Our Charis Family

 Aimee Roberts (CCE, CD) and Christi Jones (CCE, CD)

Our Mission:  To affirm, prepare and support expectant women and families
during pregnancy and delivery through childbirth education classes and doula services.

Aimee and Christi nuzzling baby Sawyer Roberts born August 20, 2007

Birth InSight was born about 2 years ago.   It has been a joy to look back and see how the Lord has designed our work.   We live in Virginia Beach, Virginia and serve the surrounding Tidewater / Hampton Roads area.  Through the knowledge we gained from the Charis Doula and Childbirth Educator Course, our classes moved from the “skeleton”, (as Kristin likes to call it), to our own unique style of delivery.  Hampton Roads was full of couples who wished to have a natural delivery, but could not meet on a weekly basis like we started out offering.   So we embarked to serve and found a way to mesh the material into a weekend format.   (Military, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Nurses, Doctors, and even midwives take advantage of our weekend class schedule.)

Our class size grew from 4 couples to 12 (a 1 to 6 ratio;  teacher to student) and we were wondering if this was the direction the Lord was actually taking us.  After the first class of that size, we received extremely positive birth story feedback and we knew for sure we had found our niche.   We believe, for many couples, this class is a perfect fit.   We are continually discovering that couples who attend our classes are showing up having done much research on their own about natural birth prior to walking in the door.

They are eager to learn, many have attended college and are familiar with the classroom format.  We have entered a new age and I think these couples are appreciative of the weekend option.  We strive to be excellent in all that we do;  and are continuously reviewing how to make our classes better.  We have finally reached the perfection of the format and layout of our weekend class - just in time for God to point us in the direction of adding back in a 6 week class series to the calendar.

With Aimee’s five children, ages 5 to 14, and Christi's 3, ages 2 to 6, it is a constant process of putting our business before the Lord.  We prayerfully accept new clients and have at times had to say no - which is a difficult considering our passion for birth.  Due to the fact that we are business partners we can somewhat lessen the load on our families.  If one of us is called to a birth (we accept up to 4 per month) the other will play surrogate mom.  We are planning to alternate teaching each week when we launch our 6 week class this summer.

 The hardest thing we have come across in balancing God, family, and work is the paperwork side of the business.  Emails, birth stories, research/study, and phone calls are often a team effort.  We learned early on, and are constantly reminded, that we need to set limits on our computer time and make specific hours for work.  We meet with clients on Wednesday evenings, that way our family knows what to expect (and only the births are unknown.)  

Trusting our calling to ministry through childbirth education and doula services, we are frequently humbled by the many lives the Lord has allowed us to be present with.   The passage Proverbs 16:9 states,  "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."  May the Lord continue to guide all of our steps, as He uses us for His glory, in the lives of laboring women.



         Aimee supporting a mamma in labor.

For those of you who have asked for a brief overview of what we teach, here's abit of what fills our classes:

The first "activity" for the students is to pre-read our website information about nutrition and exercise (we give them a quiz at the start of class).  As they walk into the first class, we welcome them with friendliness and a comfortable setting.  Included in our time together is an extensive understanding of fear and pain.  We learn about the wonders of hormones and the realities of c-sections.  Over an hour is spent practicing active labor positions and the reality of each stage of labor, including signs of transition.  Then we play!  There's a game where dads come to the front of the group,  (in the spotlight).  It's the Transition Game.  The signs of transition are passed out on strips of paper to the moms.  One by one, they read out a sign (i.e.: nausea, vomiting, trembling) while the guys act out each sign,  adding one to the next.  By the end of the game, the dads are up in front of the room making noises and convulsing, looking as though they are the ones about to push a baby out.  It always has everyone in hysterics, a very enjoyable part of the gathering.  When talking about physiological pushing we exchange the word "BURNING" with a "snow ball" (the feeling is the same but the visual of snow is more pleasant than fire.)  Relaxation techniques are explored and practiced.  What is a Mamma's primary love language?  She creates a worksheet to guide her partner on how to communicate most effectively in labor.

A guest chiropractor joins us to talk about and demonstrate the wonders of the female pelvis.  Also joining us is an LPC (counselor) to discuss baby blues vs. post partum depression. We share an amazing/healthy lunch.  We share our knowledge, experience, and life with these dear couples.  Throughout, God’s design for birth is felt and acknowledged in how our bodies were made to labor and birth our babies.  As we teach and are prompted by the Spirit, we find ourselves mystified at our Creator and how wonderfully He orchestrates bringing new life into the world!  That passion floods into our hearts and onto our lips, where we have the privilege to introduce a new way of looking at birth and who should ultimately receive the glory.  This indeed is our favorite part!

Blessings, Christi Jones and Aimee Roberts