When we found out we were pregnant with our first son, the first decisions we made was that we would have an intervention -free birth. Our OB laughed in our face when our ideal birth scenario came up at our regular appointment, so at 19 weeks, we switched to a midwife group. We asked our midwife what birthing method she witness the most success with in the delivery room, her answer was Hypnobirthing, hands down. We left with smiles, a plan and Robin's contact information. We immediately enrolled in her next class. Never did we dream that it would be the best decision we ever made as husband and wife let alone as a soon-to-be mother and father team. We gained the confidence needed to have a successful intervention-free birth but what we gained from our time with Robin, didn't stop there. We learned how to becoming the best advocate for our child. My husband learned how to be an amazingly calming and supportive birth partner and I learned how strong I really am. All of which strengthened our bond as a family. We put to use everything we learned, and after 4 hours of peaceful uneventful labor, (most of which was at home,) we welcomed our beautiful son, Elijah. Because I was group B strep positive, and labor/delivery was so quick Elijah needed some extra TLC in the NICU to get the antibiotics I did not receive during labor (for the Group B Strep). We used our knowledge of breast-feeding, skin-on-skin and being our sons best advocate in the NICU as we butted heads with a few old school nurses. Had we not gained the knowledge we had from Robin, and the confidence needed to implement that knowledge, our whole experience (labor, delivery, and NICU stay) would not have been as positive, beautiful and empowering as it was. Since Elijah's birth, I have turned to techniques learned in class to assist me with many everyday life situations. July 2013 we found out our family would be growing once again. Did you know Robin offers a FREE refresher course?! It felt so good to go through the class again and ensure that our experience with baby #2 would be as good, if not BETTER than it was with Elijah. With knowledge, confidence, and experience under our belt, we had two hours of smooth, peaceful, beautiful, empowering (I could go on for days) labor, (only moments of which was at home, so we could race to the hospital and get our antibiotics for Group B Strep this time) before we welcomed our second son, Judah. With Judah our hospital stay (NICU free), breast-feeding relationship, was a DREAM COME TRUE! I recommend Hypnobirthing and Robin Ross to every mother and father-to-be I meet. I would love for family members, friends and strangers alike to have the beautiful experiences we had with our boys, with their babies too. read more

Robin Ross and the Hypnobirthing method is truly a God sent. I had been trying for a while to get pregnant and when I found out my prayers were answered, a flood of questions and fears followed. All you ever hear when women talk about giving birth is how horribly painful and stressful it is, until of course your baby is placed on your chest. I was so afraid of the conventional methods of child birth of C-sections or painful interventions like breaking you water sac or Petocin to hurry along your already unbearable contractions. But then I was thankfully introduced to Hypnobirthing and better yet, Robin Ross. With the help and knowledge that she and her classes provided, I not only was able to achieve my goal of a natural birth with little to no interference from the medical staff, but I was able to manage the discomfort of labor far better than if I had not gotten her help. My birth partner was able to assist me by using the Affirmations and Visualization techniques, and without that guidance I wouldn't have been able to maintain my calm mental and physical control. With her help, I was able to breath through each uterine surge and maintain a calm and controlled mental state of mind. People thought I was crazy for not wanting an epidural and would repeat things like "you don't have to be a hero" or "just be prepared to get the epidural". I was more fearful of the complications that might and can come after an epidural than I was of the pain I could potentially feel from a natural birth, but with the help of Hypnobirthing the pain/discomfort was very manageable. I am eternally grateful for being introduced to the Hypnobirthing method, and for having met Robin and taking her class. With her help I was able to bring my baby girl into a calm and controlled environment. I thank Robin from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to experience this life changing moment in an amazing and empowering way, instead of how so many other women have experienced it. I'm not saying that my labor and child birth experience was not without discomfort (we use that word instead of pain), but I am saying that it was entirely more manageable with this class. The nurses and doctor were amazed at how I handled each surge and that by the end, I literally hadn't even broken a sweat. I also utilized my own bathtub for a good majority of the laboring at home and was able to get to 8cm dilated before even reaching the hospital. Thank you again Robin for all that you have done for me, I am truly amazed at what we have done together. Lots of love and gratitude from the bottom of my heart! read more

My little family is beyond grateful that we had Robin by our side during one of the most joyous and stressful times of our life. At the end of 2015, my husband and I lost our first daughter at 33 weeks gestation so when I found out that we were finally expecting our rainbow baby, I knew that we would need lots of extra support when bringing her into the world. We met with Robin early on in the pregnancy to ensure she had experience working with families who had experienced loss and to learn more about her personal philosophy. My husband and I left that first meeting confident that we were making the right decision. She has such a great attitude and genuinely cares about what both parents have to say. She's the type of person who you immediately feel at home with and I felt very comfortable sharing any and all concerns. Upon deciding that she was the only option for us, she was amazing and let us do a payment plan. As to be expected, I had many moments of panic during the last trimester and Robin was truly a blessing to have as a support person. Perhaps the best part about our experience with Robin is that she really knew when to gently remind me of my desires for the birth that we had previously discussed and when to be flexible due to the circumstances. I experienced a three day long induction and Robin was phenomenal about staying in contact with us and showed up during a false alarm. While I had really wished for a completely natural birth, I had had many interventions and a baby that kept flipping back to breech. Robin kept us focused on getting our baby girl here safely. With her support and guidance, we were able to make the best of the induction and I firmly believe having her by our side is the main reason we successfully avoided a c section. The wealth of birthing knowledge that is Robin Ross will forever be one of the brightest memories of our daughter's birth. She also encapsulated my placenta and delivered it to me at the hospital the next day. Robin is truly the best and if we are blessed with more children, I know we hope she will be by our side again! read more

We attended Robin's hypnobirthing class and used Robin as our Doula at delivery and couldn't be happier with her! As a first time mom, the class was imperative to learning about the stages of labor, what to expect, how to have a natural childbirth, and most importantly, how to relax and truly feel that your body was made to give birth. Robin is an excellent guide to hypnobirthing and I feel as though I wouldn't have been able to have a natural childbirth without her. Her class and support also helped me alleviate my intense fear of childbirth. Robin was in contact with my husband while I labored at home, answering our questions, providing tips, and helping us labor at home as much as possible before heading to the hospital. Her tips and support helped me labor at home until I needed to head to the hospital and helped me gain comfort with the unfamiliar situation. During labor, Robin was an amazing advocate, extremely supportive and calming, and her counterpressure applied to my back (I have herniated discs) was a lifesaver. My husband found it incredibly helpful too because he had fears of not knowing how to help or comfort me during labor, so working as a team with Robin and the nurses to support me allowed him to be involved, but not overwhelmed. Robin was also there for me with postpartum questions and helped with breastfeeding questions as well. She is extremely compassionate and understanding, which made it so easy to talk to her about birthing questions and postpartum issues. She's very knowledgeable and helpful. I would HIGHLY recommend Robin! read more

I can't say enough great things about Robin. My husband was against the idea of utilizing the services of a doula during our birth for a variety of reasons so we compromised on taking our birthing class with a doula instead of the hospital. I had saved Robin's website in my computer months before we actually conceived so when it was time to take a labor/birth class, I went right to the her page. We took her one day class and it was the best decision ever. Robin taught us so much and shed light on things that we never would've known or even learned from a hospital class. She fully equipped us with the tools to deliver our baby the way we wanted to. We left her class feeling knowledgeable, capable, and empowered. As the end of my pregnancy neared I heavily relied on the things that we learned. And when my doctor wanted to induce me at 40 weeks, it was Robin that I turned to. I delivered my baby at 41w +3d completely intervention free. We used all the tools Robin taught us - during many a contraction my husband recited things we learned in class. Even though we didn't have Robin in the delivery room with us, it felt like she was with us because we felt so equipped in advance. And after delivery she jumped right into action again when we used her placenta encapsulation services. Every interaction with her was fantastic. She was always available for questions. You honestly can not go wrong with Robin. read more

I have an annoying tendency to pass out when confronted with anything medical, so the idea of giving birth had always been a stressor for me. I also have major needle phobia. Hypnobirthing was a perfect fit! All of Robin's classes made me feel so prepared. The cd of guided meditations helped me fall asleep each night. Leading up to the big day, I was so surprised at how unstressed I felt. Knowing Robin would be there made me feel like I didn't have to worry and I was so right. I don't remember much of the day because of how "in the zone" I was (I listened to the Rainbow meditation on loop), but I do remember feeling like she could read my mind. I could barely vocalize my needs, but she always knew right when I needed water, a juice boost, a lavender scented cold cloth (godsend!), or especially firm pressure on my back. Because she was there, I never got scared. She led me through different positions and assured me that I was doing a good job (just what I needed to hear). Without her, I know that I would have felt lost and scared, constantly worrying if I was on the right track. With my history, I can't believe I had such a calm, unmedicated birthing experience. Afterward, my husband said he was amazed at how strong I was the whole time. I am so grateful to Robin. I really could not have done it without her. read more

I contacted Robin Ross when I was about 6 months pregnant at the suggestion of one of the midwives I was working with (from Elmhurst Hospital, Elmhurst, Ill.). I was very happy with the help, education, encouragement, patience, and availability of Robin. All of our meetings and conversations were informative and reassuring. From our first meeting, she answered all of my questions, including what the plan would be if I went into labor at an unexpected time and she wasn't available. She gave me the names of her back-up doulas so that I could research them as well. In addition to working with us as our doula, my husband and I took her hypnobirthing class which we were both very glad to have done. My goal was to deliver my baby without an epidural or any form of pain medication, and even though I had to be induced, I was able to do that. My baby was nine days late, but born healthy in March, 2018. I am certain that Robin's coaching helped me to deliver a healthy baby without any pain intervention. I decided at the last minute to have my placenta encapsulated, and am happy with that decision, too! If we're lucky to have another child, we'll be contacting Robin again. read more

Robin taught our hypnobirthjng class and was absolutely wonderful! As an instructor, she's a perfect blend of warm, knowledgeable, caring and FUNNY! I appreciated her encouraging and supportive approach to teaching about childbirth and the hypnobirthing method. I've had friends take other classes and they mentioned how judgemental classes/instructors were of anything outside of their methods but Robin is super positive and supportive. No trash talking at all! She absolutely recognizes that there is no one size fits all approach and helps you find the best strategy for you. We felt so well equipped with the tools from Robin's class to approach birth in a way that made sense for me/us. Our ultimate goal was a healthy baby and we hoped for a calm, drug-free, minimal intervention delivery. I absolutely credit Robin's class and the tools we learned for the peaceful, drug-free labor we had. Being able to stay calm and focused throughout most of labor was so helpful when we had a bit of trouble at the end. I had reserves left where I otherwise wouldn't have and it made all the difference! Thank you, Robin! read more

You could not ask for a better birth professional than Robin. We hired her to be our doula after we took a breastfeeding class from her (another of her fantastic services). When we were thrown several curve balls in the last two weeks of my pregnancy (derailed home birth due to HELLP syndrome), Robin was reassuring and comforting. In the hospital, I ended up having a blood transfusion that went poorly (BP dropped to 60/40-eek), she was there to grab my newborn out of my arms. When I ended up in the ICU, she was there to give me helpful advice about my options, and I always felt that we were safe and protected when she was around. She is literally my baby's angel on Earth, and I could not be more thankful that she was there. I still tear up thinking about how instrumental she was to the whole thing. She checked in several times during the weeks following the birth, and I always appreciated hearing from her and benefitting from her expertise. If you're looking for someone to help with any part of your birth journey--but especially if you are looking for a doula--YOU SHOULD HIRE HER. read more

I wanted the birth of my second child to be a special experience for me, and I was looking for a doula who would assist me in that. Robin was all that I wanted and more. Even though I ended up having to be induced with Pitocin, I was able to birth my daughter naturally without an epidural - just as I had wished. The entire experience is something I will hold close to my heart forever. Robin gave me the courage I needed to push through the pain and helped me find my inner strength. She made sure I was as comfortable as possible, whether it was providing hot/cold packs, suggesting position changes to alleviate pain, or providing massages. She was calm and reassuring, and provided emotional support during the toughest of moments. I will never be able to thank Robin enough for helping achieve the labor and delivery that I wanted. She provided support to not only me, but my husband felt supported by her as well. Our family is forever grateful to Robin for everything, and we couldn't have wished for a better doula. read more

My wife and I attended Robin's Hypnobirthing class, and hired her as a doula for the birth of our first child. She helped us have a wonderful birthing experience. When talking about our birth experience sometimes people ask me what a doula is and I explain that she is really there to support me supporting my wife. I think that's exactly what Robin did, and did very well. Initially I was concerned that if we hired a doula I wouldn't be as involved in the birth experience, thinking my wife would lean on her experience instead of me for support. On the contrary, Robin offered us exactly the support we needed, allowing me to support my wife as we had learned from her class and our preparation, and reassuring me, or stepping in when needed, with her confidence and experience. We both had an excellent experience with Robin, and will hire her again for any future children. Whether you have been through birth before or not, I'd highly recommend hiring Robin to help you achieve the best birth experience. read more

I had the pleasure of having Robin Ross as my doula for the birth of all THREE of my children! My first child's labor was a very uncomfortable 2.5 days of back labor. There's no way I could've done it unmedicated without her by my side. Not only was my labor very uncomfortable but my Dr and nurse at the hospital were extremely rude and unsupportive of my birth plan. I was so grateful to have her there to be my advocate. Also thanks to Robin, I was able to meet the wonderful midwives at Rush Copley and I got to experience two AMAZING water birth's. I knew that when I found out I was pregnant with my second and third child, that I would want her again as my Doula. She made me feel more relaxed and confident in myself. It's something about her presence that just makes you feel more at ease. Whenever anyone tells me they want to experience an all natural childbirth, I always refer Robin! She is absolutely amazing at what she does and you won't regret having her as a Doula or taking her classes! read more

Robin Ross is beyond amazing and extremely knowledgable in her field of work! My husband and I used her for our first birth and had the most successful non-medicated natural birth with her by our side. We took her 5 week hypn-birthing class and she was our Doula! She was there by my side every step of the way coaching myself and my husband through the entire labor. When my husband tried to get me to drink water and I would not listen to him, he would ask Robin to make me do it and I would listen without a flinch, not because I didn't want to listen to my husband, but because Robin makes you feel so incredibly safe and listening to her goes without question! Every moment I wanted to give in and quit, she was right there in my ear telling me how strong and amazing I was and how I could do it! I believed her! I am strong and with her by my side, I was invincible. read more

Robin filled shoes my husband never would(Sorry Hubby). I had a very bad reaction yo the epidural with my twins, so I knew my next birth will have to be natural. I took her prep course which was very very helpful, then at the hospital she was there with me the entire time and even accompanied me to the Mothers section for the remainder of my stay. Had I not had her during labor and delivery, I don't know what i would have done. She helped relieve pain that I knew could have been worse. She helped me through each contraction. Her approach to trying to relax you during each contraction or in between each push it honestly something that I think no one in the room would be able to duplicate. If we decide on a 4th, I will not give birth without her. If she retires, I'd beg her to come back for 1 last birth. read more

Advocating for mothers is Robin's specialty. Whether she is at your side as a doula, teaching hypnobirthing, or providing postpartum support, she is a fierce advocate for YOU. She provides calm support to educate, encourage, and comfort mothers in their journey to meeting their babies. I took Robin's hypnobirthing course, had her at my side for two births, and she has provided placenta encapsulation for me. She was professional and reliable. Robin provides invaluable guidance on how you can advocate for your needs with your provider. Because of Robin, and all that she's taught me, all of my births have been empowering, positive experiences. She's a force, and cares so deeply for her clients. read more

Having a baby can be pretty intimidating. Feeling unsure of what's really going to happen "that day" is incredibly all too common. Robin's hypnobirthing class prepared me for the best day of my life. It changed my perspective...my world. Its funny how things I thought I wanted, I really didn't and things I'd swear I'd never even consider ended up being a perfect fit for me. Her class opened my mind to all my options, showed me all the choices I had. With her guidance I had a smooth, stress-free and unmediated birth. Her wide span of birthing knowledge and confidence is what makes her incredibly trustworthy. I highly recommend her class, you will not be disappointed! read more

We were so lucky to find Robin and have her support and guidance through the pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Robin was instrumental in my success for having a natural childbirth. She was always available to answer questions and meet with us when needed. I truly believe her suggestions during my pregnancy helped me to have our baby on time (not overdue) and have a quick, effient labor. Robin's guidance allowed me to labor at home for the majority of my labor. Without her I probably would have gone to the hospital much sooner. We are so thankful for Robin and would highly recommend her if you're planning a natural childbirth or not. She is a treasure. read more

My husband and I took Robin's hypnobirthing class for the birth of our first child. What an amazing class as it confidently and calmly prepared us for unmediated child birth, becoming parents and caring for our child. I loved each class. My husband was engaged in the class each session and remarked that she presented the information so thoroughly and he was entertained. She had us do fun and interactive activities and when she was teaching us we were a captive audience. Robin also followed up with me after the birth of my daughter to hear how things went which was really supportive. I feel a special bond with you Robin, thank you!! read more

As the husband to the mama and father of our first baby, I am so happy and thankful we made the decision to include Leah and Robin with the birth of our baby girl. They answered all of our questions while my wife was pregnant and the responses were extremely fast. At the birth, Leah was such a rockstar helping my wife get to the finish line. And even after the birth they have been checking in on us and answering all of our questions. To all the dad's out there - it truly was great to have Leah and Robin around. Stress sucks and they took so much stress away from me, but more importantly from my wife. read more