I am a fully qualified and certified (National Association of Childbirth Educators) independent Childbirth Educator; professional birth attendant/ doula and mother to two wonderful young children. I have been working as a doula and childbirth educator since the birth of my first child, Anna in 2001 and prior to this I worked for over 10 years in group facilitation and community education, which is where my passion for education began.
When I became a mother the experience of giving birth to my two children, changed my life’s focus completely. As well as bringing to me the children of my heart, my experiences of birth have been uniquely powerful and personally transformative. In meeting the challenge of labour’s intensity, I have grown beyond measure.
As a childbirth educator it is my aim to support women to birth with profound satisfaction. Through the provision of information, I support women to make informed choices about their care during pregnancy and birth and so to take ownership of these experiences. Through increasing understanding, I aim to build women’s confidence in the birth process and their innate power and ability to bring their child into the world. Through the development of skills, I aim to equip women to birth in their own way within a 21st century context of medical technology.
Active Birthing and Informed Choice
The philosophy of my service embraces the concepts of Active Birthing and Informed Choice, in which the woman is the central participant in her birth experience.
My approach is one of skill development and resourcing, to increase your self-reliance and confidence during birth and early parenting. I believe that you already have within you what you need to birth your baby safely and to your profound satisfaction. It is my honour to work with you to build on these strengths and support you to connect with this powerful aspect of yourself.
What is an Active Birth?
An Active Birth is a birth during which YOU are the central participant in your birth experience. You are supported by your caregiver to make informed choices about your care and to take responsibility for those choices.
During an active physiological birth, the woman is able to choose her own positions, favouring upright supported positions during active labour to maximise the effects of gravity and her body’s birthing potential. She is able to remain mobile, free to change her position when she feels the need or when she is no longer able to relax or progress in her current position.
During an active caesarean birth, the woman is supported to make informed choices about her care during and after the operation, maintaining her participation in the birth process.
What is an Informed Choice?
A woman is able to make an informed choice about her care during and after birth, when her caregiver:
- Provides her with accurate information which is based on an evidence based practice;
- Details and outlines specific choice points
- Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different procedures
- Presents information about potential risks in a sensitive and non-threatening manner;
- Checks that the information given has been understood
- Allows enough time for the woman and her partner to consider the information given
- And then, provides emotional support to the parents regardless of the decision made.
- In crisis situations, where caregivers are required to make decisions based on information which is unavailable to the parents, responsibility is delegated to the medical attendants
Parenthood is life’s greatest adventure, it is my honour to share with you the beginning of your journey.
Victoria Marshall-Cerins BA (Hons), MSc,
Grad Dip. Community Education,
Grad Dip. Childbirth Education,
Birthready