WHY CHOOSE NARELLE AS YOUR DOULA?
Residents of the St George and Sutherland Shire in Sydney are spoilt for choice when it comes to talented and skilled doulas. Birth doulas come from a varied range of backgrounds and beliefs so here is a few things that set me apart from some of the other doulas you may choose to interview.
What Narelle brings to the role of Birth Doula as a professional
- I am an experienced psychologist. Although I don’t provide therapy in my role as a doula the skills I have acquired over the past decade do influence the way I respond and support my birth doula clients. It means I can also reinforce and support any work you have been doing in therapy with another counsellor or psychologist.
- I am experienced in working with people who are experiencing mental health issues, have a history of sexual abuse or trauma, families who have experienced previous miscarriage or stillbirth and families who have conceived via fertility treatments such as IVF. This means I can provide you an additional level of understanding to some of the more complex needs you may have.
- I have been teaching my clients relaxation skills since 2003. This means I can teach these to you in my role as doula and help you be aware of, and in turn relax, as soon as you start to tense up during your labour.
- I am also a certified Childbirth Educator through Childbirth International. This means I can provide you with additional information about pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
What Narelle brings to the role of Birth Doula on a personal level
- I don’t hold any strong beliefs about how a baby should enter this world. I understand the statistical side of what produces the best physical outcomes but I respect each families circumstances differ and what is best for a family may not always be in line with the statistics. While I am not a medical professional and will not suggest you make a particular choice, what this does mean is that I will support you in your birth choices whether it is to have a natural birth, plan to request an epidural or opt for an elective caesarean.
- I have completed the antenatal classes at St George Private Hospital, St George Public Hospital and Julie Clarke’s Calmbirth course. This means I am aware of the information you are likely to receive and can supplement and compliment the information provided in these classes during our antenatal appointments.
- I have given birth twice to posterior babies – both of whom were over the 95% percentile in weight and height. One of my labours lasted an intense 35 hours. This means I understand the physical demands that labour can place on you and your partner .
- I have successfully breastfeed my own children past 12 months. I have skills and knowledge about breastfeeding that can assist you to get off to a good start too.