I engaged Rene as my antenatal and postnatal midwife, and as a birth companion for the planned hospital birth of my child. My family and I were extremely happy with the standard of care she provided. With Rene’s advice and reassurance, I felt much less anxious in the weeks leading up to my baby’s arrival than I had anticipated. Her clear communication with my husband was helpful in calming our first-time parent nerves. I felt I created a birth plan (both A and B) that reflected my priorities, and being able to discuss all the factors with Rene allowed me to feel confident in my decisions. When the childbirth took an unexpected turn, Rene’s presence at the hospital was invaluable. She advocated for me to receive essential care that had been overlooked by hospital staff, and kept my family members calm during a very stressful period. After we learned that my first-choice birth plan would not be possible, I was grateful to be able to consult with Rene on the spot and to be an active participant in the decisions related to my and my baby’s care. Rene established a good rapport with hospital staff, some of whom she knew, and I felt that a collaborative environment was maintained in the labour room. When I and my husband were apprehensive before my cesarean section, Rene’s warmth and humour provided a big morale boost. She waited with my family until I came out of recovery and helped me to be comfortable holding and feeding my baby before she left the hospital. Her advice and support in the first few days enabled me to establish feeding successfully and to have confidence in myself as a parent. During postnatal check-ups, Rene always enquired about my emotional as well as physical health, and I greatly enjoyed her visits. My husband and I appreciated being able to consult a professional about all our little concerns and Rene never made us feel ridiculous for asking silly questions! I have since enthusiastically recommended Rene to my friends, as I believe Rene was vital in helping me to have a positive experience of childbirth and early parenthood.