Testimonial for Serena Fairweather from Amina

Testimonial for Serena Fairweather

I really couldn't recommend Serena enough. She has so much knowledge and really helped me feel prepared. Leading up to the birth, whenever I shared my feelings, fears, questions, experiences from my first birth, and plans for my second, she always made me feel fully understood and accepted. She validated and empowered my choices every step of the way, and was good at understanding my birth through my own lens. Serena has a calm, warm presence, so it's easy to feel comfortable being vulnerable with her. She also gave me tons of tools and practical knowldge to bring into my birth experience, and really took the time to support me physically and emotionally towards the end of my pregnancy- like teaching me stretches and movements to stay comfortable and prepare for birth, while continuing to touch base with me as we got closer to the day. Both my partner and toddler connected with her quickly and easily, as well. Serena did a lovely job of balancing her support for me while also being present and engaged with my family. My birth ended up being short, with only a few hours of contractions before it became clear that I'd need to have an emergency c-section. But even still, Serena was there and invaluable. There were moments where I was in so much pain that I was unable to speak and Serena advocated on my behalf. For instance, in a moment where I was desperate for pain medication and my medical team was busy with other aspects of my care Serena spoke out calmly and professionally, "Amina has made it clear that she needs pain relief, what can we do right now to get that going." Meanwhile, she did so much herself to help me cope. I felt so stood up for and comforted by having her there. My birth experience would have been much scarier and more difficult, for both my partner and myself, if we didn't have Serena. She was also a wonderful support postpartum, coming over for overnight shifts so we could rest.

-Amina

September 05, 2024