"I began the pregnancy yoga with Cristin about 28 weeks into my pregnancy with our third child. I had read about how helpful yoga was for pregnant women and therefore decided to join the class organized and taught by Cristin. My main objective for joining the class was to have as smooth as ever possible labour and birth. We met once a week and I religiously attended each class because after each session I felt more connected with my baby, and believed more in my body for the birth of my baby than I had ever felt with my previous two pregnancies. I more importantly found I was highly spirited after each session. The poses/exercises though mainly gentle required lots of mental psychic and concentration which all helped me in preparation towards the birth. After an exciting and sometimes challenging exercise I looked forward to the relaxation at the end. It was one of the few times I actually switched off in the midst of all that was happening around. A couple of times I actually fell into a deep sleep. At the end of my 10 weeks yoga, I did not only enjoy myself and my pregnant body but also had one of the most beautiful births I could ever imagine. I am ever grateful to Cristin for giving me just enjoyable and appropriate yoga lessons and ultimately a dream come true pregnancy and birth of my beautiful baby girl." -Opokuwaa Evans

"I can only give positive feedback about your pregnancy yoga class. In fact, I went to two other series of pregnancy yoga classes in the US and yours was by far my favorite. The main differences between your classes and the others I attended was the level of comfort I felt in your class. You have a very mindful teaching style that made me feel relaxed enough to participate and enjoy the yoga poses. Being pregnant for the first time, I was a bit overly worried about every little thing so the supportive and nurturing style that you have was quite helpful. I also liked that we had group discussions about pregnancy/birth related topics every session." -Sara Allegra, MSW, CTRS

"I feel that my overall experience with Cristin was a positive one and I would recommend her to anyone in the future... When I first met Cristin, we discussed and covered my background, my previous birth, and how I would like this birth to be different (I had a homebirth). When I finally went into labour, Cristin came right away, and helped my through the first part of my labour through massage, positioning and breathing techniques. Things were going well and I felt like I was managing fine, but it was still good to have Cristin's support. She spoke softly throughout and was very in-tuned with my needs at every moment. By the time I went through transition, it became increasingly difficult for me and I was not able to contain myself. I wasn't breathing to birth the baby, just focusing on my pain. That's when Cristin was the greatest support I could have possibly had. And I mean the GREATEST support. She held me (I was in a birthing pool) and told me sternly (that's what I needed) but gently to BREATHE; and she did it with me. I guess it sounds odd in writing that it was great for someone to tell me to breathe, but the way she did it, and the tremendous physical and emotional support she gave me during it all, was incredible." -Dee Goldberg

"This second birth was a wonderful experience! I could open myself to every contraction in a long, powerful inner smile, I felt grateful for what was happening and for hours I was beyond the pain. From 1am in the morning until 1pm, I opened myself smoothly, gently, with regular beautiful contractions, very powerfull in their work (opening my body), but really barable because of that inner smile and the breathing. The breathing supported the contractions, it helped a lot to make them “effective” – as if the breathing gave a “direction” to the contractions, it was as a “guide” or a friend full help. I had contractions every 5 or 6 minutes during 12 hours of “meditation” through breathing and, in between the contractions, some yoga exercices that I liked to do, or taking a rest, or anything else. After 12 hours of such gentle work, I felt the contractions coming more fast and harder, that was difficult to endure, I have to admit that it became difficult to maintain the inner rest and that I merely was subjected to the pain more than that I could accompany it. The problem was that I was completely “open” (about 9 cm), but the baby wasn’t low enough. The contractions became so hard but without an effect on the baby. After one hour, they decided to break my water so that the baby could come down: and this was amazing because just after they break the water, I felt a contraction bringing down the head of the baby, and in one next contraction she came out and it was all over. I am still surprised when I think about it, as if I was still waiting for the hours of suffering and pain, but everything was so fluid, so smooth, and finally so fast! You remember that I was so terrified about the birth, now I am so proud, so happy, so strong, so trusting of life! I want to tell everybody about the birth and what a wonderfull experience it was – an experience valuable for life itself, after all, because we constantly need to open ourself to the movements and ‘contractions’ of life, to accept changes and sometimes difficulties. The time you gave us to prepare ourselves to such an important event, through the yoga exercices as well as through the talking was so precious; you changed my fear into trust and you helped me to find that “inner smile” in me that was so powerful. So, a thousand thanks, dear Cristin. I look forward to a next yoga class with you! All the best to our other pregnant women, tell them about me!" -Nathalie Kremer

"The pregnancy yoga classes with Cristin were a great experience. She is a very a caring teacher and very knowledgeable. I feel much more confident and relaxed with regards to labor and giving birth. Furthermore, I learned many useful exercises to relax my back and shoulders and to prevent back pain." -Ulrike

"Though I’m still pregnant and waiting to put in practice what you’ve taught us at the yoga class, I can’t resist testifying about my wonderfull experience in your classes. You remember I was really scared for the birth when I came in, but the exercices you’ve taught us, as well as your healing words that I remember after each class, totally helped me to change my fear into trust and an inner smile. Now, it’s almost as if I couldn’t wait to give birth, to pass again through this wonderfull experience in a conscious, serene way. I know it will be hard at some stage (number 3 on our graphic!) but I also know that pain is in some way a healing experience, and that as a woman I have an extreme power in myself that makes me capable to endeavour it, as you told us. Thanks for everything and all the best!" -Nathalie Kremer, 40 weeks, 
 
"I have gained much more than I expected from the pre-natal yoga class. I felt empowered, relaxed and confident after each session and it gave me great ideas of how to feel more confortable with myself and my body while at home. I feel much more connected to my baby and trust myself much more and I will try to continue until the end of my pregnancy." -Despina, 20 weeks

"The weekly class kept me energised and positive about the pregnancy and confident about the birth. I cannot recommend it highly enough." -Mika, 34 weeks

"I worked with Cristin Tighe as I planned for the birth of our second child, here in Washington DC. Cristin was my doula alternate. While I was working on my birth plan, she helped my think about different options I had. Gently helping me come to my own conclusions, but with much more knowledge than I originally had. She always made me feel that the decisions I made were well informed decisions and the right ones for me and my husband. My first impression of Cristin was an easy going, upbeat doula who seemed to always ask good questions and truly listen and was very resourceful. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to have Cristin there at the birth, but I felt much more confident and sure of myself during the whole process. Our son was born with a natural delivery and is growing by leaps and bounds now. I would definitely recommend Cristin as a doula. Hopefully you are lucky enough to be able to tap into all her knowledge and skills."  - Kris Gill

"This being our first child and a strong desire for natural childbirth with limited medical intervention, we decided that hiring a certified doula would help increase our chances to see our labor wishes through. We were right. Our experience with Ms. Tighe exceeded our expectations in professionalism and quality of care. From our initial visit through delivery, Ms. Tighe was competent, reliable, and professional. From our first prenatal meeting, we instantly felt “a connection” with her and our anxieties about labor and delivery were allayed. Ms Tighe was well-prepared, organized, and kept accurate documentation of each of our visits. She took time to answer all of our questions and discuss my care options at length and provided relevant reading material. She addressed not only my physical needs but both me and my husband’s emotional needs as well. With Ms. Tighe’s assistance, all of our birth plan requests were honored, enabling us an easy and natural delivery. We were very happy with our choice to have Ms. Tighe be a part of this special event in our lives. Ms. Tighe offers her clients something that is lacking in today’s medical environment, freedom of choice. She shares the benefit of her experience and presents all of the available options and then allows the client to make health care decisions that are the most comfortable and appropriate to them. We have complete confidence in Ms. Tighe’s competency and professionalism and believe she performs a valuable service. We hope that she is able to continue practicing for many years. It is without reservation that Ms. Tighe receives our highest recommendation."  - Annemarie Pender

"She comes with a strong knowledge base of the postpartum doula role. Overall, her background, education & experience offer an excellent basis to her care. Her clients speak very highly of her. Cristin is a strong asset."  -Gerry Levrini, President of Mother & Baby Matters doula agency

"Thanks for teaching us so much!"  - Catherine, Tim & Noah

"Cristin Tighe received excellent reviews from clients, she made parent(s) comfortable with their newborn, contacted resources that were appropriate to assist parents with challenges... Cristin accommodated the needs of highly educated professionals that often had unrealistic expectations of parenthood."  -Nancy Clark, Clinical Supervisor, Momease doula agency

"I highly recommend Cristin as a doula. She was our night doula for about six weeks. She was very responsible and reliable... I completely trusted her with my baby, and in addition found her to be very resourceful. She helped me understand the different cries my baby had and interpreted their meaning."  -Meredith Alpert

"My beautiful little daughter... was born on May 23. We are both doing well. Labor was LONG but I managed. I "pushed" for 3 hours and really tried my best to use the breathing techniques we practiced. I think it worked b/c I survived!"  -EPRB

"You tell those pregnant women to stop making excuses and get their butts to yoga class! No, seriously, your yoga class was the best thing I did for myself (and for my baby) while pregnant. My mind was swimming with birth plans and lists, and tying up loose ends at work and trying to get everything ready for the baby, and hormones, and going to yoga was the only time I allowed myself to stop and focus and breathe, the three most important things I needed to be doing. There were many nights I didn't feel like going because I was tired or had had a bad day at work, but I made myself go, and was always so happy that I did. No matter how stressed or grumpy I was (you remember those days!), 20 minutes into the class and I was transformed. I was fortunate not to have a lot of back pain during pregnancy, I think it was because I went to your yoga class, and because of your knowledge of pre-natal yoga that helped stretch out all the right places. Without your class, I would not have been able to birth a 10 lb. 5 oz. baby at home with no drugs. How's that for a testimonial?"  -Jenny Gerdts

press

Peaceful Warrior for Breastfeeding, article in BirthWorks International Newsletter, page 8, 2015

First Person, article in The Bulletin, Brussels, Belgium, 11 June 2009