Fifteen Years of Calm: Lessons That Last Beyond Birth

17/06/2025 Kathy Kitzis

Can you believe that the first babies from my very first Calmbirth classes are turning fifteen this year? It’s a milestone that both humbles and amazes me. Time has flown, but what hasn’t changed is the deep joy I feel every time I teach this course. After all these years, I remain as passionate as ever about sharing the tools that have helped me and continue to help many others. I became a Calmbirth educator after my journey with birth. It was my second birth, a homebirth in Hong Kong, that solidified my belief in the power of this program. But what surprised me most is just how useful these tools have been outside the birthing space.

Let’s talk about breath.

Of all the techniques we explore in Calmbirth, breathwork has had the most profound and lasting impact on me. Over the years, I’ve turned to conscious breathing during everything from intense Chinese foot massages to steroid injections and microneedling facials (which, yes, are as painful as they sound). And when I tore my ACL? You guessed it – I breathed my way through that too, until I got to the hospital. It’s not just me. My kids have grown up with these tools. Whenever someone is hurt, we always start with a few slow, deep breaths through the nose. It settles the panic, grounds the moment, and makes space to assess what’s really going on. One of the most powerful examples was when my daughter fell off a horse and broke her arm. We waited two hours for an ambulance, and she breathed the whole way through. It was incredible to witness the power of calm in action.

Breathing has also helped us manage fear. My youngest developed a fear of flying, tough when you’re part of a French-Australian family that travels regularly between hemispheres. Now, when turbulence hits, she closes her eyes and starts to breathe, and we ride it out together. It’s made those long flights not just manageable, but empowering.

And it doesn’t stop there.

I’ve done the 100km Trailwalker twice. (Yes, twice!) It was visualisation and positive imagery, two other powerful tools from the Calmbirth program, that helped carry me across the finish line. I visualised the terrain, the checkpoints, and the relief of each rest stop. That mental rehearsal became just as important as the physical training. In my massage therapy work, I witness the power of touch every day. It’s one of the most underrated ways to regulate the nervous system and bring someone back to a state of ease. When paired with breath, it becomes a potent combination.

One moment that stayed with me was supporting a client who had a long-standing fear of surgery. Using some simple Calmbirth techniques such as breath, touch, and a grounded presence-she went into the procedure with far less fear and came out feeling empowered rather than traumatised. These moments remind me why I love what I do.

Sometimes I joke that my job as a Calmbirth educator and doula is basically to be a professional calmer. But truly, that’s what it’s all about, helping people find steadiness when things feel overwhelming. Giving them tools they can use not just in labour, but in life. Fifteen years on, I can honestly say that Calmbirth isn’t just a program I teach-it’s a way of being. And it’s a gift that keeps on giving.