Myself (Gemma) and Wife Sarah attended Karen McClay’s Calmbirth classes after receiving a voucher from my lovely colleagues. We were recommended by a friend that attended founder Peter Jackson’s class 21 years ago! In absolute honesty I believe Karen and her classes truly gave myself and Sarah especially, the empowerment in choice for medical decisions, birth planning, exploring and honing female intuition and the tools to prepare for labour and birth.

We welcomed Jude Warwick Bee into the world on 01/01/2026 at 5:18am! At 39+3 weeks the birth was a calm, unmedicated water birth after 3 days of slow early stage labour and being sent home twice to keep progressing.

Next cab off the rank – Abigail (Abbie) Howes!
Born 28/12/25 (39w 4d), 9:35pm, 2.8kg, at Royal North Shore.

Labour and birth went pretty much how Abbey had hoped (just a little bit faster). At the end of it all, I turned to the midwife and said, “That’s pretty textbook, yeah?” (However textbook birth can be). She laughed and said, “Even better – it doesn’t happen that fast in the textbook.” Of course, it had its fears, tears, and everything birth brings… just on an express timeline. Abbey’s ideal plan was to go naturally, only having induction or epidural if needed. After a few anxious trips to the Hospital throughout the week – including a perfectly timed chance-encounter with Calmbirth Karen – we settled on an induction date Tuesday the 22nd. But little did we know Sunny and Abbey had other plans.