Services

During your pregnancy, we will meet several times both online and at your home to go over everything that is needed at that time. We will discuss your birth preferences and expectations, and I will provide practical tips. Together, we will work on your birth plan after a private childbirth education workshop for you and your (birth) partner. During each session, I will give you posture and breathing suggestions for before, during, and after the birth. Is this your first pregnancy? Then you will receive a postpartum prep meeting to ensure you are well-prepared for the period after your birth, and there will be a private partner meeting so I can truly take the time to listen to the wishes and potential fears of your partner.

How often we meet depends on your wishes and the package you choose. Together, we will embark on this adventure. Every birth is unique, both for me and for you, as well as for everyone else you will meet during your pregnancy and birth. It is up to you to prepare as best as you can. I will get to know you over several sessions and do my best to thoroughly understand your wishes. I will always be honest with you if something is not feasible.

Be sure to participate in a qualitative additional birthclass if you wish, inform yourself about the different birth options that appeal to you and take good care of your body and mind. I will support you on your journey and can refer you when necessary.

I know a lot about having a baby, but I am not the one giving birth to your child. I can suggest different positions and help remind you of everything you have learned. But; you will have to do it yourself. Speak up and be clear. That keeps you in charge. I will support you, encourage you, whisper suggestions if needed and be there for you. Obviously also for your partner and the rest of the (in-law) family!

During the early stages of labour, we stay in touch, and I will come to you when needed. Doula Belle will step in if I cannot, and I will take over again as soon as possible. During the active phase of your labour, your doula is continuously present, helping you remember breathing techniques and pain-relieving positions. We care for you with massage, acupressure, aromatherapy, yoga, and breathing techniques, so you can stay in your own bubble as much as possible. We also take care of practical tasks: setting up a birthing pool, preparing a snack, helping out the maternity nurse: whatever is needed, we are there for the whole team. We also support your partner with his/ her emotions surrounding the birth and teach simple (foot) massage techniques – to apply to you. We protect the calm atmosphere to allow for a pleasant birth experience.

If you want pain relief, we ensure that your body and mind cooperate for a quicker dilation. Every form of pain relief comes with different hospital protocols, and every woman or baby reacts differently to medication. Because we are well-informed about all protocols, we can, in consultation with the hospital staff, strive for the best possible treatment for you and your baby. Pain relief does not stop your hard work. We help your body and mind remember what to do, in the calm that pain relief can provide. We remind the birth team of your birth plan so that you feel seen and heard.

If an (emergency) operation is necessary, we will stay with you in the operating room, provided the anesthesiologist agrees. A cesarean section is a major surgery, and we are trained to provide good support during and after the procedure. After your baby is born and must leave the cold operating room with your partner, you will still remain on the operating table. As your doula, we will keep you informed and provide you with extra calm and attention. If at all possible, we will strive to keep your baby skin on skin with you until the procedure is over.

For a planned cesarean, we offer extra support. We can advocate with the surgical team for as "gentle" a cesarean as possible. This "gentle cesarean" is not yet available in every hospital and is relatively new in the Netherlands. It aims to mimic a natural birth as closely as possible. The mother can keep her baby on her chest continuously after birth. Since 2023, the Mother Assisted Cesarean (MAC) is also possible in the Amsterdam region. If you would like to know more about this, please send me a message.

And of course we will also take pictures and/ or short video's of the birth. We always respect your wishes surrounding your privacy.

Within two weeks after your birth, where I was present as your doula, I will visit to check how you are doing: this is the postpartum visit. And if Belle was present at your birth, she will of course come over to your home for this session. There is always room for your story and your memories, as well as ours. We will share the photos we took during the birth, obviously only after you've given approval beforehand for us to do so.

In the 'all-in package', I will provide you with practical advice during the postpartum prep session and help your family on the way to a happy postpartum period. I do this BEFORE your birth, around week 37, to prevent you from feeling lost after the birth. Belle, as a postpartum doula, offers additional postpartum services, up to 6 weeks AFTER the birth. A perfect combination, we think. More information available upon request.

By the time your baby is born, we will have forged a bond that is real, close, and beautiful. I have taught your partner to support you as good as possible and hopefully brought you closer together even before your parenting journey began.

It is fantastic to have gotten to know you so well in such a short time and to have been able to support you during an incredibly intensive period in your life. Thank you for your trust and for sharing your home, your life, and your birth with me. Thank you for allowing me to care for you. Every birth touches my heart. I love receiving updates from you via social media from time to time and sharing in your joy as you embark on the adventure of parenthood.

Your due date is important for my planning. Previous births also often provide a good indication for the next time. During your first birth, your body does the work of one and a half births. It had been, as it were, already preparing for yet another baby – and this applies to every birth your body goes through. Even if you unexpectedly give birth much earlier or later than you thought: there is a doula for you.

To prevent having to assist at multiple births simultaneously, I can only guide a limited number of (expectant) mothers per month. Additionally, I sometimes teach and may not be quickly available. You will always know in advance when and what time this is before your birth. If I am unexpectedly called to multiple births at the same time, I have the excellent doula Belle van Zutphen as a backup. If the backup doula also cannot be present in time for your birth, we will discuss what extra support I can offer you in the weeks following your birth.