Maria Krzyzosiak-Basterfield

About Me

Giving birth to your baby is one of the most profound and significant times in your life.

Whilst the birth is very important, it is also the gateway to the even bigger experience: you becoming a parent.

By now, you may have written your birth plan, attended antenatal classes and read the books.

But have you prepared for your postpartum?

So often following the birth the attention shifts from the mother to the baby, leaving you juggling care of your newborn with your own recovery, and too often your needs can be overlooked. Yet, postpartum is a time of joy, celebration, and adjustment.

A new mother needs as much care and affection as her newborn baby. Perhaps you are worried that you have no support around you, or that the support that is available doesn’t agree with your values and ethos, or perhaps you are worried about the amount of conflicting advice and ‘doing things the right way’. If this is not your first baby, you might wish for a better postpartum experience this time.

As your postnatal doula I will be there for you, so that you can heal, rest and regain your energy after pregnancy and birth and build your confidence as a new parent. I will support and guide, bring an extra pair of hands, and listen and give non-judgmental counsel.

Here are some of the ways I can support you during your early postpartum period:

• preparing postpartum specific meals and snacks to nourish your body
• feeding support, including getting your breastfeeding journey off to a good start if you choose to breastfeed
• coming with practical steps to help you heal and recover from birth
• taking care of some households tasks so you can spend the time getting to know and falling in love with your baby
• looking after your baby to give you time to rest, shower, or simply recharge your batteries
• providing a listening ear if you feel your emotional load is getting high
• helping you to build your confidence and tune into your intuition to find what’s right for you and your family

Why I became a postnatal doula

My own postpartum experiences came with different sets of challenges. They made me realise that whilst there is a wealth of resources to support pregnancy and birth, the postnatal period is widely neglected and undervalued.

I had a strong desire to take life slowly, to rest and cocoon with my baby. Society expected me to bounce back and I felt guilty for ‘doing nothing’. When I became aware of postpartum practices, I learn how new mothers in many other cultures around the world are celebrated and nourished, and their needs to rest, recover and bond with their new baby are recognised. These needs have been catered for by close-knit communities and extended family groups – support structures that have been lost in the modern day.

My interest in becoming a doula was borne out of passion, desire and a strong belief that we need to rediscover that traditional approach of postpartum care.

To find out more about how I can support you, give me a call for a no-obligation chat.  I would love to hear from you.

Continued Professional Development

• Paediatric First Aid – 2023
• Younique Postnatal Doula Initial Preparation Course – 2022
• Postnatal Planning Workshop with Sarah Tessier – 2022
• Breastfeeding Peer Supporter Training – 2022
• The Art and Science of Postpartum Wrapping with Sophie Messager – 2022
• The Academy of Health and Well-being with Anna Krasucka – how to maintain balanced nutrition through diet following the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine – 2021
• NLP Master Practitioner with Ben Grassby – 2014
• Mindfulness Coaching with Malgorzata Orlovic – 2013