Preparing for birth while away from family and friends can be challenging. You’re navigating an unfamiliar maternity system in a foreign language, and giving birth without your community nearby.
A doula, or birth coach, can be especially helpful in this situation. I’m currently training with BiA in Amsterdam and specialize in supporting international families. I can help you understand your options, learn what to expect from labor, and will stay by your side throughout the birth. I am currently supporting three women as part of my doula certification, and I would love to connect if you’re looking for personalized care during this important transition in your life.
What is a Doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, practical, and informational support during pregnancy and birth. My role is different from that of midwives and doctors in that I don’t perform medical procedures. I’m here to help you prepare for the birth and stay with you throughout the process. I may remind you of relaxation techniques, massage your back, and help you communicate with the care team.
Continuous Care
Studies are starting to show just how important it is to have someone provide support throughout labor. While your midwife will visit you for checkups and help you deliver the baby, she can’t be with you the entire time. And if you transfer to the hospital, she may not be able to stay. Doctors and nurses have many patients to attend to, meaning you may be left alone between checks.
Yet, we see that continuous care:
Shortens labor by 41 minutes on average
Decreases requests for medications for pain relief by 10%
Decreases the risk of low Apgar scores for the baby by 38%
And a trained doula specifically:
Decreases the risk of a C-section by 39%
and increases the chances of unassisted vaginal birth by 15%
Meanwhile, Doulas Do NOT
Give medical advice; we can help you find good resources and explore your preferences together, but we cannot tell you what you should or shouldn’t do
Perform medical procedures
Speak for you; but we will support you all the way through labor and help you feel empowered to decide what’s best for you
My Background
I’m a doula in training and fertility awareness educator based in Amsterdam.
My background has taken me across cultures. My family moved from the Caribbean to the Netherlands when I was four, and I learned to adapt to a vastly different way of life.
I studied Japanese and moved to Japan in my twenties. This gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture that was again different from anything I’d experienced before. I lived and worked there for 7 years, as I transitioned to adult life and built a community.
I came back to the Netherlands in 2024 and had to rebuild life again in this country. Because of this, I have a special place in my heart for international families, and I love supporting people who may be navigating pregnancy and birth within a different culture.
Alongside my doula training, I teach the sensiplan® method of fertility awareness, working closely with women to help them understand the menstrual cycle, hormones, and make informed choices about their reproductive health.
This background gives me a deep respect for the physiology of the female body and the hormonal processes that support pregnancy, birth, and our overall health.
During Birth
Once labor starts, I will come over when you need me and stay by your side until your baby is born. This continuity of care is essential to the improved outcomes associated with doulas. It’s also part of the reason we’ll meet multiple times before your birth. This way, you’ll feel comfortable to do whatever comes naturally to you and I will have a good idea of how you’re doing, which I can communicate to the rest of the birth team.
Afterward, we will meet 2 more times to help you process the experience and settle into your life with your newborn.
Doula Package
Introduction Meeting (free of charge)
Online or in-person, to see if we’re a good fit for each other.
1. Sharing Experiences & Resources
We get to know each other on a deeper level. You can share your hopes regarding birth, your previous experiences, and how your pregnancy is going so far. I will share sources to learn about evidence-based options for birth if you’d like to look into this. If you have a partner, we’ll also talk about the support role during labor.
2. Preparing & Practice
We reconnect and I’ll check in with you about how the pregnancy is going, we’ll talk about the stages of labor and discuss comfort measures. We’ll go over the practical aspects of how to reach me and when to call me for your birth. We will try out some massage techniques (with your partner if present). This is also a good time to set up a communication plan and visit your medical team together.
3. Getting Ready
Birth is getting closer! We’ll repeat some techniques from the last session and go over your evolving feelings about this birth. I’ll also share tips to prepare for the postpartum period. I will be available via messages and email throughout your pregnancy and be ready to attend your birth starting from week 37 of pregnancy. You can call me at any time once labor starts and I will be with you throughout labor.
4. Checking in After Birth
I’ll pay you a visit around 10 days after your birth to see how you are doing. We can reflect on the experience and start processing the labor.
5. Reflecting On Your Experience
This is usually around 5-6 weeks after birth. With some more time to look back on your birth, we’ll exchange key moments and timelines.
Contact
I provide my doula services at a total cost of €600,- for the duration of 2025. Feel free to let me know if there are specific topics you’d like to discuss or if you feel you need an extra meeting. We’ll make a plan that suits you best.
Let’s meet up and explore how I can help you give birth your way.
Certification
Doulas in The Netherlands can get certified through institutions recognized by the NBvD (Nederlandse Beroepsvereniging voor Doula’s). They can then register as members of the NBvD and show they’ve met their quality standards. My training institution also has their own directory where you can find both student and certified Doulas.
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