© NURTURING MAMAS
Services
Labour & home birth support package
$1850What is included from when you hire me:
Available via phone/text or email to answer any questions and provide support/information throughout your pregnancy.
Four antenatal in person catch-ups, these can be at your home, a café, or the beach. Wherever suits. One of these sessions you may want to debrief a previous birth experience, I will hold space for what these sessions need to include.
A meeting with your birth team.
A homebirth gift bag (includes hot water bottle and handmade cover, face cloths, lip balm, waterproof pads, ‘nappy pants and pads for post-partum, a muka umbilical tie and newborn nappies).
Use of my birth pool for free (availability depending).
Being on call to attend to you in person from 36 weeks until your birth.
Supporting you in person at your home when you are in labour (from whenever you need the support).
Access to my doula kit of ‘tools’ for labour support. (Homeopathic and herbal remedies, essential oils, a rebozo, acupressure balls)
Three after-birth home visits so you can debrief, and we can discuss your birth together. Also to provide support for you and your partner while transitioning to parenthood.
Virtual support package
$850Package includes:
Available via text/messaging app or email to answer questions and provide support/information throughout your pregnancy.
Four, one-hour virtual antenatal catchups (via zoom), which may include unravelling of a previous birth experience.
Provide you with relevant resources (podcasts, articles, or books).
Provide you with on call phone support when labour begins and be available until after baby has arrived.
An after-birth virtual visit (by zoom) within the first two weeks after your baby is born.
Postpartum support package
$750Package includes six 2.5hr home visits (within a six-week period). Can be taken daily for a week if that is your need. Visits may include:
Being available to answer texts/messages between visits, as I know how mamas can feel so alone during those early weeks at home with a newborn.
Sitting with or settling your baby so you can take a shower or have a sleep.
Housework; washing, hanging and folding, vacuuming, cleaning, making beds etc.
Looking after other children in the house.
Walking the dog.
Preparing a meal.
Breast feeding support.
Connecting with other services as needed.
One-off options
Antenatal connection call (phone or zoom) 60 minutes - $75
In home postpartum visits 2.5 hours - $150
ConTRACT
My role as your DoulaAs a doula, I accompany women in labour to help ensure a safe and satisfying birth experience. I draw upon my knowledge and experience to provide:
Emotional support over the phone or in your home.
Provide you with information to make informed decisions.
words of encouragement/reassurance.
A calm presence.
Physical comfort such as massage or acupressure if you wish.
Assistance with keeping mama fed and hydrated.
Ensuring your labour and birth wishes are heard and met.
Supporting and liaising with the birth team/support people.
Assisting with child minding as needed.
Help with setting up the birth space.
Help with cleaning up after the birth.
Encouragement with bonding with the baby.
Assistance with Breastfeeding if required.
As a Doula, I will not:
Give medical advice.
Make decisions for you.
Provide clinical assessments.
Perform any medical procedures.
TESTIMONIALS
“In particular, our doula Nell - it’s hard to put into words how incredible she is. We have been overwhelmed with Nell’s steadfast support, wisdom, love, and advice throughout pregnancy and beyond. She supported our vision and attended Toby’s birth from start to finish. From heating up the wheat pack and hot water bottle to being a calm, reassuring voice during labour; Nell has cared for us and continues to care for us now like her own family.”- Esther and Alex
"Nell was in it for the long haul, she became the essence of what it means to be WITH WOMAN!From the moment the tides started to turn, Nell was there, listening, encouraging, strengthening my own inner knowledge, my faith in God and prayer and also my decision making skills!Nell went beyond the call of duty..making additional visits…coming to my home, giving me a beautiful massage with clary sage in the diffuser, whilst practically applying spinning baby techniques and simply standing by every choice I was responsible for making!During induced labour in the hospital setting, Nell was there too, bringing us yummy Kai, working alongside me in labour, massaging my feet, applying bodywork to support optimal baby positioning.Nell worked with my midwife so beautifully and respectfully as well, and despite circumstances being completely outside of my control…circumstances that could have set the path for another very traumatic birth… I felt so empowered and strong in this space because of the level of support I had to speak up and make decisions that were right for my body and my baby!In the end, I had a beautiful experience of a birth that did not align with my original plan! I overcame so much personally through the support I had with Nell in this setting and healed in such a deep way through this empowered experience! Who would have thought right?Honestly, Nell is worth her weight in Gold! To hire Nell you are not just investing in a “doula”…but you are investing in an empowered and safe birth no matter which way the wind blows! Having worked in the childbirth space for many years myself, I can tell you straight, that type of experience is absolutely priceless!Thankyou Nell… eternally greatful Xo"- Naomi
"Having Nell’s support through my pregnancy was invaluable.We had some bumps along the way, and having an outside voice to listen and talk things through with made such a difference in reassuring me to listen to my instincts and make the choices I felt were right for me and my baby with confidence. She never told me what to do, just listened and helped me reflect on my own feelings.During the birth the energy Nell brought was in keeping with a safe protected atmosphere for me, and she was able to efficiently and effectively get the practical things done (like grabbing towels, suggesting and heating a heat pack) so my partners were able to concentrate on supporting me - they said having a capable person to make suggestions and do those things without disturbing labour was such a big help.And afterwards, it was lovely having someone to talk it through with, no judgement or telling me how I should feel about it, just listening and chatting."- Kathryn
"We had Nell as doula for the birth of our second daughter. We planned a home birth and really appreciated all of the advice and support Nell offered in helping us plan and prepare for this. Nell was so calm and caring during the birth and we felt listened to and understood when our plans changed.We also booked in for the post partum care package and what a blessing it was knowing that we had Nell available when needed. It was great to have someone to talk to in the early weeks post partum and our older daughter loved spending time with her folding washing and playing games.Thanks so much."- Sarah
About Me
Hello and welcome!My name is Nell, I was born and raised in the beautiful Bay of Islands NZ. I am a wife, a mama and now also a grandmama.My back story: I have always wanted to be in the nurturing/caring field, initially I thought of general nursing, but it was not until I had my children that I knew that birthing mama’s is where I wanted to give my energy to. Birthing is such a huge transformational undertaking! So, when my children were all of school age, in 2009 I undertook the midwifery degree program. I qualified and worked as an LMC midwife in the Bay of Plenty for 10 years.Over the decade of witnessing birth in a midwife role, what I learned most is that birth happens best undisturbed. And what I had learned through the midwifery degree, although useful in the understanding of physiology and birthing, being a true midwife, in the sense of the word, which simply means ‘with woman’ is to do just that. To just be with woman, to hold space for her to experience birth in its rawness.I soon realised as more protocols and guidelines have been implemented into midwifery practice, that I could not be the midwife, working in a system with the expectations of what our culture has created of the wise woman, so I now focus my life’s passion as a sovereign birth keeper, supporting families. I provide my knowledge and experience, hold space and witness birthing mama in a way that best aligns with my values and beliefs in what it is to be ‘with woman’.So, what is a doula/birth keeper, and how is that different to a midwife?A doula or birth keeper is a private support worker; hired by women/families to provide emotional, mental, and physical support and education during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. A doula does not give medical advice or offer clinical assessments.A midwife is paid by the government and legally obliged to provide midwifery care, offer, and provide clinical assessments as required by the midwifery council.If you are craving that loving with women support through your pregnancy, birth and/or postpartum journey, please get in touch to see if we are aligned. Every woman deserves to be energetically held through this transformational time but equally important is who that person is to hold them.I reside in the Bay of Plenty but am open to travelling to any part of NZ if the fit is
right.Nell xx
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