Hi Truus,
Thank you so much for last night. I found your approach excellent. Informative, enjoyable and you made it funny at times. I love the Dutch directness and I am, as a person, quite direct myself……
The class was very useful during the labor, it made us confident during the contractions and pushing stage, as well as an overall expectation of the health system in Holland. Supplementary materials and guides were very valuable as well, as they not only allow us to refresh the material a few days before the due date, but also provided with the very rich network of specialists.
Interactive exercises during the class made the class more practical, so we knew how to do what, and got a chance to practice various techniques even before the birth. We taught about when to call the midwife, how to breath, how to push, and when and how not to push, different birth positions, and we actually tried a few of them during the labor, which without the class we even could not know about, or be ready to ask.
So, if the Dutch health system looks unusual to you, as it was for us, highly recommend this class to understand what, how and why of it, and if not, but almost all the questions answered, so to be prepared to give a birth in the Netherlands, and feel relaxed, as much as possible, confident and calm.
Truus Gale’s course is a balance between mind and body with some practical guidance and how to get in a mental state of relaxation, without becoming woolly. Truus is a person who has both feet on the ground. She is doing her job with devotion and has about 30 years of experience.
This course is exactly what I was looking for both practical and also mentally preparing on giving birth. Explained in a theoretically very logical way of how and why things happen that helps you in making your choices. This knowledge takes away fear and creates a lot of “aha..”- moments.
Spontaneous reactions from participants during lunch after a morning session of the One Sunday course in April 2016.
Definely, I found it very useful. Also the way you do it make us (parents to be) to feel more capable, confident, comfortable and secure to the journey that is about to start.
Congrats for a such beautiful work and thanks to make me believe that I can do it. (December 2015)
I discovered what I’m capable of…
To tell you the truth, you will never know how thankful I am for everything you taught me and how happy I feel that I had my baby in the Netherlands, it enabled me to discover myself and what I’m capable of.
It’s funny how things change; since my delivery, every expat friend asks me how was I able to do it the Dutch way. Now when I tell my story, I discover myself being the number one supporter of the ideology of birth that I have learned in this country. If my story can help anyone understand it, I’m really happy to share it. Ana
The truth is that I’m very thankful to the course. My idea about delivery changed completely after it and I faced it much better. I have to be thankful to the massages and to the dog breathing. I hardly had any damage in the perineum due I was prevent. Thanks for your inset and for the nice hosting last Saturday. Wishing you all the best!
The mix between scientific/medical background, practical tips, and the supportive attitude of ‘you can do it’ was great!!
We just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the excellent support through the parental class and information you shared. We found it incredibly useful. You are a fantastic coach!
I have been wanting to write since April when my son was born to thank you for your participation in what was the perfect home birth. You were a fundamental piece in my puzzle because you provided all the information I needed to really trust in the Netherland’s system. So, thank you for making this possible.
I wish you o lot of happiness and success in your life.
Earlier I had a feeling that my body cannot handle it. Now I am even thinking of home delivery!
I would like to thank you for filling confidence in me with your teaching. You are an amazing teacher, I must admit. I consider myself lucky for having attended your class. While living in a foreign country, away from the family, I guess your course will help a lot.
Before joining the course, I was very anxious about the delivery of the child. I had almost decided that I will have an epidural. The words you frequently say during the class (i.e., trust your brain, body and hormones) appealed to me the most. Now I have decided that I will try my best to go natural. I have begun to trust my body. Earlier I had a feeling that my body cannot handle it. Now I am even thinking of home delivery! RB is also very happy with my confidence.
My mother will be here with me for the delivery. With the help of her and RB I hope I will be able to do it.
RB also liked the course a lot, he says. He liked your scientific approach and the way you explained everything. He told me to thank you on his behalf also.
Thank you very much once again and see you on the reunion day!
This is Koyel. I am glad to inform you that both me and my baby boy are doing good. I had a 9 n 1/2 hrs of labor and the breathing exercises helped a lot. It was a vaginal delivery and no C section. I did not take any pain killers or epidural so all the doctors and midwives were really proud and supported my strength.
I am also happy that am recovering very fast. Finally all went well and thank you for all the teachings.
Thank you for the great workshop, we found it very helpful.
It prepared us a bit more for what to expect and feel more confident about upcoming time. I especially liked the part dedicated to fathers, because as mom to be all the ladies are probably reading all kind of books and info’s, while men do not have that urgency yet. I liked the way course covers that part and keep fathers updated as well. The second thing, the course insured me in things I already thought I knew, and also gave some new advises I find helpful. It also ensured me to trust in Dutch kraamzorg system.
I would recommend the workshop to any of my friends, we also saw a delivery presentation in Lucas centre, that was also very good.
Your classes…created a great community
I can’t tell you how wonderful your class was – as a group we still email one another and now we’re going to start meeting once or twice a week for coffee or to take walks. It created a great community for those of us who needed one…
Truus’s course completely changed my partner’s and my attitude about the baby coming. The information and practicing positions made us feel informed and empowered. After the course, we were able to get excited about the baby coming.
M E G A N A L T E R
PHOTOGRAPHY
Being well informed…made a difference
Being well informed about my options, being positive and trusting my own power made the whole difference. I feel very successful and proud.
The other thing that I was thankful for was the tip from Truus’ class about Sabine, the acupuncture contact. I did her 4-week birth preparation treatment and I believe this helped.
Breathing exercises…helpful in managing the pain
The midwife arrived at 3.30 a.m. and I was already 9 cm dilated so no time to make it to the hospital! It was an incredible experience – the breathing exercises were SO valuable in both managing the pain and at the end with pushing Poppy out and not tearing. My mum arrived from Australia at 6.30 a.m. So Niels still made it to Schiphol to pick her up!
After seeing my son…the pain disappeared
Chris was a very good coach. He was doing the breathing exercises with me to motivate me to relax in between contractions. It was hard. But in the end, I was so proud to do it without any pain relief. Especially after seeing my son, the pain disappeared quickly. The grunt turns to laughter and smile.
What an incomparable happiness that is!
Vacuum and endorphins
The delivery went more or less ok although finally vacuum was required to help the baby out. I did not have an epidural, thanks to all the breathing exercises I learnt from you I could handle the contractions very well.
And the endorphins really work.
The most empowering experience of my life
I’m American by origin, and therefore culturally predisposed to certain prerequisites regarding labor and delivery. And so, from the day that I discovered I was pregnant, I was sure of two things: I would deliver in a hospital, and I’d get an epidural. The latter half of my expectations weren’t met and I was destined for a natural, epidural-free delivery.
Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I would deliver this baby without an epidural. In fact, I was the first to shun the Dutch system and its passive-aggressive “acceptance” (but not avid support) of such pain relief. And now, all I can say is that I’m left utterly humbled. Not just by the miracle of childbirth and of how beautifully nature runs its course, but by a strength I evidently had inside of me that I never even fathomed existed.
So, yes, it was painful. More painful than even my wild imagination expected. But in the same breath, it was also the most empowering experience of my life.
The truth is that I’m very thankful to the course. My idea about delivery changed completely after it and I faced it much better. I have to be thankful to the massages and to the dog breathing. I hardly had any damage in the perineum due I was prevent. Thanks for your inset and for the nice hosting last Saturday.Irene Oct 2015