“Throughout my pregnancy, Ann met with my husband and I where we received honest and uncomplicated counsel on birth along with several demonstrations of beneficial exercises. At one particular meeting with Ann, she illustrated how female anatomy should function during birth and using her own algorithm, showed us how to get the baby into the optimal position for a vaginal delivery. This information gave me the confidence I needed leading up the day I was going to meet my son. 

In the hours leading up to the birth of my son, I was in contact with Ann receiving not only words of encouragement but discerning advice. I was two days away from my due date when my water broke. After being admitted to the hospital my husband and I were faced with a long, inactive labor. I was anxiously approaching 40 hours after my water had broken when we called on Ann to assist with the birth in addition to the staff of the hospital. With the cooperation of the nursing staff and attending Midwife, Ann guided me through a series of exercises that would get my baby’s head centered and more engaged. It only took an hour of her care till I was ready and eager to push. I have no doubt that maternal positioning played a vital role in what I feel was a positive birth experience. I wish that I could give the gift of Ann’s care and knowledge to every soon-to-be mother.” 

-Carrie S.

“The maternal positioning algorithm tool that Ann created for nurses and providers is supported by ACOG’s research on fetal positioning and has been utilized by countless patients on our unit. When patients have chosen to participate in the maternal positions outlined by Ann’s algorithm, I have witnessed pelvic and back pain cease, patients change their cervix from five to ten centimeters in one hour, prime patients pushing for less than an hour, and an increase in patient’s confidence in their ability to bring life into this world.”

-Samantha P.

The first thing Ann did when she entered the room, after introducing herself, was to talk to us about our baby’s position in the womb. She had me step to the end of the bed and look at Amanda’s abdomen. She asked me if I could tell where he was in the womb. She went on to explain to us how he was positioned crooked across Amanda’s abdomen, why this was a problem, and how she was going to fix it. Then Ann said to the two of us “I have a 4 step algorithm. We’re going to have you go through these four laboring positions and this will make him flip from right to left side and face the correct direction.” I was skeptical, but Ann had delivered her diagnosis and prescription with such clarity and confidence that I believe she could do it. It is my opinion that Ann should be in charge of instructing every single labor nurse in the twin cities area and beyond.

-Spencer S.

Thanks for going above and beyond to help teach one of them positions she can use to help get her baby into an optimal position for delivery.  I love watching how you empower women to help them realize they have what it takes to bring a little life into the world.

-Bethany B.

A family you recently worked with shared how appreciative they were to have your support during their birth.  The significant other shared that you had just the right balance of knowledge and belief in your patient to encourage her to do the work she needed to meet her baby.

-Julie C.

After the eventual birth of my boy, I was able to look back on the entire experience, and I believe that Ann is completely responsible for me being able to successfully deliver a 10 lb, 6 oz baby vaginally after over 40 hours of labor. Had she not been in the correct position, I believe that my labor would have ended in an emergency C-section. 

-Amanda S.

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciated your help on Tuesday with my patient who was "stuck" at the same spot laboring for an extended period of time.  The different positions you aided in helped her to continue without an epidural (as was her desire- no medication) for longer than she otherwise would have.

-Caryn C.

I am confident that had Ann not been my nurse, I would have had a C-section.  Ann knew all the right positions to put me in to progress labor and keep our baby safe.  I am so grateful for her for not only having the knowledge and experience, but also for pushing me to my limits and giving me the confidence that I could get through it.  Ann Gilligan’s coworkers call her the baby whisperer and I can attest that it’s true.

-Annie K.

Thanks Ann for sharing your experience and expertise. You truly have a gift to share. You were helpful to my niece Mary last August and are now working with my niece Catherine who is very grateful for you putting her at ease.

-Mary H.

Thank you so much Ann! I really cannot thank you enough for your guidance and support through this process. You have helped ease a lot of anxiety and made me feel as prepared as possible for this delivery! I can’t wait for you to meet this little baby!

-Mary G.

Thank you so much for everything today! Your insight and knowledge was felt throughout delivery even without you being there. You are truly a God send! Little guy and I are doing well bonding.

-Chika C.

Delivery went very smoothly! Cannot thank you enough for all your wisdom and guidance to help us get here!

-Megan A.

We've got a little girl, born swiftly and safely at home... just 7 hours after contractions began! Thanks to you, she was already LOA when it all kicked off. Now the hard part begins...

-Bryn

In great news, our son was born via unmedicated VBAC earlier this afternoon.  First stage was longer but manageable this time, and pushing was 3.5 hours, but we did it!  He started LOA but ultimately came out ROA.  We are both recovering well. 

Thank you for all of your help!

-Nicole 

I had the best birth experience I could have wished for. Water broke at 3pm on Friday, contractions didn't start until 1am Saturday, random and not too bad, lots of poop until 4 am when they started getting more consistent, at 5 they started getting more painful. Started moaning and hubby woke up to help me cope. They kept coming closer and closer and more painful, I even told my husband at around 8am that I needed an epidural! Thinking I couldn't cope with that pain for hours, but shortly after that I moved to a more squatting position and started feeling like pushing. Tamara, my doula arrived at 8:40, just in time, because as we were planning on jumping in the car to go to hospital, I stood up and couldn't hold my strong feeling of pushing! I delivered my beautiful baby girl on the door of our house at 8:52am. I felt very powerful and in shock too! Ambulance service arrived 15 minutes later and took me to hospital to be checked

-Astrid

I had my baby via VBAC 5/3 after a (for me) short labor of under 8 hours. I had kept up with my homework up until I went into labor, and it was successful! At the end of my pregnancy, he was spending most of the time on my left side at home, so I felt confident we were well positioned going into labor. I squatted and did what I could of your suggestions without any help. Baby came out with just two contractions and no tears. I know working through my Gilligan’s Guide homework was instrumental in my successful VBAC, so thank you for all your guidance and support!

-Erica

P. and I were blessed with a very peaceful non medicated labor and delivery! He was in the optimal position the whole of labor! All of my hard work and homework really paid off, considering he was pushed out in about 2 contractions! It was incredible. I hope all is well with you and your family and that you continue to be inspired and given life by the beautiful vocation you have been given. What a gift it has been to have you a part of both of our son’s births.

-Shannon

I just want to say thank you for all the ways you supported my birth last Tuesday. It was the most beautiful and empowering experience and it brings (happy) tears to my eyes when I think about it. I hadn’t heard of Gilligan’s Guide prior to my birth (my doula had), but I feel extremely lucky and grateful that you were present during my birth to guide me through getting baby into the optimal position. I felt so supported, safe, and empowered because of you and the rest of the team. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

-Alexis

Ann, I don’t know if you remember me but you help me deliver my baby girl. My husband and I just want to thank you so much for everything you did to help get our baby into position and out. We know there was talk about a c-section which we wanted to avoid and we know everything you did made it possible for me to deliver her. We cannot thank you enough for staying calm and getting it done! I wish I had known about your guide prior to giving birth.

-Nicole

I had my VBAC! I think baby was never in posterior thanks to your homework. But there was one point where things seemed a bit stuck, so I did the guide and in the end, I did manage to get baby out the old fashioned way. It wasn’t the fastest labor and I pushed for 1.5 hours but all is well that ends in a successful VBAC.

-Marie

Her birth was so unlike my first! I went into labor spontaneously and didn’t have much medical intervention. It was fast and intense and hard but really was the birth I was hoping for! I labored at home for only 1.5 hours and then was admitted straight in at 7-8cm. I labored for the next couple hours between the birth ball, a lot of time in the tub, and kneeling squatting on the bed and using nitrous oxide to help with pain. And a lot of focalization. I was having trouble with the pain and asked to be checked and was 9cm with bulging bag of waters, so I had my midwife break the at and I was ready to start pushing very quickly after. I pushed for 30 minutes in kneeling and side lying. I did Gilligan’s Homework every day along with some prenatal yoga and definitely credit that preparation with helping her get into position (she was LOA pretty consistently in the days/weeks before labor started), and that positioning helping the birth and my recovery go smoothly. I’m so grateful.

-Carly

I labored at home for 5 hours then went to the hospital where I was admitted and able to labor freely until she arrived. I didn’t really end up having to use your methods because she seemed to be in position. But did do lots of positions to move things along ( our doula had me do deep squats to get my water to break when I was 8cm dilated). I gave birth unmedicated and it was truly the most crazy experience of my life. I am grateful for all the people who guided me, including yourself, because it gave time the confidence to trust my body and just give into the wild ride! (I responded to her that it is my goal that my clients do not have to use The Guide as that means that Gilligan’s Homework helped to optimize fetal position prior to birth, therefore promoting spontaneous labor and a more expedient, non-traumatic birth).

-Claire

It was a quick and smooth delivery thankfully. I had been having painless tightening for several days. I had a membrane sweep at my appointment and was 3cm/75% at that time. Then a few hours later I was having frequent mild contractions. I think the painful contractions only started an hour before I arrived at the hospital and by the time I got there I was 8cm and 100% effaced around 9PM. I still had not ruptured at that time. I got an epidural and at first declined AROM just to see if things would progress on their own. After a couple hours I was still 8cm and I accepted AROM. The L&D nurse and OB both reassured me that baby did not seem OP. I went from 8 to 10 in less that half an hour after AROM and she was out after 3 pushes.

-Rachel

I had a successsful VBAC! I was able to get her in the right position before getting an epidural and generally had a great experience.

-Lauren

Thank you so much for all your help yesterday and for helping get K. into a great position. You were so wonderful in the room, I wish we knew more people having babies so we could recommend your services. You have a real gift.

-Stephanie

I’ve used your work several times during births now with wonderful success. I wanted to tell you especially about a particular client. During a very long and difficult induction, we actually ended up using the Guide twice over a couple of days. The first time my client progressed from 3-5cm in a couple of hours and then opted for an epidural. The second time we used it a wonderful nurse come in who had trained with you. We did they Guide a second time post epidural and mom progressed to complete in under 2 hours and had a very short pushing stage! It was beyond amazing to work with a nurse who had trained with you-her energy and commitment to positioning was a breath of fresh air. Thanks for all you do!

-Ellyn

I wanted to send you another success story. My doula took your training in the spring. She gave me the Homework starting at 34 weeks and I was extremely diligent about it. I don’t think I missed a day? I am an athlete and at 32 weeks stopped weightlifting and decided only to swim, walk, and do the Homework (Gilligan’s) once that started. He was LOA on his due date and at around 7:30PM I started having contractions after a long day of Braxton hicks that I couldn’t feel. Everything moved so fast (and this is our first baby) and he was breathing air by 1124 that night. His head did not have time to mold abc I only pushed for 15 minutes . We were so ready to do the Guide but instead he was already in the perfect position and I could just listen to what my body needed. Cannot thank you enough fo your amazing work you do!

-Kathryn

The last few days I did your Homework and the sequence (I had told her specific stretches to give baby space) a bunch of times a day, baby kept turning between LOA and ROT (for as much as I could judge). My water broke during the night, contractions started soon thereafter. Think he turned to the left side during the car ride to the hospital while I was in hands and knees in the back seat. Hospital was not keen on letting my VBAC in the tub so I just stayed there until it was too late to go anywhere else so I got my pain meds free waterbirth. From being 3-4cm to birth just took a couple of hours thanks to upright positions and listening to my body’s cues I believe. Thanks again for all your support! (This person was overseas).

-Hazel

Both she and my OB were very receptive to my requests of a pillow underneath one side to maximize movement of my sacrum, and pushing knock-kneed, despite it being different from the typical lie flat on the back with the knees up and wide apart.

Delivery was very straightforward.  My OB was surprised that I had a second degree tear, as i think she said my skin looked good from the outside. 

-Liz

People were thrilled with the training!  I’m so grateful that we had this opportunity to provide this for some of our doulas!

-Debbie