References are available on request.

I was terrified. Absolutely terrified. Also I'm a real hypochondriac, so the whole idea of a painful labour was just horrific. I'd read about doulas and decided I wanted to find one to help me have as positive an experience as possible; I wanted someone there I could trust, who would make me feel more comfortable and secure.  I ended up having the dream birth: just three hours of hard slog at home. Sharon played a huge part in that. The moment she walked through the door she started setting the room in a more comfortable way. And both my husband and I felt we could relax, knowing somebody was there who knew what was going on.  I was prepared to go to hospital and take any kinds of drugs; I just didn't know how it was going to work out.  What Sharon gave us was support - the knowledge that, whatever happened, it was going to be good.

As a first time Mum of over 40, enlisting Sharon's help as an anti-natal and birth doula was a God-send to the uninitiated and unprepared, as I was. Sharon was always the calm at the eye of the storm when medics started fussing over foetal size, the implications of delivery for an older Mum and the general hubub of prenatal care. She came along to consultant meetings with me at the hospital and was a fabulous support offering advice and comfort with her inimitable warm humour. Although my baby was born via caesarean in the end owing to pre-labour complications, Sharon was very much part of the journey to birth and helped me keep the confidence and composure I needed, given that I would have preferred a home water birth. I warmly recommend Sharon for any mum-to-be to take part in their journey too at such a pivotal part of life.

Dagmar Wujastik from Cambridge:

I joined a YogaBirth class because, although I would have been able to make up a routine for myself, I felt that being surrounded by other women in the same situation would give me more of a boost. Also, being guided carefully through exercises makes for a much more relaxed practice than if I had to think everything through myself. I very much enjoyed the company, and also the discussions on giving birth, and breastfeeding.  It actually made me feel much more confident about the whole process.  I found pregnancy quite hard, since I had a lot of trouble with nausea and sickness in the first months and general pains in the last months.  It's quite easy to get into a negative frame of mind when one has chronic pains, and I found that the classes did a lot to restore my equilibrium. It made me generally feel better - in my body, but even more significantly, psychologically. The classes are lovely in a great space with all the pillows, mats and stools, the tea and biscuits and the chats. It was always a very welcoming atmosphere, and had a very positive impact on my experience of pregnancy and I will certainly recommend them to mothers to be”.

Kate Boston from Hemingford Grey:

Until I got pregnant I had not done any yoga for a few years, but as soon as I saw an advert for YogaBirth I jumped at the chance to start again and I didn't look back.  The classes helped me enormously and in lots of different ways. Initially I suffered from bad backache, but was taught various exercises which were really useful and the backache soon disappeared. As my baby grew the classes were a wonderful way of relaxing and learning how to feel really comfortable. Sharon has a wealth of experience and knowledge behind her and her classes are focussed, informative and
reassuring.  I can honestly say that it was thanks to the relaxation and breathing techniques I learned during her classes that I managed to have the totally natural birth that I so desired. Last but not least, the classes are a lovely way to meet other expectant mums in your area.