• Childbirth Education & Classes

  The "Birthing From Within" childbirth classes offer a holistic & soulful approach to childbirth, opening the door to self-discovery and empowering you to birth-in-awareness.

• Doula Services

  A "Doula" provides continuous physical and emotional support to a mother before, during and just after birth.

• Infant Massage

  Touch is the most powerful element in human bonding. Enhance the bond with your baby by mastering the skills of infant massage.

A doula's goal is to assist women in having a safe and satisfying birth experience, as the woman defines it.

As Dr Sarah Buckley, mother of four, and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering says: "Women's bodies have their own wisdom, and a system of birth refined over 100,000 generations is not so easily overpowered."

The word “Doula” (Doola) is a Greek word meaning “woman servant or caregiver” or “a woman who serves other women”. This concept is not new. A woman supporting another woman through labour is a tradition that goes back many years in all cultures. Many women no longer live in a close knit community where their sisters, mothers, aunts, and friends are there to support them through pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. These events can be scary and can make a woman feel lost if she has to experience them alone. A doula helps fill this gap.

Her role is to provide emotional and practical support to the mother and father through-out the pregnancy, for the entire duration of the labour and birth and after the birth. A Doula is not medically trained but rather mothers the mother during her transition into motherhood, spends time getting to know her during the pregnancy, discussing the mother’s birth wishes, is her voice during childbirth and supports her at home after the baby is born, thus giving the father time to be with his wife and to enjoy his transition into fatherhood.

My doula services include pre and post birth support. This includes helping mothers to relax during the last few weeks of their pregnancy through balancing massage and relaxation techniques, acupressure and aromatherapy. During labour various techniques are applied to assist with engaging of the baby, pain coping techniques, strengthening of contractions, optimal foetal positioning and making sure that the labouring mother is hydrated and looked after in all ways possible.

After birth I visit the new family at their home to ensure that they are supported through this emotional period. This includes doing a birth debrief, checking the baby’s general well-being, breastfeeding facilitation and doing a demo bath together with the mother, and father.

Support by a Birth Doula:

• gives recognition that birth is a rite of passage.
• allows support for both parents.
• reduces the likeliness of medical intervention, epidurals and drugs.
• reduces the likeliness of a caesarean.
• is proven to provide shorter and more effective labour.
• reduces the likeliness of a disappointing birth experience.
• increases the likeliness of having a spontaneous vaginal birth.
• reduces the likeliness of feeling a loss of control in labour.
• reduces the incidents of post natal depression.
• provides post natal support at home including breast feeding facilitation.