Meet the ParentLink Team

Di Bustamante

After spending twenty years in administrative management with ROLM Corporation, IBM and Siemens, I made a drastic career change after the birth of my daughter. I became first a volunteer and then the Director of the non profit organization, Sidelines of Arizona. This organization provided peer counselling support and resources for women experiencing pregnancy complications and their families. While in this position I received the JC Penny Volunteer Award.

Upon relocating to Singapore to follow my husband in his two year assignment here, I first volunteered with the Friends for Wildlife at the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari that provided a much needed activity outlet. I was the volunteer coordinator and assisted in the start up of the organization. I accompanied Jake Socha of the University of Chicago to Sungei Buloh to capture paradise tree snakes when he was filming their flying capabilities for National Geographic. At the zoo, volunteers observed the orangutans and tracked their activities to compare to wild orangutans along with other endangered animals. The zoo used this information to make changes to their enclosure – you can now find the orang's in the treetops rather than on a cement island. While this was fascinating work, it did not fill my desire to understand the normal side of pregnancy and birth.

I pursued a certification program through Childbirth International to become a doula and childbirth educator learning about the normal side of pregnancy and birth. In my goal to provide parents a more empowering birth experience, I became a certified HypnoBirthing® Practitioner. Still searching for more ways to assist parents, and became a certified hypnotherapist in December 2006. I also volunteered at KKH Womens and Childrens Hospital with their breastfeeding training program for new moms, also volunteering with the Child Bereavement Support Group Singapore and will be teaching antenatal classes at the Sanctuary House in early 2007.

HypnoBirthing® has become my preferred class to teach. This method of birthing is a philosophy as well as a technique for a calm, gentle and safe birth experience. This class reinforces that women were designed to birth; to trust their body and its innate abilities; to reach inside and communicate with their baby within; that babies are aware of their birth experience and do remember birth. Birth is a spiritual event that should be approached with reverence and awe; I consider it an honour to be allowed to attend the birth of your baby. I have witnessed the difference in the births attended when moms use this technique. The labours are shorter, the moms are calm and focused, the babies are peaceful and the dads are enthralled with having such a well-defined role.

 

Testimonial

Hello Di,
I meant to mention how much I appreciated your teaching and your warm, welcoming energy the other night at Dana Healther's place when the two of you led the pregnancy preparation workshop. It is wonderful to know that you are doing this transformative, significant work in Singapore.

I think a doula's very important tohave for a VBAC. Although my Dr was very supportive of VBAC, it's Diann who ultimately gave me the confidence that a VBAC is possible.

Excellent service! Highly recommend Di and ParentLink

We loved having you both present at our son's beautiful birth

Di was great and I have happily been recommending her to other friends who are expecting a baby.

Di is very comforting, natural & approachable, with a very thorough & clear presentation & delivery of the course content & information. She is extremely informative & encourages further avenues for interation which is reassuring. I endeavour to partake in further ParentLink courses & events run by Di.

in our case Di's relating a story about a lady who had a C but managed to still get a great experience helped me and I had a good experience - better than I thought I would

Me and my husband are completely satisfied with the course and with Parentlink. Will surely recommend it to others.

Had I known how fantastic the course was I would not have bothered with ante-natal classes (which we took at another venue). I have recommended the course to so many expecting mothers and will continue to spread the good word about Parentlink.