Karlee Thompson Birthworker

13/10/2025

As a doula, postpartum planning is something I take very seriously. This is a sacred time for the mother–baby dyad, a season where deep rest, bonding, and healing are meant to be held and honoured.

Community care plays a vital role in this. It’s not just about meals or help with the house (though those are so important), but about creating a strong circle of support so the mother can be fully cared for as she cares for her baby.

Thoughtful postpartum planning can include nourishing foods, bodywork, support with older children, mother-warming practices, household help, and more. These layers of care allow the mother to be nurtured, not depleted. This is how we honour birth and motherhood as sacred. Who will you invite into your sacred time? How will each person support you? How much time can they give? The list of questions to curate a secure postpartum plan is seemingly endless, and is somewhere that I love to help women.

The way I care for women including postpartum care is ever evolving, each family and each woman is so unique. Their needs vary as much as they do.

20/09/2025

Why Internal Pelvic Release?

Our pelvis is at the centre of so much — it holds and supports our bladder, bowel, womb and all the connective tissues around them. These tissues are designed to stretch, shift and adapt (pregnancy being the most incredible example of that!).

But just like in any part of the body, tension can build up. This tension might come from injury, posture, surgery, birth, stress, or even the way we hold emotions. We sometimes call it “issues in the tissues.”

When tissues are tight, movement, space and flow can feel restricted. With gentle internal work, that tension can be acknowledged and invited to soften. The body often responds with a kind of “sigh” — and in that release, more space and comfort can be found.

The va**na is a powerful, transformative space. Through its soft tissues, we can access the deeper connections that support and stabilise the whole pelvic bowl. With tender touch and breath, we can create a pathway for release and restoration.

17/09/2025

I am excited to share that I am now offering Internal Pelvic Release Work (IPRW).

This is gentle, client-led bodywork that helps release tension and holding patterns within the pelvis. Many women find it supportive during pregnancy, postpartum, or at any stage of life where they are seeking more ease and connection in their bodies.

What to expect:

A safe, respectful, and trauma-aware approach

Gentle internal release techniques

Integration with breath and relaxation

Space to process both the physical and emotional layers

IPRW is not about fixing, but about creating the conditions for your body to soften, release, and find balance.

If you’d like to learn more or book a session, please reach out.

10/06/2025

03/11/2024

The third trimester...

Looking back through my photos I spent a lot of time with women. Doing homeschool things and resting. This was a time where my mood was lifted, I was becoming increasingly excited and I knew my baby well.

He was physically my strongest little kicker and he moved around so much more than my other babies did inside. He flipped side to side and back to front and all around.

I did a lot of spinning babies through the third trimester. The moves felt so good, and brought connection with Sam as I taught him how to support me through them. Sometimes the kids would help me too, when Sam was at work. Being able to manage my own discomfort using these tools was so valuable to me! I had barely any pain and when I did it was easily resolved!

Elijah took up the role of house chef a lot of the time. Baking and cooking delish meals and snacks!

We went for a lot of walks and scooter rides at the strand and ate a lot of icecream 🍦

We tried to go camping a couple of times and headed home early each time because I just couldn't be away from home for long.

I spent a lot of time journalling and dreaming of my birth!! Sam said to me many times... make it a morning birth that's nice and quick and easy. I'd get so frustrated, this felt a lot like pressure of something I couldn't control.

Oh and I was planning my postpartum. I'd had beautiful births before, but I had never experienced a supported and nourished postpartum...because I had never planned for or asked for it. This time, that wojld be different and I knew exactly what I wanted and who could support me to achieve it!

In terms of pregnancy care...I attended regular chiropractic care, going from fortnightly visits to weekly visits, I saw Kate for acupuncture, Katrina continued to support me with homeopathy and I booked in with Carla Sage for some birthworker support.

30/10/2024

I was reflecting last night in the shower with Art how different my two freebirth pregnancies were. Oscar, invited me to connect with nature. To be with mother earth. To feel her power, pleasure and reassurance. We camped, we hiked, I lived at the beach at the pool on the sand and in the dirt. I rarely felt the need to be home.

Arthur, demanded connection with myself. Deeper and deeper I went. Barely leaving my bed unless I had to. I lay in my room, day after day... in a somewhat meditative state. Feeling my belly, feeling my baby, feeling my body... feeling, feeling, feeling. Slow, steady, still. I dreamed of an active pregnancy, fit and glowing. Instead, I felt heavy, slow and drained. When I surrendered to his pull of self-connection, it felt so much easier.

Every pregnancy, baby, birth and postpartum is different from the one before. Each child has a different journey to take you on. Are you prepared to surrender to the journey of motherhood? Allowing it to unfold and take you deeper than you've had the pleasure of experiencing?

01/09/2024

Shout out to my beloved ❤️

I am so proud to do life with you. There's no one I'd rather grow with, raising children by your side is a blast. You are a steady provider, lively teacher, and genuine friend. Thank you for all that you do in your role as Father.

26/08/2024

The second trimester!

This one was a bit up and down also. I finally went to acupuncture with Kate from Townsville Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture at 16 weeks! Still sick and so fatigued I was feeling so desperate. The morning after, I was up better... seriously. Like a new woman! I continued to see Kate through the rest of my pregnancy. Not only did she support my pregnancy symptoms, but she helped me move through some severe neck pain I'd been having for... my whole adult life! She is magical and I highly recommend her care. I also used silicone cups and moxa at home with her guidance.

I continued my daily practices of oiling and massaging my growing belly, using homeopathy and herbs and wrapping with my faja.

My beautiful friend Kelly flew up and we spent some time at Maggie! What a place to be, highly recommend visiting in the off-peak season, it was so quiet and peaceful.

I felt the calling to craft my own drum, so I contacted to come to Townsville. Jillian came and supported a group of women through the process of birthing a drum. What happened here was so interesting for me. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I ordered one book to read, I didn't want something that furthered my knowledge of birth in the logical thinking brain sense. I wanted something to help me shed that and be present in my pregnancy experience rather than analysing everything. During Oscar's pregnancy, I read "Birthing from Within" by Pam England. So I searched what other books she had written and came across "Labyrinth of Birth" ... this was it, my book, my support, my unlearning. At the drum birthing, Jillian led the way through the birthing process using tools from the book I was guided to read. It all felt bigger... bigger than I could even describe. It felt powerful and divine.

After the birthing of my drum, I got sick, and my whole family got sick. It was awful and the sickest I think we have ever been. It went on and on... and I came out the other side of the sickness into my third trimester 🥰

21/08/2024

First trimester... a bit more detail.

The food aversion was horrific, I wasn't eating. The hydration drinks made me sicker and so did the prenatal vitamins. I was so irritable. This felt like a deep purging and letting go, a phase I'd experienced before. I supported my body through this with homeopathic remedies and herbal tinctures from .

My baby led me through the most beautiful dreams, it is common for me to have a lot of dream experiences in the first trimester. However this time, I was led to what felt like past life experiences. A young gentleman leading the way through the depths of tunnels, magic, healing and more.

I attended a few birthing couples through this time. This was so incredibly difficult but also, such an amazing gift! I saw myself noticing different pieces of each experience, taking in the pauses and the efforts in a way I hadn't before.

21/08/2024

The first trimester.
Not so well received. Summer, Christmas and birthdays, I thought maybe my favourite season would lessen the impact 🤣 I was so wrong.

I slept, was sick, slept some more. We barely left the house. I had to stop exercising, I threw up in my snorkel at a training session and that was enough.

Everyday I oiled my belly with magical oils from and wrapped myself in my faja from .jenny. These practices allowed me connection with my beautiful growing baby.

My breasts grew so rapidly, they were red and sore. It looked like mastitis and was incredibly painful for months. I was supported through what was my normal by and her wonderful reassurance ❤️

I do not like the first trimester, my word it was so hard! My house literally in pieces, such a mess.

14/08/2024

The Story of Arthur.

I'd been feeling the call and pull of a baby for some time, I'd dreamt and heard and felt their presence.

I travelled to Cairns with some beautiful women to learn from and . We sat in circle for two full days and talked all things womanly each night.

On the Monday morning we were leaving I had booked an internal pelvic release session with Shelly. During this session, I had a profound experience. I started crying, seemingly out of nowhere. And I heard and felt "It's okay, I'm here". I didn't know the meaning of the experience, but it felt so so big.

On Thursday that week, my breasts were so so tender and coffee just repulsed me. I went and got a pregnancy test, thinking there was no way it would even show a result (cycle day 19). But there they were, 2 lines. I was completely shocked and those words from Monday rang through my mind and body "It's okay, I'm here".

The beginning of a long and hard first trimester of pregnancy ❤️

To be continued...

03/08/2024

Breastfeeding... I don't feel like I have poetic words to say to do this topic justice right now. Mostly because I'm tired from breastfeeding my baby day and night 🌙

What I can say is that breastfeeding is hard for me. So hard! I am lucky enough to have the wisdom of the last 10 years up my sleeve and armed myself with a crew to support. Throughout my pregnancy, I planned who I would call from my team and for what reasons.

Thank you to my IBCLC's (yes multiple, they have varied wonderful skills and I needed and value their input!)




The irreplaceable support through oral restrictions of .debbiejay

And of course the support of my amazing husband and our family and community.

Yes, even for my 5th baby I needed so much support!

Thanks for the 📸 .allenankins.photo