Testimonials
This is a first hand, from the horse’s mouth experience and I was honoured to witness it.
Coming from Zimbabwe this was a new experience for us and when my daughter first told me she was going to have a hypno, home, water birth I was horrified.
To me childbirth in my day required hospitals, gyneas, doctors, lots of nurses, painkillers and every piece of medical equipment in the world to resuscitate a new born plus an ambulance for anything that did not cover. Well was I proved wrong! I met Natasha once before the birth but my daughter had been on regular visits to her throughout her pregnancy and my daughter was as cool as a cucumber when I arrived,completely confident about the forthcoming events.
Extremely anxious about everything, I had to hide my own uncertainty for the sake of my daughter. Then the due date arrived. Almost on cue she went into labour, with all her excited family around her she remained incredibly calm and collected, her partner also seemed to have everything under control which I can only put down to their regular visits to the midwife and the hypno practice they had both been involved in.
I was at the birth from beginning to end, trying to fit in a bit of photography for the couple, as from my own experience I regret missing out an occasion like this that you just can’t repeat. Icannot describe how impressed I was with the whole procedure. Natasha is the most calming and caring person, she treated my daughter like her own with the most beautiful heart felt care and totally in control of the situation from beginning to end. From the moment I arrived I never once felt like we had to call any doctors, ambulance etc. like I had imagined. My daughter was allowed to move around as she wished or needed and was dressed as she needed as well in a comfortable and calm environment. Natasha showed us where to massage and put pressure on her lower back to relieve the powerful contractions which I rediscovered you can work with and not against to have a far more pleasurable birth. They had incense and music playing and it was the most delightful place any delivery room could possibly be.
It was the most unbelievable birth, no crying or shouting, no painkillers, no tearing or stitches and the most precious result as she came up from underwater onto her mum’s tummy already searching for nipple. She has been the quietest and most chilled out baby I have ever met and I can only put this down to a complete circle of happy mum, happy pregnancy and the best midwife in the world. I would recommend Natasha to everyone and definitely find out about the hypno birthing as this just added a new dimension to having a baby !
Dear Natasha,
Exactly 4 years ago, at this moment, I was making a call from Betty’s Bay to Somerset West to tell you that my waters had broken while I was taking a late-afternoon (or early-evening rather!) nap. I have thought of you so often in the past 4 years, and there’s no way for you to know if I don’t tell you, which I haven’t done. I think of all the mums you’ve had, I may be one of the ones that you’ve heard least of. And also, because I joined you so late in my pregnancy, our time together was shorter than would normally be the case. And then I had a birth, which you afterwards told me was not the birth you had wanted for me. And all of this may have made you think that I am less happy or less satisfied with the experience I had with you than other moms where everything happens as everybody wishes it will.
So,I just wanted to let you know, four years after Ian’s birth, that ifI could do it again, I’d do it exactly the same way. Thank you for your part, for being there, for rubbing my feet, and holding my hand, for staying through the night although you were tired, of coming to Betty’s Bay afterwards and being on the phone at 10pm when a 3-week-old baby wouldn’t stop crying.
And then, thank you for being a midwife who had Caesareans. I think that made a world of difference to me. When I saw you didn’t think the baby was going to be born naturally (but still gave ME the option to decide or at least say what I thought and felt), I knew you knew what that was like. And that made it OK.
Because you didn’t let me carry on forever, neither did you tell me it wasn’t going to work. I wanted to give birth naturally, but because it was you there with me, it really was OK that it wasn’t one. Thank you so much.
Carla xxx
leo.
… with summer back in the Cape I am constantly thinking back on last summer when this 10kg baby of mine was still in my belly… How I loved being pregnant!
I was always looking forward to my appointments with Natasha, not only because I could hear my baby’s heartbeat again.
Also because she would make you feel even more excited (and also reassured, more confident etc etc) about the pregnancy and the whole birthing experience…
Still today I am so thankful I found her (just googeled ‘midwife Somerset West’ and there she was!) as we would never have wanted to be our BirthDay’ to be different!
It was a hectic couple of days… starting on a Sunday morning and ending on the Tuesday morning…
The baby was eventually born in hospital but most of the labour was at home, so for me it was a home birth..
I will never forget the feeling of that nice, soft hand on my lower back…you could immediately feel the experience… “Thank God!This lady knows what she is doing!” (because I didn’t!!!)
That is why I didn’t argue at all when Tash suggested to go for an epidural at the hospital after all those hours and still no progress… It was a good decision which we don’t regret at all..
and even though we were at the hospital, it was a complete different setting because me and my husband were in charge supported by Natasha our midwife, not the medical staff making decisions for us and not even listening to what we actually want…
The whole experience was so beautiful that I am looking forward to do it all over again and again and again… and hopefully with Natasha by our side!
Aimy Nelis & Ylaai
Natasha was an important support to me as soon as I went to see her.
I was always greeted with a hug and she patiently listened to all my concerns and feelings about my pregnancy, upcoming birth and life in general. I never felt rushed and my preferences for birth were respected.
She was insightful and caring throughout my pregnancy towards my baby as well as me. I appreciated her soft touch and gentle voice when checking on my baby. I really felt like I could open up towards her and she was a source of comfort at every visit.
At my birth , she was a joyful, reassuring presence. She left me to labor as I had wanted to, with no interference, but I knew she was there if I needed her. One of my favorite moments of the birth was just before my daughter was born, I was in the birth pool between contractions and there was suddenly complete silence. Natasha and my doula were standing behind me in the kitchen, I could feel their supportive presence, and the atmosphere was calm and serene. It was everything I wanted it to be.
Natasha helped me achieve the birth I had dreamed about. After the birth I was able to climb into bed with my new baby and be held by my family. I truly believe that this calm and sacred start to life has had a profound impact on myself and my daughter. Thank you Natasha.
