I am Judith; a loving doula, mother of four beautiful children and married to Chris. I have been fascinated by the birthing process my whole life. My real passion arose around the birth of my own children, through the beautiful women I have had around me and the stories I have heard from other women and mothers. I would like to see the general image of giving birth more positive. It is so much more than the images we see in films and series on TV.
As a doula, I hope to contribute to a loving, positive birth, in which you are in control and have enough information. The people close to me describe me as warm, open-minded, creative, reliable and spontaneous. I enjoy cooking and eating delicious food. I love to sit down on the couch after a long day and watch a good series, but you can also make me happy with a thriller book.
My Journey to Becoming a Doula
After completing my degree in Sports Marketing and Management in 2013, my husband and I emigrated to New Zealand, where we lived for two years and where I became a mother for the first time. This was a special and challenging time. Together with my husband in a new country, with a healthcare system that was unknown to us. We found an incredibly sweet midwife and followed an extensive course to prepare ourselves for the birth and the period afterwards. I found fellow pregnant women through the course, some of whom I am still in touch with today. But at times it was also lonely and scary. I hope to be able to share this experience with expats and people who are not (yet) familiar with the healthcare system in the Netherlands. People who have not yet built up a large social safety net here in the Netherlands. I am here for you!
After this we lived in England for another two years, where we had another daughter. Here too, there were various challenges, in a country where maternity care is organised very differently. We found a doula and, thanks to her, had a wonderful birth. In my search for this doula, I found the doula training in Rotterdam. Then I knew, this is what I’m going to do!
After moving back to the Netherlands, I started the doula training. With another pregnancy and birth, early 2020, in between, I completed my training early 2021. At the end of 2022 we welcomed a son into our lives, he was born in the presence of his two older sisters, very special!!
I think it is important that women have enough information about childbirth, the processes and phases that their body goes through and that they know what options and choices they have around the birth of their child. In addition, I know from experience that it can be very nice to have a trusted person at the birth, in addition to your partner. Bringing your child into the world can be a beautiful, powerful experience!