Maenam Doula

30/03/2025

Don't miss out on the opportunity to see this groundbreaking documentary that explores the transformative power of personal healing for parents. I've already got my tickets and can't wait. Hope to see some of you there - there's limited space so book today!

Get tickets for the screening of Seen The Film

04/03/2025

I don’t normally share much in this space in regards to my personal life, but this feels worth it….even if it reaches one other person and makes a difference!

After the birth of my second child in 2019, I noticed a huge change in my periods. They were VERY heavy with intense cramping. I began to plan my life around them…I couldn’t swim when I had my period, I had to be near a bathroom and was up at least twice in the night to change my tampon. My iron was low and even with supplements I couldn’t get my ferritin levels up. After a very long road of investigating why I wasn’t absorbing iron (shocker, it wasn’t actually an absorption issue…I was just trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it!) it wasn’t until I started working with and she encouraged me to have a pelvic scan done to check for fibroids. No one had ever mentioned this to me before!

One pelvic scan later and I was diagnosed with adenomyosis. Never heard of it? I hadn’t either. It’s the cousin of endometriosis and it’s a condition in which the endometrial tissue exists within and grows into the uterine wall, causing my uterus to be 2.5 times its normal size and explained my heavy bleeding and cramping.

My GP told me I had two options, a hysterectomy or going on the pill. Neither of those were really an option for me at this point in life. I started researching and so did my husband. He came across the and I learned about a procedure called a uterine artery embolisation. I arranged a consultation with Dr Liang via Telehealth for later that week and within another month I was in Sydney having the procedure done. This was early December 2024. Three months later and my life has changed! I have my energy back, my periods are lighter and I no longer have to plan around them. I feel like a new human.

To anyone else out there struggling with heavy periods, this may be common but it’s not normal! Ask questions, advocate for yourself & do your own research. Whilst the pill works for many, it shouldn’t be the Band-Aid solution we offer first up. There’s always a root cause. I’m sharing this with all the women I know in hopes it can provide another option.

27/12/2024

2025 dates for Choices in Childbirth!

Come along to meet a few of the Canberra Doulas and find out more about all of your options for pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Education is power!

23/10/2024

During the second session of HypnoBirthing we talk a lot about how important it is to be aware of not only what goes IN our bodies in terms of nutrition, but what we put ON them matters too.

For those of you looking for a cleaner soap option, look no further than …. I buy in bulk and get 5kg of their off cuts at a time! This saves $ and I also get to share with friends and family. Win win!

They also include handwritten notes in your order…I love feeling that connection when you open up the box. 🥰

20/09/2024

I’ve recently begun my Body Ready Method Pro Training course….learning all about alignment today. I am so excited to bring my newly acquired knowledge and tools to the women I’m supporting in pregnancy and birth!

29/08/2024

I had my first postpartum visit with a lovely family in Dickson yesterday. They’ve just welcomed their second child and Mum is looking for some support once a week now that Dad is back at work. I brought over some red lentil and sweet potato dahl and bliss balls and then spent a good amount of time preparing food for the family. Mum was looking for some easy bite sized snacks to have on hand because she’s breastfeeding and ravenous! Zucchini slice and a sweet and spicy nut mix should do the trick. 👌 🥰

13/08/2024

There are a few spots left in my group HypnoBirthing classes starting tomorrow night at 6pm in Kambah!

Don’t miss out! Join me to learn how you can prepare your MIND and BODY for a calm, confident and empowered birthing experience. It’s your baby’s entrance into this world and your birthing day, you deserve to be informed and prepared 🥰

11/07/2024

03/05/2024

If you've worked with me in the past, I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave me a Google review! Thanks so much in advance xx

Post a review to our profile on Google

19/02/2024

Whipping up some insanely delicious bliss balls for a few of my Mamas I’m visiting this week. Now I have to try not to eat them and keep my own little one’s hands off before my visit!

14/11/2023

~ Akshoo’s Birth Story : Part 2 ~

After labouring for a while, my membranes released just after 2am while the midwife was in the room and my partner saw the membranes come out intact and then break with a gush. The pushing sensation increased dramatically after this. After my arms couldn't hold myself up anymore, I moved into a side lying position to breathe my baby out. I was able to feel her head with my hands and breathed through the final pushes, birthing her head in two surges and then the rest of her at 2.52am.

I was able to get skin to skin contact immediately while the midwives waited for my placenta to be delivered physiologically. Unfortunately, I started to hemmorhage after quickly delivering the placenta. While the doctor stitched me up, they estimated I had lost 2 litres of blood and called the theatre to let them know I need to go under general anaesthesia to investigate if there were any issues further up they couldn't identify in the Birth Suite. I handed our baby to my partner as they wheeled me away and I returned back to the ward 2.5 hours later. During that time my partner was able to have skin to skin and feed baby colostrum I had collected antenatally. When I returned to the ward and put my baby on my chest she immediately started breastfeeding which was a relief.

HypnoBirthing made a huge impact on my birth. During my time in the Birth Suite I could hear other women screaming as they birthed. However, I was able to calmly breathe through my birth and use my energy when I needed to. Despite the challenges after the birth, I didn't feel scared or uncertain, but instead I was aware of all my options and confident in what I was doing. Even the midwife who sat next to me in the room as I pushed commented on my breathing and could tell that I had done a HypnoBirthing course. I would highly recommend HypnoBirthing to all soon to be mums, especially first time mums!

The timing of the course spread across 5 weeks ensured that there was plenty of space to practice between sessions. Erika was gentle and kind, and able to explain new concepts well and take us on the journey.

14/11/2023

~ Akshoo’s Birth Story : Part 1 ~

At 40+6 I woke up at 5.30am and noticed slight cramping that came and went. I assumed these were signs of early labour and figured I would be meeting my little girl in the next few days.

I spent the day doing tasks around the house and finalising the hospital bag. During this time the cramping continued so I started timing and tracking them on my pregnancy app. They were 5-15 minutes apart depending on what I was doing at the time.

We headed to the hospital for our postdate appointment and baby and I were monitored on the CTG for half an hour during which time it detected uterine contractions. When the midwife conducted the cervical exam she let me know that I was already 6cm, which they'd usually only expect of someone in active labour. The midwife gave me the option to head home, but given I hadn't felt the surges that got me to 6cm I decided to stay on the ward even though home was only a 15 minute drive away.

My partner got me comfortable in the room and headed home to grab a few last minute items. He got back to the hospital at 9pm by which time I was feeling more intense surges but still not in the way they had been described to me (movements from the top to the bottom of the uterus). Mine were quite low and across my lower back. As soon as these increased in intensity I instinctively moved onto my hands and knees and practiced my surge breathing. I stayed in this position for a few hours till around 11pm where they increased in frequency to 3 minutes apart.

I started feeling the urge to push so my partner pressed the yellow call button which got several midwives rushing to the ward to move me over to a Birth Suite room. I stayed on my hands and knees as the surges got stronger. My partner sat on a chair near the bed as I clenched his hands and breathed through them. With the rush into the room we didn't get a chance to set the scene but I was able to have some white noise in the background. However, I was in my own head and not aware of what was happening around me much. I was physically exhausted from being on my hands and knees and occasionally drifted off.