Hello! My name is Sophie.
As qualified and experienced postnatal doula, pilates instructor, shiatsu therapist and mother of two, I love supporting mothers throughout pregnancy and after birth.
I also love nurturing mama bodies with soothing bodywork and healthy, happy movement.
And mostly, I love helping women befriend their body with kindness and reverence.
Every single Mother experiences changes to her body as a result of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. And yet most Mothers never receive the support they need to comfortably manage these changes. Which is why as a Postnatal doula specialising in Pilates and Shiatsu I’ve made it my mission to support you to care so much better for your Motherbody.
Since becoming a Mother in 2012 I’ve navigated my own postpartum recovery including adventures in pelvic girdle pain (a really sore pelvis) pelvic floor dysfunction (a rather unreliable Pelvic Floor) adrenal fatigue (complete and utter exhaustion).
These debilitating conditions taught me how women need SO much more support and education to be healthy and strong for the everyday, intense demands of motherhood. And this is where support from a postnatal doula can be super helpful!
There are some fundamental principles to postpartum care that can easily support you to prepare for and recover better from pregnancy and birth. These include…
- Embracing support.
- Great nutrition.
- Rest, rest and more rest.
- Nurturing bodywork.
- Pelvic floor and abdominal rehabilitation.
- Core recovery BEFORE returning to activities of everyday life or exercise.
But its soooo hard, to prioritise your own health as a mother (I know, breastfeeding all the time, sick children, nappy explosions), as a woman (there are SO many dishes, your paid work, the mental load, all those socks under the sofa), as a human (yes, you absolutely do need time to rest, recuperate and restore your health).
Pregnancy and birth place extreme demands on your physicality.
Even if your birth was everything you’d hoped for, your muscles, ligaments, bones were still all stretched out, these take time to heal and repair. Especially if your birth was challenging, difficult, perhaps devastating, your body needs rest, love and attention, time, bodywork, movement retraining and really good nutrition to recover.
I cannot emphasise enough how you deserve and need support to manage the way your body changes after pregnancy and birth.
If you heal well after giving birth, perhaps you might find more energy, more strength, more calm. You might even care better for your children, in a way that you know you’re doing a really good job. Likely you will stand in the heart of your family feeling resourced, centred, and fulfilled as a Mother. And as a Person.
As a postnatal doula, Pilates teacher and Shiatsu therapist, I can help you to nurture and nourish your Motherbody with all the love and care you need as you journey into Motherhood.
We only get one body. Nurture Her!
Restore her, heal her, cherish her .
“Sophie, I can’t imagine what my postpartum experience would have been like without you, so thank you for your beautiful support – your wisdom and kindness and gentleness, as well as your cooking and massage and all your other skills! I felt so loved and supported and I think it has set me up for motherhood in the most perfect way. I feel nourished, I understand how I need to rest, I feel more confident as a mother.”
– Mama Damaris
Training and Qualifications:
- Spinning Babies Aware Practitioner 2022.
- Birth Cartographer Training. 2022.
- The Body Ready Method. 2022.
- Physiologic Baby Care Course. Innate Traditions.2021.
- Postpartum Belly Binding; La Matriz 2021.
- The Art of Birth; Naoli Vinaver 2021.
- Birth Trauma Training for Birth Workers; doctorerin.com.au 2020.
- The Shoulder Solution; coreexercisesolutions.com 2020.
- Trauma-Informed Practice for birth professionals with Nisha Gill, 2020.
- Trauma-Informed Practice for bodyworkers with Nisha Gill, 2019.
- Optimal Maternal Positioning workshop with Ginny Phang, 2019.
- Orgasmic Birth workshop with Debora Pascali-Bonaro, 2019.
- Pregnancy Corrective Exercise Specialist; coreexercisesolutions.com, 2019.
- Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss 15 hr online training; The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath and Death 2018.
- Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist; coreexercisesolutions.com 2018.
- Advanced CPD in Modern Postnatal assessment, Core Restore and Functional Exercise Programming; burrelleducation.com 2018.
- Newborn Mothers Postnatal Doula training; newbornmothers.com 2017.
- Advanced CPD in Modern Functional Pregnancy Exercise Programing; burrelleducation.com 2017.
- Spinning Babies Workshop; Ginny Phang-Davey, fourtrimesters.com 2017.
- Creative Ways of Making Space for the Baby, Part 1; birthwork.com 2017.
- Advanced Diploma in Professional Pilates Instruction, National Pilates Training 2015.
- Extraordinary Vessels Shiatsu for Pregnancy & Birth; Suzanne Yates, wellmother.org 2014.
- Diploma in Shiatsu and Oriental Therapies; Australian Shiatsu College 2009.
- Pilates Matwork Certificate, Pilates Foundation UK 2005, Cert IV 2008, Diploma in Professional Pilates Instruction Pilates International Training Centre 2009.
- BA in Dance with Honours (WAAPA), 2001.
