Below are some testimonials I have received from my doula and breastfeeding clients.
Successfully able to breastfeed my baby girl!
I feel very confident and well prepared as a first time mom having completed The Beautiful Breastfeeding Program from The Thompson Method with Ayoe. Ayoe has been great at answering all my questions about breastfeeding, birth and how to also take care of myself after my baby was born. I’m glad to have access to the full program for life and support throughout my whole journey.
There are a lot of things that are difficult as a new mom, and it really helped me having done a breastfeeding program so I knew more and was better prepared.
Thank you Ayoe for supporting me on this journey. I have been successful at exclusively breastfeeding my now 3-month-old baby. I am very grateful for learning about positioning baby, avoiding nipple trauma and how breastmilk production works so I didn’t have to supplement with formula. One thing I really love about breastfeeding is the way my body creates antibodies to protect my baby when there is something going around.
I highly recommend this program.
–Tasbeeha
Ayoe’s knowledge, support, and calm demeanor really helped me to have the natural, safe and successful birth that I had hoped for.
Throughout my journey to motherhood, including post-partum, my partner and I were provided with bountiful resources and open-minded support. In the beginning, birth scared me as I hadn’t been through the experience before but soon felt at ease knowing that I had Ayoe by my side. The information Ayoe provided enabled me to understand the birthing process and to consider all of the options that would be available to me (depending on the circumstances).
Ayoe is also a Certified Thompson Method Breastfeeding Educator. My baby and I had a difficult start to our breastfeeding journey, but having applied the Thompson Method after completing the course as part of our doula package, I am very happy to report that we are successfully on our 17th week of breastfeeding.
Ayoe’s guidance has been invaluable; I highly recommend Ayoe to anyone requiring a doula.
–Gemma
I hired Ayoe early in my third trimester and through her got access to the Thompson Method course. In our prenatal meetings Ayoe asked me if I was planning on breastfeeding and how I felt about it. I naively answered that I would just breastfeed, how hard could it be!? I had little understanding about breastfeeding until learning about it through Ayoe and the Thompson Method.
When it came to my birthing time, I was prepared to advocate for my 3 golden hours of uninterrupted skin to skin. That went extremely well. Unfortunately, hours after Ayoe left but before we were allowed to be discharged, we were transferred to the NICU due to baby’s white blood cell levels (I was GBS+). Baby was given many bottles of formula by staff and my partner despite my efforts to walk down to NICU every 3 hrs to breastfeed. Nursing staff in NICU observed me breastfeeding and had me switch to cross cradle from the Thompson Method. Baby developed a preference for the fast flow of the formula over my slow colostrum and would cry often at the breast.
Ayoe attended the NICU a couple days after birth to help acquaint me with the Thompson Method. By the time I got home, baby was almost completely refusing the breast, especially the left and I was verging on engorgement. Ayoe came to my home a few days after discharge to observe a breastfeed and give pointers. She helped by text throughout those early days as I slowly got baby back on the breast.
She also arranged a call with a Thompson Method midwife who gave me a chiropractor and bottle recommendation to try. I was having severe nipple pain at the time due to baby’s shallow but firm latch. Thanks to this support, baby’s latch changed considerably in a matter of 72hrs. If I hadn’t hired Ayoe as my doula I suspect my breastfeeding journey would have failed or I would have spent hundreds on lactation consultants. I was not prepared for how hard breastfeeding could be or how much conflicting advice I was going to receive in hospital.
–Shauna
Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had Ayoe as part of my birth team. I achieved my goal of having a non-medicated VBAC, and feel that Ayoe was a huge support to me in times when I felt ready to give up. She played an active role leading up to and during the birth in many ways such as energy healing, being a source of emotional support, relieving discomfort, and helping me to find positions to encourage a speedy labour. She knew exactly what to say to get my head in the game and she showed my husband how to play an active and supportive role to which he is very grateful. Ayoe allowed me to feel safe in such a vulnerable experience and met me with compassion and patience, all of which makes me look back on my VBAC as the most challenging, rewarding, and rich experience of my life.
-Margaret
About 5.5 months ago, I had given birth to my little boy by C-Sec. I haven’t given a testimonial till now but not a week goes by I don’t think of doing this. I’ve just been occupied but Ayoe needed to be recognized as the amazing soul and human being she is. I wanted to try naturally, and she 100% supported and guided me in ways I didn’t know existed. I ended up in emergency c sec, every step of the way from birth to breastfeeding, she was there. She checked up on me even when I couldn’t keep up. She was absolutely a breath of fresh air. I may have not talked to her much between being a new mom and trying to balance life, I want her to know she is remembered for those days. She made me feel safe and heard. She advocated my needs for me when I couldn’t. Anyone that needs a doula, she is worth it every minute. She gave me many advices but never pressured. I followed most of them and I forever thank her for them. She helped me through every contraction to breathing. She didn’t seem annoyed but rather sooo patient with me. Thank you Ayoe. Truly.
-Nafisah
I really liked working with Ayoe. She never once made me feel like any of the choices I wanted to make were bad ones. She empowered me to ask questions. She was always very kind and compassionate towards me. I wanted a natural birth and although that did not happen, Ayoe was still very helpful with the labour along the way. She also made my husband feel a part of the process which was important. Her breastfeeding knowledge and tools were also so so helpful in allowing me to be prepared for that. And thankfully I have been successfully breastfeeding my daughter with no supplementation. She is always available and stays in touch even after the birth to make sure you and baby are doing well. I would highly recommend Ayoe.
–Jaimie
I am grateful to have Ayoe as my doula. She has been there for me from day one and has helped me out a lot. It was a painful experience I have ever had in my life. But it was worth it, because I have the most beautiful and precious gift ever in my life now. As Ayoe being on my side and explaining me every step really help me. I recommend her to those who need help to get through birth and have sessions with her. She has taken very beautiful pictures after I had deliverd my baby boy. And gave me beautiful gift. Thank U once again Ayoe.
–Devki
Our doula Ayoe was really amazing fantastic. She was really careful supportive helpful comforting before, during and after my delivery. She helped me and husband in every possible way. She explained and cleared all our questions in very detail. She prepared us so well to be flexible in labour and she always made sure that our priority was to be comfortable with the decisions we made while in labour. It was my first birth and because of my amazing doula I had lots of confidence in myself and had all safe smooth and natural birth. She was a huge help for me and my husband and we are so grateful that she was present with us. Thank you so so much Ayoe for everything you did for both of us and We highly recommend her.
–Kajal
I do not know how I would have done it without Ayoe! She was such a huge support and help for me. She would anticipate my needs and have the water there waiting for me before I even had to ask! She was also a great advocate for me, especially when I was having a hard time with the pain. Reminding me of my birth wishes in a calm manner and she also was great about asking for more information when I needed it but couldn’t ask for it. I feel like Ayoe was the person that was meant to be there for me during this time and I am so glad that she was and that my daughter was able to come into the world in a safe positive environment and that was with the help of Ayoe! The world definitely needs more doulas, and especially ones like Ayoe!
–Norma
A brief testimonial does not fully explain the positive experience that I had with the support and mentorship from Ayoe but I will do my best. I highly recommend any soon-to-be father to experience the support and services provided by Ayoe.
The best way I can explain the experience would be comparing the birth of my first child to my second child with the support from Ayoe. As a first time father-to-be I was completely clueless with my role and my capacity to support my wife. I felt powerless and useless as I did not know how to support my wife through labor. We were fortunate that we had a great team of midwives, however I felt like an outsider and never truly part of this precious experience.
Fast forward to the birth of my second child and the experience was night and day. Right from the start Ayoe made me realize that I was an important part of the team and that I had a vital role to provide throughout the pregnancy. The inital pre-birth meetings with Ayoe were so beneficial. Through the bioenergy session I felt my mental and physical well being improve and provided a space to share my thoughts and any concerns I had in preparation for the delivery. From this initial meeting I was in a much better space.
During the birth, Ayoe supported and coached me throughout and ensured that I would be involved every step of the way. She guided me through supporting my wife during her labour.
We had hoped for a home birth but were having some complications and had to rush to the hospital. Ayoe was in the car with us and she wheel chaired my wife to the maternity ward. Even during this frantic period she was such a calming presence.
She continued to support my wife and myself throughout the birth at the hospital. Our first child was a c-section and my wife desired to have a natural birth. Ayoe became her advocate and pillar of support throughout the birth for my wife to achieve her goal of having a VBAC.
–Jeff
So much useful information!
My little one latched immediately and I did not have any issues moving forward. I felt a lot more prepared going into my first baby after being part of The Beautiful Breastfeeding program. It was really helpful for me to be able to get my questions answered by Ayoe, someone who had been there before. She was super nice and knowledgeable. I definitely recommend this to any breastfeeding moms!
–Jaden