Maddy the Doula

Maddy the Doula I’m your companion through pregnancy, birth and postpartum for a confident and joyful experience. Details on my website ✨

The Birth Partner Guide is something I made for women who are doing birth with a partner and want to feel properly suppo...
30/01/2026

The Birth Partner Guide is something I made for women who are doing birth with a partner and want to feel properly supported, not just emotionally, but in really practical ways too.

It walks through what actually helps in labour, how partners can support without hovering or freezing, what to say, what not to say, how to advocate, how to read the room, and how to stay grounded when things get intense.

I want you to feel like you’re in it together as a team to enter parenthood feeling united and supported.

Link in bio 🤍

The Birth Partner Guide is live! ✨I’ve spent years in birth rooms watching what actually helps, what gets in the way, an...
30/01/2026

The Birth Partner Guide is live! ✨

I’ve spent years in birth rooms watching what actually helps, what gets in the way, and what women remember long after the day is over, and this guide is everything I wish every partner knew for real life birth support.

Instead of sending your partner endless podcasts, reels, or Instagram posts they’re never going to watch, it’s all here in one place. It’s simple, achievable, and something you can work through together, learn before the day, and then have on hand for little reminders when it all feels intense.

It’s about emotional presence, nervous system support, practical ways to show up, and how to move through birth as a team.

If you’re pregnant and want to feel held, steady, and deeply supported in your birth, this is for you and your birth partner.

And thank you so much for all the support along the way, it’s meant more to me than I can say 🧡

The Birth Partner Guide is now live! I know you’ll love it.
Link in bio. Follow me for more! 📸




If you’d like the first details about my Birth Partner Guide when it’s ready, you can join the email list via the link i...
28/01/2026

If you’d like the first details about my Birth Partner Guide when it’s ready, you can join the email list via the link in my bio 🤍

I’ve been quietly working on this for a while now, and I’m SO excited to finally share it with you!!

So many of the couples I work with tell me the same thing, in different words.

They love each other deeply, they want to feel connected in birth, and yet when things get intense, they both end up feeling a bit unsure or out of their depth.

Not because anyone is doing anything wrong, but because most partners are never actually taught what’s helpful in labour beyond “be supportive”.

So I’ve turned what I teach partners in real life into a simple, practical guide, the kind of thing I wish every couple had access to before birth.

It’s going live this weekend and I honestly CANNOT WAIT for you to see it 🥹✨

If you want to be on the list for the first info, the link is in my bio 💌

If this made you think about your partner, save it and send it to them. The guide is launching this week. Most partners...
27/01/2026

If this made you think about your partner, save it and send it to them. The guide is launching this week. Most partners don’t freeze in labour because they don’t care.
They freeze because they’re terrified of doing the wrong thing.

For most people, birth is hidden, dramatised on TV, joked about, or shared through traumatic stories, and then suddenly they’re in the room with the person they love, realising how little any of that prepared them for what’s actually unfolding.

They don’t know where to stand, what to say, when to touch, or when to be quiet.
They’re seeing and hearing things they had no idea were possible, and they’re trying to work out how to help without getting in the way, whether advocating is the right thing to do, and how to stay present when everything feels intense and unfamiliar.

So they step back.
They go quiet.
Or they default to “tell me what you need” when you’re already at capacity.

A supportive birth partner isn’t calm because it comes naturally to them.
They’re calm because they understand what helps, what doesn’t, and how to stay with someone when things get big.

And that’s not instinct.
It’s something that can be learned.

You don’t need a perfect partner.
You need one who feels grounded, included, and able to support you without second-guessing themselves.

That’s why I created the Birth Partner Guide.
It launches this week 🤍

Something I hear again and again is women saying that labour felt like a blur, not because they didn’t prepare, but beca...
24/01/2026

Something I hear again and again is women saying that labour felt like a blur, not because they didn’t prepare, but because they were trying to do something deeply instinctive while still holding the mental and emotional load for everyone else.

I also hear so many stories of women sending their partners podcast episodes, reels, blog posts, and links, hoping it will help them understand birth, only to realise it’s all too much information to take in. Life is already full, work is busy, and birth preparation quietly becomes another thing sitting unfinished in the background.

Most of the time, it isn’t disinterest in you or the labour.
It’s overwhelm.

The Birth Partner Guide is a simple, easy to read resource designed to be worked through together. It gently outlines the flow of labour, what to expect as things intensify, what genuinely helps, what doesn’t, and how partners can offer calm, grounded support without needing to be told in the moment.

It’s there to ease the mental load, so when labour begins, you can drop into your body, stay in your instincts, and trust that your support is steady and prepared.

Because birth isn’t just about that one day.
It shapes how you step into motherhood, and how supported you feel when it matters most.

If this speaks to something you don’t want to carry alone, the Birth Partner Guide will soon be linked in my bio 💜
Save this, send it to your partner, and come back to it when you’re ready.

Pregnancy carries more than a baby.It carries the thinking ahead, the mental lists running quietly in the background, th...
24/01/2026

Pregnancy carries more than a baby.
It carries the thinking ahead, the mental lists running quietly in the background, the responsibility of preparing not just your body, but the space around you and the people you’ll lean on when things feel big.

So much of it is invisible. The emotional work, the planning, the worrying, the noticing of what might be needed before anyone else has thought about it. Often held quietly, because that’s what so many women are used to doing.

I see this all the time. Women who look calm on the outside, capable and grounded, while carrying so much care and responsibility underneath it all. Wanting to feel supported, connected and like they’re not holding and remembering everything alone.

If this resonates, you are absolutely not alone in this experience. You’re not overthinking, and you’re not asking for too much to be supported in your preparation.

This week, I want to gently talk about this part of pregnancy. The part that doesn’t get named often, and how it might feel a little lighter when support is shared.


Oxytocin is one of the key hormones that helps labour unfold, and it’s far more sensitive to environment and nervous sys...
20/01/2026

Oxytocin is one of the key hormones that helps labour unfold, and it’s far more sensitive to environment and nervous system cues than most people realise.

It’s produced in the brain and released in pulses, helping contractions become stronger and more coordinated, supporting the cervix to soften and open, and working alongside endorphins, the body’s natural pain-relief hormones. When oxytocin is flowing well, labour often feels more rhythmic and manageable. When it’s disrupted, labour can feel harder, more stop–start, or more “in the head”.

Oxytocin release is closely linked to safety. When the nervous system senses pressure, observation, noise, or urgency, stress hormones like adrenaline can rise, and oxytocin can slow. This isn’t about mindset or mental strength. It’s physiology.

This is why early labour often comes with a strong instinct to turn inward. Fewer words, dimmer lights, less stimulation, more sameness and familiarity. Mammals labour best when they feel unobserved and safe, and humans are no different.

Protecting oxytocin in early labour often looks very simple and very ordinary.

Not timing contractions or watching the clock.
Not texting friends or family to announce labour.
Putting phones on silent and avoiding phone calls.
Keeping lights soft or dim, candles if that feels nice.
Playing a favourite playlist or calming music.
Watching familiar, comforting shows or movies.
Looking through old photos or videos that help you soften.
Eating and drinking regularly, like warm soup or tea.
Using gentle, reassuring touch or soft massage if it feels good.
Resting between surges and keeping the space quiet.

These small choices send a clear message to the body that it’s safe to continue.

If you’re supporting someone in labour, your role is often to be the gatekeeper. Protect the space, limit questions, handle messages, offer calm presence and gentle touch, and let them stay in their own inner world.

Early labour doesn’t need to be rushed or managed. Often, it just needs fewer interruptions.

Save this for early labour and share it with your birth partner.

Women and babies, business and creativity, motherhood and home, family time, dreaming and doing all dancing together in ...
15/01/2026

Women and babies, business and creativity, motherhood and home, family time, dreaming and doing all dancing together in this season of my life ✨

If your goal is a physiological birth, labouring at home for as long as things are healthy and well supported is often o...
05/01/2026

If your goal is a physiological birth, labouring at home for as long as things are healthy and well supported is often one of the most helpful ways to work towards that. Being in a familiar, calm environment allows your body to rest, soften, and find its rhythm before heading into hospital.

For some labours, especially first babes, early labour can be long and tiring. This is where in-home support can be amazing.
I’m trained in all sorts of supportive techniques and can guide you with bodywork, position changes, Spinning Babies techniques, rebozo, emotional support, fear-release work, nourishing food and fluids, and steady guidance can help support progress while conserving your energy. It also gives your partner the chance to rest too.

We talk through all of this together during our prenatal meetings, so when labour begins you’re not guessing or pushing through alone. You’re supported, guided, and able to make decisions with clarity and confidence.

And for families planning a home birth, I’m ready to join you at home whenever you call for support.

03/01/2026

So excited for a new year of more presence, adventures and creativity with my fam 🍃 we had a beautiful morning down at our favourite walking spot by the river. The birds were singing, river trickling, wild flowers in blossom, and the air smelt so fresh. Time is nature is always refreshing ✨

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Hobart, TAS
7000

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+61400475680

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