pulse of the womb
Pregnancy support, Birth planning, Labour and Post Natal care.
Home and hospital birth
"We will be forever grateful for having you there wouldn’t have been the same without all your love and support from beginning to end. Thank you for believing in me in all those moments where I couldn’t do it for myself x" Annabelle, Mother to Juniper, Posie and Nash.
"We couldn't have done it without you Tessa, thank you so much for being the support we needed" -Josh, Annabelles partner and Father to Juniper, Posie and Nash.
Would you like to have a yarn over the phone or in person about what you need? Leave your details here and I'll give you a call back and we can go from there.
What is a doula, and what is my role?
A doula is a person who provides continuous, non-medical emotional, physical and informational support throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postnatal period.
When you hire me, I become part of your support team. My role is not to replace your midwife, doctor or other medical professionals, but to offer something different: continuity, presence, connection and individualised support.
Unlike hospital staff, who work within shift changes, hospital policies and the needs of many patients, I am there specifically for you. I stay alongside you, helping you feel supported through the many transitions of labour and birth.
I can help you understand what may be happening, talk through your options, encourage you to take the time you need to make informed decisions, support your chosen birth preferences and advocate for you when you ask me to. I can remind you of movement and active birth positions, provide comfort measures, help create a calm environment and encourage you through the moments that feel really difficult.
I support your partner too. Sometimes the most valuable thing I can do is help your partner feel confident, informed and useful, so they can stay connected and present with you rather than feeling like they have to navigate the experience alone.
pre-natal
Prenatal support spent:
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building rapport and working out what it is that you want and how I can best help you achieve that, including supporting your partner or another support person of your choice to be confident in the birth space.
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Birth Mapping that involves learning about the different processes and options when it comes to labour and birth, creating a birth plan as a guide and to build confidence,
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Pre natal sessions can also include covering non medical comfort measures, active birth positions, Optimal maternal positioning, pregnancy massage, post-natal planning, meal prep and attending appointments.
labor & birth
Labour & Birth Support:
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On-call from 37 weeks, text, email and phone communication in the lead up,
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Continuous in person Labour support including emotional and physical support and Advocacy
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At home and in hospital support
postpartum
After birth support:
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In home support
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Feeding support
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Light house duties
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Meal prep
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Appointment attendance
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Massage
What I BRING...
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Commitment to do my utmost best to provide the care and support that you require to feel heard and respected as you birth your newborn family.
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Belief in you and your journey, whatever that may be, eg... Home, Hospital, VBAC and so on.
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Faith in your ability to birth on your own terms,
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Trust in you and your baby/ies
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Love of the kinship system
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Appreciation for the role of Continuity of Care, Obstetrics and Pediatrics, especially Midwifery Group Practice and Private Midwifery.
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Understanding of the mystery of life.
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Respect of autonomy
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Dedication to upholding Human Rights
Continuity matters
Our relationship begins before labour.
Through regular check-ins during pregnancy, we have the opportunity to get to know one another, talk about your hopes and concerns, explore your options and build trust. By the time you meet in labour, you are not welcoming a stranger into one of the most significant experiences of your life.
I have supported women and families through pregnancy, birth and parenting for more than 10 years, including home births and hospital births, active and physiological birth, pregnancy and postnatal wellbeing, grief and loss, and a range of different family circumstances.
My approach is trauma-informed, strengths-based and relationship-centred. I believe you are the expert in your own experience and that my role is to provide information, support and a safe space from which you can make decisions that feel right for you and your family.
I also recognise that every family arrives at birth with a different story. I welcome and support women who are grieving, solo parenting, navigating complex experiences, or carrying the impacts of trauma and systemic or intergenerational harm.
At the heart of my work is a simple belief:
You deserve to feel supported, respected and heard as you become a parent.
just postpartum care
"Unique care and consideration every step of the way"
Why hire a Birth Support Person?
That overall, continuous support during birth leads to a:
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25% decrease in the risk of Cesarean; the largest effect was seen with a doula (39% decrease) *
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8% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth; the largest effect was seen with a doula (15% increase) *
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10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief; the type of person providing continuous support did not make a difference
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Shorter labors by 41 minutes on average; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference
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38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five-minute Apgar score; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference
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31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience; this risk was reduced with continuous support provided by a doula or someone in their social network (family or friend), but not hospital staff
The rate of special care nursery admissions was no different between people who received continuous support and those who received usual care.
Doulas are not medical professionals, and in general, the following tasks are not performed by doulas:
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They do not perform clinical tasks such as cervical exams or fetal heart monitoring.
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They do not give medical advice or diagnose conditions.
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They do not make decisions for the client (medical or otherwise).
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They do not pressure the birthing person into certain choices just because that’s what they prefer.
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They do not take over the role of the partner.
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They do not catch the baby.
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They do not typically change shifts (although some doulas may call in their back-up after 12-24 hours; and some volunteer doulas may take assigned shifts).