Hello – my name is Anna. I am a birth and postnatal doula as well as a registered osteopath, based in London. I live with my dog Scooby, and recently moved from the Ashdown Forest in Sussex to London where I live with my partner and dog Scooby on a boat.
Background
I grew up in the Netherlands where homebirths were the norm, and from an early age, I learned to view birth as a “normal” yet sacred event. While travelling in India, Nepal and South East Asia I discovered my passion for holistic healthcare and completed an introductory training in Shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Continuing my studies, I moved to the UK and completed a 4-year integrated Masters degree in osteopathy. During my time at the teaching clinic, I developed a special interest in women’s health and osteopathy for pregnancy and babies. Through hearing many birth stories, I became increasingly aware of how disempowering and traumatising many of them were, which led me to discover my passion and calling for birth work. In 2019, during my final months of osteopathy training, I also trained to become a doula. The first birth I attended beautifully confirmed that I was on the right path. I have been supporting clients and attending births ever since. I briefly pursued a midwifery career at Brighton University in 2020, but dropped out after the first year. The experience provided invaluable insights into NHS maternity care from multiple perspectives and helped clarify my role and qualities as a doula.
Current offerings & services
- Doula services: antenatal preparation, birth and postnatal support
- Bodywork: postnatal wrapping (closing the bones), pregnancy and postnatal massage, osteopathy and cranial osteopathy.
