In my quest for a VBAC for my second pregnancy, I was lucky enough to find Donna, a lovely lady whom I instantly felt at ease with.

Throughout my pregnancy she was the most amazing support in every aspect; from casual chats and emails to see how I was going, to serious talks about the issues I would face having a VBAC in hospital and providing relevant literature to read.

During my labour I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Donna. She helped me feel strong enough to birth my baby the way I wanted, amidst exhaustion, pressure and self doubt.

When our beautiful Eliza came earthside she was placed straight on my chest, the most beautiful moment of my life. Thanks Donna, words can’t express our gratitude.

Penny Xx

Donna gave us much more than practical help around our pregnancy and birth. She was a great support to both of us throughout the pregnancy, during and after the birth.

Winding your way through the minefield of information (and misinformation!) around pregnancy can be daunting for first time parents.

Donnas experience as a mother and a doula helped us navigate through this with an objective state of mind. We had a beautiful natural birth and we thank Donna immensely for her guidance, love & support.

Marleen and Dan

Dear Donna,

It’s hard to put into words how much your support before, during and after the birth of our baby girl is appreciated by both of us. I felt so secure that you understood us but it wasn’t until the day that I truly understood your role.

The words “Donna is at the hospital” filled me with calm and a sense of rightness and I was able to keep focusing on my baby. During the labour I only had to look up at you and you would sense my need for reassurance, information or encouragement. Mostly I appreciated your role in bringing Ben to the birth in an active and supportive way.

It has brought us closer and will remain a truly wonderful memory for the rest of my life. Thank you so much Donna for your wonderful wise female energy. Our gift is to remind you of how valuable your work is for women, couples and babies.

With love and friendship always

Kate, Ben and Michaela

With much love and thanks for your wealth of knowledge, for being with us to welcome our cherub into the world and for all of your support and ongoing friendship.

Lots of love – Nicole, Tim and baby Zac

My journey into motherhood was an exciting and amazing experience and I doubt it would have been as fulfilling or smooth sailing without Donna.

Donna was available in person, over the phone and via email all throughout my pregnancy and after the birth. We learnt so much from Donna, things that we would never have found in books or on the web.

Donna really helped us deal with the information overload and all the many options we faced along the way. When we heard of the concept of a doula we knew it was just the thing we wanted for our birth. We wanted a support person who had attended many births, has experience with their own birth and promotes low intervention, natural physiological births.

While our “Plan A” birth didn’t eventuate Donna was an excellent support when dealing with the complications we faced. It was fantastic to have someone who reiterated our birth plan to the doctors and midwifes on duty and interpret medical jargon enabling us to make informed decisions when things got tough.

Donna is very knowledgeable and thorough. She is kind and gentle but tough when it is called for. She offered both physical and mental pain relief options and created a soothing environment within the delivery suite. We are forever grateful to Donna and recommend her highly.

Sharyn and Raj

Donna is the most supportive, comforting and valuable person you could possibly find to support you through any stage of the birthing and parenting journey.

Donna repeatedly demonstrates truly exceptional abilities to put people at ease with her great depth of knowledge, personal mothering experience, exceptional communication style, and genuine deep passion and commitment to supporting women and their partners.

Donna always seems to know exactly the right things to ask, the right things to say and the right things to do in any given moment, whether it be early in pregnancy, later at full-term when nerves and anxiety can increase, throughout labour at home or in a hospital ward, or during those challenging first couple of months of parenthood at home when a soothing and experienced supporter is just priceless for your peace of mind.

My wife and I have found that during our experience of pregnancy, labour and parenthood (which is probably the most significant experience of anyone’s life) it has been incredibly valuable, comforting and reassuring to have an independent, wise, compassionate, caring and professional supporter all the way along. Also Donna went above and beyond the obvious expectations of a birth attendant, providing us with valuable connections to other experts and resources, and doing an exceptional job of communicating with our family and managing a nervous grandmother to be for hours on end!

Thanks to her incredible soothing and confident energy, her empathy and depth of knowledge, in the coming years I am certain Donna will be recognised as one of the greatest talents of the industry.

Gene Blackley, proud father of Sam, Melbourne

Donna’s knowledge and understanding of a woman’s journey through pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding is sensitively supported by her compassionate awareness.

Rhea Dempsey – www.birthingwisdom.com.au

Donna has been a much appreciated assistant at my parenting workshops. She is wonderfully empathic and attuned to parent’s needs, concerns and stresses and can share information sensitively, with respect for individual choices but also with the confidence that being well-informed ensures.

Her passion for positive birth experience as a foundation for becoming parents ensures a holistic approach for the couples she supports through the birthing journey: Donna is aware and informed, shares resources generously and keeps herself up to date on the latest research so that the information she shares is relevant and evidence based.

Her personal experience as a mother also means that you are being educated and supported by somebody who knows what it feels like to approach birth, to experience birth and how vulnerable you can be in those early hours, days and weeks as you adapt to this amazing and profound new role.

Donna's classes will leave you prepared and confident, ready for the reality of birth and early parenting.

Pinky McKay - Internationally certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). Author of 'Sleeping Like a Baby' and '100 Ways to Calm the Crying' and mother of five.

www.pinkymckay.com.au

Dear Donna,

Words will never be enough to say thank you for the role you played in Esme's birth.

I'm so glad you have been able to share this journey with us and hope that you will continue to be a part of our and Esme's life for many years to come! There are so many things I want to say thank you for!!

Thank you for your support leading up to Esme's birth, for providing us with lots of information and advice throughout my pregnancy and, most of all, supporting us in our decision to have a homebirth (one of the best decisions of my life!)

When you arrived I was so grateful! You knew instinctively what I needed to help me feel better and were able to tell Chris what I wasn't able to.

Most of all though, I want to say thank you for your wisdom, advice, knowledge and shoulder to lean on during those first tough few weeks after Esme was born! I don't know what we would have done without you. And lastly, thank you for sharing your passion for birth and gentle parenting with us. You constantly inspire me to be a better parent :-)

Love - Narelle, Chris, Jacob and Esme

To dear Donna,

I want to thank you for your role in my home birth. It’s amazing how much you inspired and supported me. It had a profound effect on the outcome. Thankyou for helping me to have a sacred and healing birth experience.

With much love – Simone

Knowing you were on the end of the line during my pregnancy, especially towards the end where I faced numerous challenges, mostly to do with hospital policies interfering with the natural birthing process, was invaluable. In the last couple of months of my pregnancy, I became quite worried and fearful about what I may be forced to contend with.

You gave me some fantastic words of wisdom and directed me to some wonderful resources that really helped me refocus and regain the confidence to birth my baby in the most wonderful, natural way that I had always wanted. It is so important for women to have this sort of support throughout their pregnancy and birth, as it is so easy to see how one could be bullied into agreeing to procedures that are mostly unnecessary and interfere with a woman’s confidence in her own ability to birth her baby.

I only wish I had had this sort of support throughout my first two pregnancies.

Thanks Donna - Amy xx

Donna is an intelligent and passionate woman who has particular interest in helping women in labour and the post-natal period, as they learn to nurture their newborn.

She is always keen to learn more, so that the information that is offered is broad, current and sensitive. She loves to encourage women to push the boundaries of their strength, understanding and choices. I have seen her advocate for women when they are fragile and vulnerable so that the women and their families feel that they have had the best possible outcome.

Her insight into her client’s needs have been shown when she ‘matches’ up clients with health care professionals – and really gets it right.

I have been a midwife 11 years, and I have been impressed by her understanding of the limitations of her role as a doula when she refers clients on to midwives or other health professionals which better suit the client’s needs. In this sense, she shows the utmost care for her client’s safety.

Donna has amazing skills in reading people and winning the most difficult customer over. Sometimes hospitals can be tricky places to work! I thoroughly recommend Donna the Doula (as I have affectionately come to know her).

Karen Heyward – Independent Midwife in Private Practice (Eastside Midwives)

Donna’s passion for everything birth and babies is inspiring and motivating. Her knowledge is extensive and takes into account various opinions. She quickly became a trusted reference point for me as a new mum with anything to do with my baby’s wellbeing. Her willingness to promptly respond to an email or phone call with in-depth information and a range of options was truly touching and grounding.

Donna’s support and passion for natural birth led me to choose home birth for the birth of our second child. During my second pregnancy Donna offered many tips ranging from seeking out homeopathy to suggesting diets for certain symptoms. Once my waters had broken and labour started, Donna was the first person I rang after my midwife. I was feeling rather anxious by the presence of meconium in my waters and thought the hope of a home birth had been dashed from the outset.

Donna’s reassurance was a well-timed gift. Her capacity to read the tone in my voice and respectfully respond with encouraging words helped me gain the perspective I needed and focus on my choices. She ‘held the circle’ for me at a critical time when all I wanted to do was cry. She also had the genius to make me laugh – the best antidote to fear. Donna is truly an ‘all-rounder’!

By following her passion, Donna has developed a great and natural capacity to empathise with other women and is amazingly generous when sharing her wisdom in respectful ways. I am positive that many women and their babies will be inspired and reassured by her. She offers much needed encouragement for women who want to make positive decisions surrounding the birth of their babies and subsequent nurture. If an ocean didn’t separate us, I’d want her by my side at my next birth for sure!

Anita

Donna is fondly known to me as "Wise Mumma."

She is an infinite resource on all things pertaining to pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting. She has offered me invaluable advice on endless occasions. She also has a wonderful referral list under her belt and has recommended several great alternative practitioners who specialise in these areas.

Karyn

Dear Donna,

We are so appreciative of the support that you have provided us with. Your love and generosity has strengthened us, and Brinn is thriving with thanks to your support.

There are many things that you have done to build my confidence and allow us to parent naturally. He gives us many hours of joy each day.

With love,

Tanya, Michael and Brinn xxx

With our respective families abroad and interstate it was important for us to have an additional support person with us for the birth of our baby.

After some initial research into potential birth attendants we met Donna. Straight away we knew that Donna was the woman we wanted to join us on the very intimate and personal journey into the unknown we were taking with our first-born.

Donna was a continual source of knowledge and provider of no-nonsense resources for us and the many questions and queries we had throughout and beyond our journey into parenthood. Donna was truly incredible during the birth of our baby, nurturing, calm and there for both of us during a long labour. She created an atmosphere where we felt supported and strong in our decision making whilst establishing a space where I felt safe and special. To have the steadfast support of Donna is a real blessing.

Renae & John