Rhonda's Story

Hello and congratulations on your pregnancy! What an exciting time in your lives. A time of significant growth (on many levels) that is sure to influence the way you see the world. Pregnancy certainly had a powerful impact on who I am today……

I came to my first pregnancy with an extremely mainstream view about childbirth. In truth, I hadn’t ever given the birth process much thought at all. I suppose I intended to leave the details of my pregnancy and birth up to the discretion of my family doctor. During my second month of pregnancy, on the insistent recommendation of a good friend, we went to meet the Briar Hill Midwives. This meaningful encounter opened our minds to the realization that there were actually options surrounding birth, along with important decisions to be made regarding our unborn child.

My husband and I chose the midwives as caregiver, then after doing some research, decided to take natural childbirth classes. What an educational journey that was! Kyle and I learned everything there was to know about childbirth and how to work as a team. In 1997 we had a beautiful experience with the birth of our first daughter Makenna. Labour was tough work, forcing us to put our strategies to work for more than 20 hours. We soon delivered our little one into the loving hands of our midwife, Joy, at the Foothills Hospital. Almost five years later, in 2002, we welcomed Kassidy into the world in the gentle comfort of our own Jacuzzi tub at home. She was obviously anxious to meet her big sister, arriving only four hours after labor began.

In the months that followed my first daughter’s birth, I came in contact with dozens of women who were noticeably traumatized by their birth experience (and who weren’t afraid to share it). In addition, the vast majority had only negative things to say about their partner’s role in the process. This saddened and disturbed me and quickly became the motivating factor to attaining my certification to become a childbirth educator with the American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth. I felt a responsibility to share with people that there was “another way”. I was driven by a strong need to encourage, inspire and empower couples to become informed consumers, allowing them to make wiser choices with regard to their pregnancy, labor, birth and beyond.  18 months ago, my colleague and I began our own pre-natal program based on quality research, recommended guidelines from the WHO, SOGC, and Public Health Agency of Canada, along with what we've learned Calgarians need to do to have an optimal birth. We are so excited to share our new approach with you.

Fourteen years now involved in promoting a positive birth in Calgary and my passion, dedication and belief in the process holds strong.  There is unparalleled reward in assisting couples to discover their birthing potential, while giving partners a voice and a well-deserved place in birth. Proper training produces healthy mothers, healthy pregnancies, healthy babies, healthy relationships, healthier, more optimal birth experiences and a healthy transition into parenthood…..all of these things inevitably impacting the family unit, lifelong.

Come journey with me and allow me the honor of helping you prepare to give your baby the greatest birthday gift possible!

Warm regards,


Rhonda Gordon, B. Ed, Childbirth Educator

www.healthybirthchoice.com