Pregnancy and postnatal support services

Birth preparation courses

Birth preparation courses are really important to reset your mindset about birth away from what we so often see depicted in the media to the amazing, empowering and natural experience that it really is! One of the most valuable things about birth preparation courses is that your partner or birthing support person will also attend and learn about their role in your birth, how to advocate for you and how to assist you in the birth. There are a range of courses available that cover similar content with a slightly different angle – including the mind-body connection, breathing techniques, relaxation and visualisation. Online options are available at a reduced price but we recommend attending face to face if possible.

Our recommendations:
Transform your birth with Tracey (group or online)
Hypnobirthing with Kylie (group or private)
Hypnobirthing with Lindsay (group)
Antenatal classes with Midwife B from The Great Birth Rebellion podcast (free online)
Beer and Bubs with Kylie (for birthing partners)

Doulas

Doulas are trained (nonmedical), nurturing, support women that can assist you through pregnancy, birth and in the postnatal period. Birth doulas can help you to prepare for your birth and create a birth plan; and support you and your partner to use a range of birthing tools, tailored to your preferences, to facilitate the best experience possible. Birth doulas typically assist you through the entire birth – from early labour at home until your baby comes earthside at your chosen birthing location.

Many doulas also provide postpartum support that can be particularly essential if your family, or support system, is not close by. Postpartum doulas provide motherly support like holding your baby while you take time to care for yourself, cooking you a meal, doing laundry and groceries, or perhaps sharing a cup of tea and a chat.

Our recommendations:
Kylie Coad from Heartfelt Healing Therapies
Jess from You and Yours
Kate from Holding Mum (postnatal only)
For a list of Canberra based doulas, you can go to the Find a Doula website

Women’s health physiotherapy

A women’s health physiotherapy assessment is a MUST DO post birth. Most GPs won’t check your pelvic floor health in your 6 week checkup so it’s important to also make an appointment with a women’s health physiotherapist who will. Pelvic floor assessment is essential to treat any issues caused by pregnancy and birth (such as prolapse), and to prevent future issues that may arise if the pelvic floor is weak (such as incontinence). Women’s health physiotherapists can also assist with management of perineal tear and episiotomy, abdominal separation, pregnancy related pelvic plain and swelling, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Women’s health physiotherapists can treat mastitis using ultrasound and fit you for SRC compression garments to assist in post birth recovery.

Our recommendations:
The womens health physiotherapists at Origin Physiotherapy
Kaitlyn at KT Physiotherapy
Fundamental Health

Pre and postnatal exercise

Exercise during pregnancy and after birth is really important to keep your body strong but needs to be modified to accommodate for the changes your body is going through. Women’s health physiotherapists and exercise physiologists are well placed to guide you through these periods to ensure your baby and body are safe during exercise in pregnancy, and that your return to exercise in the postnatal period begins with strengthening the areas impacted by your pregnancy (including pelvic floor and abdominal muscles).

Our recommendations:
Bub & Me Physio offers pre/postnatal exercise classes taught by women’s health physiotherapists - in person (land-based and aquatic) and online.
Complete Performance Rehab offers pre/postnatal group exercise classes programmed and supervised by exercise physiologists.
Sweat online app offers both pregnancy and postnatal programs that you can do at home.
Higher Function Exercise Physiologist Georgia is highly passionate about assisting new Mum’s to recover post-pregnancy and safely get back to whatever exercise/ movement makes them happy!
Juicy Mumma Fitness with Juliana - 12 weeks online training programs for Postpartum Mummas

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can assist your body to prepare for birth. Birth preparation acupuncture usually starts at around 35 weeks, and aims to gently promote the cervix to ripen and encourage your baby to position itself into the best position for birth. It relaxes muscles and tendons and helps to reduce stress and anxiety by calming your nervous system. Acupuncture can also assist with inducing labour. Induction acupuncture is similar to birth preparation acupuncture but performed more regularly, after you reach your due date. Acupuncturists can also provide treatments to help breech babies turn.

Our recommendations:
Jan Jamieson - Phone: 02 6247 5564
Holly Brocklebank (Innate Being Therapies)
Nicole Mensinga (Fundamental Health)

Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants

Breastfeeding can be challenging! And it is worth getting to know the basics before you have your bub. Anne from Evolve Midwifery Services runs breastfeeding education classes in Canberra that you can attend during your pregnancy. The Australian Breast Feeding Association runs online Breastfeeding Education classes and their website is an amazing resource. They also run a 24 hour National Breastfeeding hotline that you can call to speak to a qualified and understanding breastfeeding counsellor.

Once bub is here, if your breastfeeding journey isn’t as smooth as you’d like it to be, engaging a private lactation consultant is hugely beneficial. Lactation consultants will watch and assess how your baby is feeding to provide you with individualised advice.

Our recommendations:
Anne Endres from Evolve Midwifery Services
Monica Hogan (also performs tongue tie releases) - Phone: 0409 985 324
Ali Teate and Mel Pearce from Care Midwifery
The Mother Hub

Mothers groups

The early days of being a new mum can feel isolating and it’s important to connect with community and be able to share your experiences with other mums in the same stage of their parenting journey.

The ACT government runs New Parent Groups you can sign up to once your baby is born. The program is deigned to connect you with parents who are also in the newborn stage and is facilitated by nurses and midwifes. You can access the program up until your baby is four months old.

Other privately run recommendations are:
Thriving As a New Mum with Tracey
Mothers Group with Anne from Evolve Midwifery

Mental health

Pregnancy and becoming a mum is a huge adjustment and a time when mums need lots of support. There are some amazing counselling services available in Canberra that focus on helping women in the pre and postnatal period.

Our recommendations:
Perinatal Wellbeing Centre – ACT government funded and available free of charge, including childcare while attending appointments.
The Upside of Me Counselling support
Kate Mungoven Counselling

Placenta Encapsulation

The drop in hormones during your fourth trimester is the biggest shift you’ll experience in any stage of life. Support your postpartum recovery by reaping the health benefits of placenta encapsulation. The placenta is rich in those hormones, vitamins and minerals that many mums are lacking after they’ve given birth. You are the remedy.
There are two methods to choose from - Raw Method or Traditional Chinese Method

The 2013 study, “Human Maternal Placentophagy: A Survey of Self-Reported Motivations and Experiences Associated with Placenta Consumption,” has gathered the self- reported benefits from mothers who have experienced placental consumption first hand. There are 15 benefits that women consistently report from placental consumption including:

Alleviated postpartum bleeding
Enhanced uterine involution (uterus returns to pre- pregnancy size)
Improved and accelerated healing and recovery
Reduced maternal postpartum pain
Prevention or treatment of anaemia (low iron)
Improved lactation
Facilitated bonding with newborn
Increased energy, strength and vitality
Accelerated weight loss postpartum
Prevention and relief of headaches
Treatment and prevention of hypothyroidism
Replenishment and regulation of hormones
Improved quality of sleep
Increased libido
Reduced risk of developing PNA/ PND

For further reading about which hormones and nutrients are in the placenta and the benefits of consuming each hormone/nutrient: https://www.fourthtrimesterplacentaservices.com.au/reported-benefits

Ash from The Fourth Trimester Placenta Services is a fully qualified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist with additional certifications in Blood Borne Pathogens and Food Handling. Umbilical cord keepsakes and placenta prints are complimentary inclusions in each encapsulation package to forever remember the moment you met your baby.

Recommended resources

Positive birth stories and birth preparation

Having a positive mindset about birth is essential to facilitating you having the best birth experience possible. Watching and listening to positive birth stories is a powerful way of helping your mind shift away from what we so often see depicted in the media to the amazing, empowering and natural experience that birth really is.

Documentary: Birth Story, Birth Time, The Business of Being Born
Podcast: The Great Birth Rebellion; The She Births Show
Books: Birth Mapping by Catherine Bell, Birth with Confidence by Rhea Dempsey, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth Birth Journeys (Positive birth stories to encourage and inspire) by Leonie Macdonald, Juju Sundin’s Birth Skills with Sarah Murdoch

Sleep and routines

Babies spend little time awake in the early days and can get overtired easily. When babies are overtired they are difficult to settle and may have trouble feeding. Being aware of bubs age appropriate awake times and tired signs as they grow is helpful for ensuring bub is well rested and sleeping frequently enough. In the newborn phase babies generally are only awake for 45-60 minutes (including feeding time) before the need to go back to sleep. As your bub gets older and is awake for longer, it can be helpful to follow the ‘feed, play, sleep’ cycle to make deciphering bubs hungry and tired signs easier. If you find yourself with a baby who ‘catnaps’ (short naps of 30-45 minutes), know that while it can feel exhausting having bub up so much, it’s biologically normal and naps will lengthen as bub gets older.