When You Choose a She Births® Doula

You receive evidence based support across pregnancy, birth and parenthood with our unique philosophy & methods

Doula Service

She Births® Doula Service

Women supporting women during the birthing rite of passage is the most ancient mode of care and has existed since the beginning of time and today’s evidence-base research (see below in FAQ) tells us that doulas are the best natural tool in the birthing room !

For almost 20 years I have been supporting mums and their families as a doula and found it be the place where I discovered the most about childbirth, transformation, pain relief, how best to improve both outcomes and emotional satisfaction during an often very scary and forbidding life event. It was the place where I created the majority of She Births®.

I have spent another 15 years helping families find and choose the best doula for them when I was not available so today, I am so happy to now be able to offer an exclusive bespoke doula service infused with the unique She Births® philosophy and methods.

No one has ever said to me that their doula was a waste of money!  I have only ever heard families tell me “Oh My Goodness… Next time we are getting a doula!” (read some of our testimonials below).

Rest assured that by hiring a doula you are making a great investment in your family’s happiness. Employing a doula provides you and your partner with the best care throughout this powerful and transformative time.

Nadine xxx

A DOULA WITH A DIFFERENCE

Nadine Richardson, the She Births® founder is one of the longest standing doulas in the eastern suburbs and with over half of our families asking her to recommend or send her little black book of doulas,  she decided to curate a team of the best in the business all, trained and experienced in the She Births®  way.

Our She Births® Doulas are experienced, intelligent, insightful, creative and nurturing. All these qualities are essential for a really great birth experience. Our doulas have been trained in the She Births® method and tools and have worked alongside Nadine. They value the importance of evidence-based and high quality antenatal education.

CONTINUITY OF CARE

Our Doula Service is only for families who have completed the full She Births® course either online or face to face. This allows for continuity in language, principles and tools. Our packages are uniquely created for body, mind and soul and you can tailor them for your needs and your budget.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT A DOULA DOES

Why I love being a Doula
What is a Doula? Why do you need one!
Difference between Doulas and Midwives - PODCAST
Birth Story: How Dads and Doulas work as a team

You can also learn a little more from the video below, taken from our Full Online Course.

Tell us a bit about you

Fill out the form below and let us know about your pregnancy and what type of birth experience you are hoping to have.

Discover our range of packages

Our She Births® Doula Support packages for mums and families are practical and nourishing. Based upon what Nadine has been providing to families for many years and what thousands of mums have told us they really want and need.

Let us find your Doula

Have a chat with our Doula Coordinator Amélie Patrux so she can talk you through the strengths and skills of each doula. We are here to hold your hand across the 'meet and greet stage' or set up a 'chemistry call' so you can choose the best doula for your family.

tell us a bit about you

The first phone chat with Amélie the She Births® Doula Coordinator was the most helpful part in making Rob and I feel like we were listened to and in helping us articulate what our needs were for our upcoming birth. We felt completely supported and heard as to what we wanted. It informed us of what options were available to match any budget and what the step by step process would be. The booking service was efficient and effective in finding someone in line with what we were after.

MaryAnn and Robert KELLY, first pregnancy

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

I knew I wanted the support of a doula for the birth of our first baby, but didn't know where or how to start looking. Amélie, the She Births® Doula Coordinator, was wonderful - she took time to get to know me, my background, and my hopes for the pregnancy and birth. We talked about the type of support I was hoping for during my labour, and any concerns or fears I had. Amelie's experience shon through - she spoke with many doulas before introducing me to someone. The fit felt perfect! I didn't feel the need to speak with anyone else. Our doula, Jo, has been a huge help already during our pregnancy and I feel reassured by her many years of experience. I know she will be an invaluable source of emotional and physical support, and a strong advocate for us, during the labour and birth. She also gently encourages and draws out my own inner strength and resources, and I've seen my husband's confidence increase too. I'm grateful for Amelie's help and her ability to understand us in order to find a wonderful match. Thank you!

Emma and Scott HOUSTON, first pregnancy

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

The doula service through She Births® made selecting a doula a really enjoyable experience. Having an experienced yet impartial person to discuss our hopes and needs in a doula was extremely beneficial, and prompted us to think of questions/elements we hadn’t thought of ourselves. It was really reassuring to know that each doula would be across the She Births® course, so our main focus was ensuring we connected with them. That we could meet them and chat prior to booking in was so helpful! Overall the service was very efficient & smooth and we felt very supported by the She Births® team in our birth journey.

Sami BLOOM and Mike DEBES, first pregnancy with baby Avery

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

Amélie, the She Births® Doula Coordinator, was most professional in helping us determine the most suitable doula for the birth of our baby boy. She took the time to explain what our options were and educated us about the different styles and personalities of doulas, so she could put forward the most suitable recommendations for us. The process was smooth and prompt, and Amélie was delightful.

Annabel and Mark KING, first pregnancy with baby Winston

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

Amélie, was my first point of contact, she explained the process of finding the right doula to support my personal birthing journey. I immediately knew I was in good hands. I was put in touch with 3 potential doulas to see which one was right for me, Amélie included as she was also an experienced She Births® Doula. I had video interviews with each of them in turn and in the end I felt Amélie’s approach was the right fit for us. I would highly recommend the She Births® Doula Service to mums who want that strong support through the biggest moment of their lives.

Justina GILL and Philip KEAN, first pregnancy with baby Isabel

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

When we decided we wanted to pursue a She Births® Doula, Amélie the Doula Coordinator, was there to help us navigate the decision. She helped us to work out what was important to us in a doula and what services we required. Amelie set up a meeting for us and broke down the pricing structure. She was incredibly helpful.

Habib and Alison BRIAN, second pregnancy with baby Eliza

COORDINATION SUPPORT TESTIMONIAL

Our Doula Caitlin supported us during the late pregnancy and birth of our baby boy. Given Covid, we had to work around some difficult restrictions. My husband and I first met with Caitlin via zoom and her advice was helpful in shaping our birth plan. Caitlin played a very important and valuable role as I went into labour for which we will always be very thankful. Post birth Caitlin’s checking in via text and phone call was very helpful and comforting.

Anabel and Mark KING, first pregnancy with baby Winston

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALDoula : Caitlin

We have had Nadine as our doula for both births. The support for both of us in such a sensitive time has been invaluable and as the mother, something I wouldn’t want to go without. There is a softness you’d expect to having a doula support you as a woman giving birth, but there is also a toughness that comes out while you are vulnerable and cannot speak up for yourself. I felt incredibly protected by Nadine in both our births and feel the outcomes were very positive in large part to her being there. No matter the journey your birthing day takes, if you’ve done the She Births® course and have a doula, you could not be better prepared for a safe, sacred and beautiful time.

Chris & Nicole NELIUS, two pregnancies with us !

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALDoula : Nadine R.

We met with Amélie our Doula three times prior to my due date to prepare for the birth. My husband and I were excited and anxious as first time parents. Amélie spent the time understanding how we wanted to be supported as well as arming us with knowledge to help us feel confident and prepared for what was to come. I eventually had to be induced due to being passed 42 weeks and during that time Amélie was such a huge support to myself and to my husband. In the end my labour didn’t progress and I ended up having to have a C-Section, an outcome I had not prepared for. Amélie gave us a crash course on what to expect and told us of all the questions we could ask of the OB ensuring we were advocating for ourselves. Because of Amélie’s great advice we ended up having a beautiful C-section experience. We had music playing, my husband was the first to reveal the gender of our baby and were able to have delayed cord clamping amongst other things. After the birth of my daughter Covid was in full swing and the birth of my daughter hadn't progressed the way I had hoped for so long. Amélie helped me unpack this with a birth debrief which allowed me to work through my thoughts around my c-section and come to peace with this providing not only emotional support but helped me understand why certain decisions were made from a medical perspective. Amélie's tireless support throughout the experience was incredible and she coached me through one of the most challenging moments of my life.

GILL and Philip KEAN, first pregnancy with baby Isabel

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALDoula : Amélie

We were one of the lucky couples to have Nadine as our doula this year, and I am so glad that we were able to have her assist us in the journey. My fear of not being able to provide Alison adequate support during labour and birth was alleviated when I knew Nadine would be there to assist us. Her confidence and beautiful aura and of course the years of experience and knowledge she had helped to reassure my faith in myself as a competent support person. COVID-19 forced hospitals to change rules and policies rapidly and we were anxious as to how we could achieve the birthing experience we were aiming for. Fortunately with the hospitals management’s understanding, Nadine was there during labour in hospital to assist us. Nadine’s presence not only assured Alison that things were going normally, but Nadine was able to remind me how to appropriately provide support for Alison. I am very grateful to Nadine for the care and support she provided as our doula through the different stages of pregnancy.

Habib MALLIK , welcoming his first baby

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALDoula : Nadine R.

Once we met Nadine we knew she had to be our Doula. We both felt 100% comfortable and confident and knew that she had to be there for the birth of our baby. Nadine came to stay in Newcastle to be nearby if I went into labour. We went for walks, she came to my house and delivered me suggested vitamins and treatments. She was my sounding board and provided a lot of advice and emotional support. Nadine attended a hospital visit with me, which involved discussions with the head of the obstetrics department at our hospital and helped me to make some hard decisions re scanning and inductions. Nadine also came to the house and spent time with me doing natural inductions (acupressure), massage, visualisations (meditation) and spent a lot of time talking through all of my feelings and fears. Nadine was there for my husband and I every step of the way, including the birth that was past 42 weeks! I don't think words will express what Nadine was to us (my husband and I) during the lead up to and for our birth. She went over and above what her role is and we are so eternally grateful for her support!

Alison BRIAN, second pregnancy with baby Eliza

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALDoula : Nadine R.

From the moment we spoke to Nadine our Doula, we felt incredibly supported. She became both a source of inspiration to us and an educator and confidant. She never pushed anything on us, but really listened to what we wanted and reminded us of it through our journey. She was always on call, always free for advice or lending a resource, and helped guide us and practice She Births® methods. During birth, she kept reminding us of our wishes, and was a strong yet soft presence in the room. We feel very lucky for the experience we had and we know Nadine was a huge part of it.

Sami BLOOM and Mike DEBES, first pregnancy with baby Avery

SHE BIRTHS® DOULA TESTIMONIALNadine O.
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FAQS

All our doulas have been selected by Nadine and trained in the She Births® method or worked alongside Nadine. This allows for continuity in language, principles and tools and you will be on the same page during your antenatal visits and during your birth whether you’re talking ‘Coffee Plunger Breath’ or utilising the B.R.A.N.D acronym. 

Our She Births® Doula Packages are only for people who have completed a She Births® course either online (full course) or face to face. Again, this allows for continuity in language, principles and tools between the clients and the doula. Our doulas enjoy working with She Births® families as education is the most important tool to have an empowering and beautiful birth.

The earlier the better! Good doulas are booked early and fast! At She Births® we recommend you select your doula around 18 weeks. If you are doing a fetal morphology scan around that time it might be good to confirm your doula once you have the results as that can sometimes throw a few different birth ideas into the mix with placenta position etc.

However, please get in touch with Amelie our Doula Coordinator as early as possible (13 -18 weeks) to do all the admin steps and select your package because our team get booked up very early, and especially if your Estimated Due Date falls on busy holiday times! 

According to a 2017 Cochrane Database Systematic Review, continuous support in labor may improve a number of outcomes for both mother and baby:

  • increased spontaneous vaginal birth
  • shorter duration of labour
  • decreased caesarean birth
  • decreased instrumental vaginal birth
  • decreased use of regional analgesia and any analgesia
  • decreased low five‐minute Apgar score and
  • reduced negative feelings about childbirth experience

Continuous support from a person who is present solely to provide support, is not a member of the woman’s own network, is experienced in providing labor support, has at least a modest amount of training  appears beneficial. No adverse outcomes have been identified.

View the full Cochrane review HERE.

Engaging with a doula is a very ancient mode of care during the birthing rite of passage yet the contemporary role of “doula” first emerged from the grassroots natural birth movement in the United States in the 1960s. The word originates from the Greek meaning ‘woman’s servant’ and the term doula was first used in a 1969 anthropological study conducted by Dana Raphael, a protégée of Margaret Mead. 

Of course you can! Complete the above form that will get sent straight to Amelie, our Doula Coordinator. She will send you more info and will organise a phone call with you to discuss everything in detail.