Meet the ParentLink Team

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. 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 volunteer 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. HB 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. I believe that 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. My passion towards HB has increased as 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.

Our family has been in Singapore for almost 5 years now (remember it was only a 2 year assignment !) We have invested in my husband’s company and applying for PR status, the Bustamante's are here for a while.