About me…

If you had asked me at 20 years old about giving birth, my answer would have gone something like this… “There’s absolutely no way I’m giving birth naturally… GIVE ME ALL THE DRUGS!”. I also would have never even thought about taking a Childbirth Education Course… let’s just say, I’ve changed a lot.

Fast forward to November 2016, I found out that I was expecting and everything changed. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, my mindset around birth shifted big time. My biggest concern was giving my child and myself the most peaceful, calm birth possible. After all, who wants to come into this world with bright lights and loud noises, where everything seems so chaotic? No one.

During my pregnancy, I became a certified Pre & Post Natal Yoga Instructor, and began teaching both shortly after my first daughter was born. I had been doing Yoga for 6 years, had taken Yoga Teacher Training shortly before that, and this seemed like a natural next step considering we would be starting our family in a very short time. It just so happened that I learned I was pregnant a week before the training was set to take place! Divine timing? ALWAYS!

A fellow mama and now close friend had taken HypnoBirthing with her first pregnancy, and highly recommended I check it out since so much of it aligned with my yogi lifestyle. I read the description and was sold. SIGN ME UP!

Honestly, my first birth (in hospital) didn’t go exactly as planned (as birth very often does not)… there was meconium in the amniotic fluid, so I had to be monitored more closely. Luckily, I was still able to move freely as I had them detach the cords between. My daughter also had shoulder dystocia. Despite these two hiccups, I still had an empowered, instinctive birth. Why? Because I was educated enough to ask questions and advocate for myself. I felt respected and heard because I demanded to be.

My second birth in 2018 was a beautiful water birth at the Alongside Midwifery Unit at Markham Stouffville Hospital. It went almost exactly as I envisioned, and again, I left feeling empowered, heard and respected.

For my third birth, I decided to birth at home. With all of the craziness of the pandemic, this felt like such a natural choice for me. I rented a birth pool from a Doula and put up string lights, birth affirmations and made my perfect birth playlist, creating the most peaceful space to bring my baby into this world. With the help of my wonderful midwives, my son was born safely at home and I love that every time I go down to my basement, I am reminded of the beautiful memories of giving birth there.

Wanna know a secret? Regardless of how your birth goes… whether you have your ideal birth, are induced, accept augmentation, or end up with a c-section… that is not what matters most!! What matters is how YOU feel leaving your birth. The only way to ensure you feel respected, heard, and empowered through your birth, is to be educated enough to advocate for yourself. Period. “Trusting your care provider” is more often than not, going to leave you feel disempowered, and likely disappointed. Sadly, our medicalized system of birth doesn’t trust in the power of our birthing bodies, and especially if you’re birthing in the hospital, care providers have to follow the protocols that don’t support instinctive, physiological birth.

This isn’t me telling you to take HypnoBirthing… this is me yelling from the rooftops to every birthing woman and person to educate yourself in whatever way works best for you; whether that’s a prenatal class, reading a book, or reading up about birth on the internet. BUT, if HypnoBirthing sounds like your thing, then let’s chat!

My commitment to you?… What you’re going to get from me in any class you take with me, is a no bullshit approach, where I share every bit of knowledge I have with you. We are built to give birth, and it is our innate wisdom to know EXACTLY how that needs to happen. My intention is, and always will be, to guide you in a way where you are left feeling knowledgeable, confident and READY to own your power and birth exactly how you want to.

Yours in empowered birthing,

Kayla