Paroles de
naissances
doula
Pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum
From conception all the way to postpartum, this is your safe space to feel, question and plan your journey into parenthood.
Perinatal grief
Whether you’ve gone through pregnancy loss, fertility issues, still birth, infant loss or abortion, I accompany you on that journey and hold space for your grief.
Exploring ambivalence
A safe and neutral space to explore ambivalence towards the choice of parenthood or embracing a childfree life.
A space for transitions and new beginnings
In French, my business is called “Paroles de Naissances”, or “birth words”, if you will.
Because for me all transitions lead to the birth of multiple new identities. Bringing life and facing death are inextricable, and both change us in profound ways that often permeate all aspects of our lives.
I accompany all these transitions with a supportive, neutral space, free of all judgement.
Who is it for?
Anyone can benefit from a supportive space. The key is to find someone you click and feel safe with.
One on one
It can be liberating to dedicate time just to yourself.
One on one support allows you to dig deep and let go without worrying about anyone else’s needs or opinions.
I welcome all genders, sexual orientations and family structures.
Couples
The way you can benefit from a supportive space as a couple is quite different to how you use it alone.
Each person can express themselves, listen and share in a safe and clearly defined space and time.
It can also spark surprisingly creative thinking and problem solving.
Family and friends
When you watch your loved one go through a challenging time, it can be hard to know how to help.
This can be a safe space for you to fully explore your own experience as a witness, and figure out the best way for you to support your loved one.
Expats
Living in a foreign country, often far from family and friends, is a challenge in itself. Founding a family in a foreign country is a whole other ballgame.
As a third culture kid and eternal expat myself, I have a deep understanding of what this can feel like.
I’ll support you in navigating the feelings of isolation that can come up, the difficulties that come with communicating in a second language, and finding creative solutions to stay close to loved ones during life-changing events despite the distance.
“Marie-Anne was part and parcel of the cocoon I had built around my pregnancy and preparing for postpartum.
She was a great source of comfort throughout my pregnancy, in all its challenges and joys. She was also available for me when I was at the end of my tether and feeling lost after 15 hours of long and difficult labour.
She allow myself and my partner to be as best prepared possible for the birth, and to feel ready for the postpartum period. Our meetings were a weekly dose of love and oxytocin ♥️
I highly recommend Marie-Anne to all couples preparing to become parents — just as much to future fathers as mothers — so they too can benefit from all the kindness, reassurance and comfort that she brought to us throughout our journey with her!”
What does it look like?
I have a variety of tools in my toolbox, which I can pull out as best fits the person and the situation. Here are a few that I use the most.
Emotional support
We dedicate time to identifying and fully experiencing emotions, so that you can then understand their purpose and how to manage them on a daily basis.
Active listening
Being truly listened to without judgement, comment or interruption is not something that happens every day. This is a space where you can fully share your thoughts and feelings.
Workshops
From problem solving to planning, workshops can be key to getting things moving. I adapt techniques from the workplace to encourage dynamic creative thinking sessions.
Physical care
Sometimes words aren’t the right path. Trained in rebozo techniques, I use this traditional Mexican scarf to encourage physical relaxation and release.
“Even though I would consider that I had an ideal pregnancy and delivery for my first child, I had a terrible time postpartum, which generated a lot of anxiety when I became pregnant with my second.
When Marie-Anne began to help me with preparing my postpartum journey, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders because her guidance, structure and exercises all work so perfectly together. She is so knowledgeable and reassuring, and can really adapt to all types of situations. My only regret is that I wish I could have prepared my first pregnancy with her! Thanks Marie-Anne for all your help!”