My name is Cindy Crosby and I have always loved to learn. When I have questions, I like to research and read. Living abroad twice has been a highlight of my life. For me, learning naturally progressed into teaching and I received my MA in Teaching English as a Second Language. Working with people from all different backgrounds and cultures has helped me learn to relate to people and given me the enjoyment of learning from different perspectives. I am always anxious to learn more. This is what led me, ultimately, to become a birth professional.
My journey toward birth work started years before I was married . . . or even thought about giving birth. I had a friend who I loved and respected mention that she had had a wonderful birth using the Bradley Method. Years later, when I was pregnant with my oldest, I researched all I could at the time. I read about the Bradley Method and took the class series. I also took Hypnobirthing classes. By using concepts from both methods, and with support from both my wonderful husband and doula, I had a beautiful, unmedicated birth. I felt like I had learned a secret that no one else knew: birth is not the horror story portrayed in films and gossip. Women are MADE to give birth and we have within us the power to do it . . . and the mothering that follows birth. My positive birth experience gave me confidence transitioning into the next chapter of my life.
The more I talked with women, the more I realized how different my experience was from the majority of them. Many women had bad experiences and felt powerless or just wanted to avoid or escape the situation. When I encountered women who were interested in hearing my story, I loved to share what I had learned. After suggestions from a few friends, I decided to look into birth training.
I am now a certified Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator through Childbirth International. Their program not only provides a wonderful foundation of evidence-based birth information, it also emphasizes the skills of communication, personal responsibility and decision making, which can greatly impact birthing women. The births of my subsequent two children, my birth studies and my experience with other birthing women have opened my eyes further to the amazing process birth can be. I am excited to share this “secret” with you and help you to have a better, smarter birth.
You can read more about me in this guest post on the blog “Dare to Dream”.
Photo by Kimberly Mitchell.
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