona’s presence helped reduce our anxiety dramatically and helped provide reassurance that the decisions made during delivery were the right ones for our family. From labour to delivery, we were very comfortable with the entire experience and ecstatic that our first childbirth experience was such a positive experience. Postnatal, Fiona’s presence helped bring closure to the birth experience and begin the lifelong process of raising our child. Fiona was an invaluable resource in helping to get comfortable with the baby and, most importantly, with the process of breastfeeding. As a trusted advisor, her constant reassurance helped make us very comfortable that everything was as it should be!”

“We hired Fiona to assist us with the birth of our third baby, after my previous two birth experiences were leaving me with anxiety about labor & delivery. From our initial conversation it was apparent that she understood where I was coming from and I felt such great relief being able to talk about the anxieties I was having. She was always very patient answering questions and helped to arrive at a birth plan that meant that the situations that made me feel as I did would not repeat. During my labor, she was totally present and there with us every step of the way. She helped me make decisions that meant taking up more of her time because it would result in a better outcome for me. I can’t express what a difference having her help made to me and I have no trouble recommending her without reservations. I only wish we’d had her help for all 3 births!!”

“I truly believe that I would have had a completely different birth experience if it wasn’t for Fiona
I still remember feeling panicked and overwhelmed by the thought of birth on my way to our Birth Matters class. I have always been of the opinion that I have a very low pain threshold and the thought of birth scared me. As a result I didn’t want to read up about it, talk about it and definitely not watch any videos. In my mind I thought that I will cross that bridge when I get there. My body will know what to do and the doctors and nurses will do what they do best and I will be fine with it. If the pain is too bad I will have an epidural. Recommendations from my friends however convinced me to face my fears and sign up for Birth Matters as it was invaluable to their birth experiences. And how right my friends were. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes. Hearing all the facts and statistics of the process – both leading up to, during and after birth – helped to calm me down and feel less anxious about the process. Understanding my options in terms of non-medicated and medicated pain management and the affect it will have on the labor process was invaluable to me. Fiona is very knowledgeable and passionate about childbirth. Her caring nature makes you comfortable to share your thoughts and fears and you never feel silly in doing so – there is always a reassuring answer that awaits you. I truly believe that I would have had a completely different birth experience if it wasn’t for Fiona and Birth Matters.”

“Of course you know already - but it was really fantastic having you there with us. It was completely the right thing. The pre-labour chats we had were really good and went beyond what we learnt in Birth Matters. Our conversations were very reassuring and informative - and your input on my birth plan was really great. And on the day I think it started when you thought it might be a good idea to come over to our house at 11am - which turned out to be exactly right, seeing as I was 5cm by midday! That was one thing I was particularly anxious about, knowing when to go to hospital - so really fantastic to have you there helping. Well - what can I say about my hospital experience? Having you there must have made all the difference. I’m not particularly earth-motherish or anything, but I managed what turned out to be a rather complicated delivery without any pain relief at all - and me, someone with what I thought was a pretty low pain threshold. Having you there to help with the breastfeeding as soon as the baby was put on my chest was invaluable, as there was such a lot of other stuff going on - I don’t think anyone else would have helped. And needless to say, your continuing help and advice after she was born has also been invaluable - thank you so much!
Of course you know already - but it was really fantastic having you there with us. It was completely the right thing. The pre-labour chats we had were really good and went beyond what we learnt in Birth Matters. Our conversations were very reassuring and informative - and your input on my birth plan was really great. And on the day I think it started when you thought it might be a good idea to come over to our house at 11am - which turned out to be exactly right, seeing as I was 5cm by midday! That was one thing I was particularly anxious about, knowing when to go to hospital - so really fantastic to have you there helping. Well - what can I say about my hospital experience? Having you there must have made all the difference. I’m not particularly earth-motherish or anything, but I managed what turned out to be a rather complicated delivery without any pain relief at all - and me, someone with what I thought was a pretty low pain threshold. Having you there to help with the breastfeeding as soon as the baby was put on my chest was invaluable, as there was such a lot of other stuff going on - I don’t think anyone else would have helped. And needless to say, your continuing help and advice after she was born has also been invaluable - thank you so much”

“We loved having Fiona as our doula
Having Fiona as our doula was a great help. She came to our house to check on my wife when the contractions first started appearing. We were able to call her as necessary for additional support. At the birth of our son, Fiona helped my wife feel comfortable and relaxed. Her caring, calm and willing spirit were wonderful. We loved having Fiona as our doula and if we have another child, we will be calling her up again!”