JACQUELINE HARAKIS
(maternity leave)
Jacqueline is a former Pediatric Nurse and MamaBabyBliss Teacher for West London. She offers Pregnancy yoga as well as Baby and Toddler Massage and Yoga classes in west London for babies from newborn to age 3 years.
For full details take a look at her website MamaBabyBliss
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I have always adored working with babies and children, and since experiencing pregnancy and birth myself, I've noticed myself passionately drawn towards the pregnancy and birthing processes. I worked as children and young people's nurse for 12 years, so when I decided to place my nursing career on hold to raise my family, it was natural that I pursued self - employment around work with babies. I trained as a facilitator in baby massage and baby yoga after experiencing massage with my infant in 2011. I then trained further as a toddler yoga and massage instructor in 2012, so as to cover ages from birth to 3 years old. Then trained even further and completed a pregnancy yoga course in 2013 as well as a doula preparation course with Dr. Michel Odent and Liliana Lammers, where I met my fellow London Bliss Doula colleagues. I'm still on a journey that I'm thoroughly enjoying, and feel very blessed to be doing what I do, as I also get to spend most of my time with my young family.
The path to a successful pregnancy and birth didn't come easy to me, so I did what came naturally to me at the time. I did a lot of research about pregnancy and birth. I had an amazing, beautiful, natural birth even though I'd had an open myomectomy three years earlier, which normally predisposes one to birth by Caesarean Section. I'd read a lot about myomectomies and pregnancies following myomectomies, and found myself categorised as a VBAC candidate. With hypnobirthing and meditation, I released fears associated with birth and believed in my body's ability to birth naturally.
I trusted the process and had a truly wonderful experience. I hired a doula as well, and her calm and reassuring nature and abundant yet unimposing wisdom was enough to make me want to be a doula too. I delved into the world of pregnancy and birth with a lot of zeal, learning about the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and birth, reading birth stories and watching birthing videos and pictures in awe, and generally learning all I could find on the subject. My own experiences with pregnancy, birthing and having an amazing doula led me here.
I strongly believe that given the right information, every woman facing birth will make informed decisions based on the kind of birth that feels right for them, be it natural or medically assisted. In my experience, although I was facing a medically assisted birth and had made peace with that fact (I just wanted a healthy baby), my mind started changing when I unearthed more information (I can experience a natural birth AND have a healthy baby, if all stays as well as it has been).
While it's not my place to convince a mother to be on what the best choice might be for her birth, I feel giving her information as and when she is ready can play a big part in helping her make a truly informed decision, not based upon fear and uncertainty. I also strongly believe that for most, once they are past the fear of birth, trusting in their bodies' wisdom and ability guides their decision towards a more natural birth - if all else is well for this thinking pathway. There are always exceptions, and I'm very open to choices posed by these.
My role as a doula is to facilitate information provision for a mother and her family. It is important that fathers-to-be also feel supported in their role, and siblings too - and it is my role to help support them in this crucial time as a family with carefully sought resources, so that the pregnancy and birthing experiences are positive for them all.
At the crucial time when a baby is being born, it is my role to mother the mother - make her feel unexposed, maintaining the sacred birthing environment so it is conducive to the birthing experience, whilst also supporting her partner and reassuring them of her status and development so they are informed supportive of the birthing mother too.
Related skills and qualifications:
For full details take a look at her website MamaBabyBliss
______________________________________________________________________
I have always adored working with babies and children, and since experiencing pregnancy and birth myself, I've noticed myself passionately drawn towards the pregnancy and birthing processes. I worked as children and young people's nurse for 12 years, so when I decided to place my nursing career on hold to raise my family, it was natural that I pursued self - employment around work with babies. I trained as a facilitator in baby massage and baby yoga after experiencing massage with my infant in 2011. I then trained further as a toddler yoga and massage instructor in 2012, so as to cover ages from birth to 3 years old. Then trained even further and completed a pregnancy yoga course in 2013 as well as a doula preparation course with Dr. Michel Odent and Liliana Lammers, where I met my fellow London Bliss Doula colleagues. I'm still on a journey that I'm thoroughly enjoying, and feel very blessed to be doing what I do, as I also get to spend most of my time with my young family.
The path to a successful pregnancy and birth didn't come easy to me, so I did what came naturally to me at the time. I did a lot of research about pregnancy and birth. I had an amazing, beautiful, natural birth even though I'd had an open myomectomy three years earlier, which normally predisposes one to birth by Caesarean Section. I'd read a lot about myomectomies and pregnancies following myomectomies, and found myself categorised as a VBAC candidate. With hypnobirthing and meditation, I released fears associated with birth and believed in my body's ability to birth naturally.
I trusted the process and had a truly wonderful experience. I hired a doula as well, and her calm and reassuring nature and abundant yet unimposing wisdom was enough to make me want to be a doula too. I delved into the world of pregnancy and birth with a lot of zeal, learning about the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and birth, reading birth stories and watching birthing videos and pictures in awe, and generally learning all I could find on the subject. My own experiences with pregnancy, birthing and having an amazing doula led me here.
I strongly believe that given the right information, every woman facing birth will make informed decisions based on the kind of birth that feels right for them, be it natural or medically assisted. In my experience, although I was facing a medically assisted birth and had made peace with that fact (I just wanted a healthy baby), my mind started changing when I unearthed more information (I can experience a natural birth AND have a healthy baby, if all stays as well as it has been).
While it's not my place to convince a mother to be on what the best choice might be for her birth, I feel giving her information as and when she is ready can play a big part in helping her make a truly informed decision, not based upon fear and uncertainty. I also strongly believe that for most, once they are past the fear of birth, trusting in their bodies' wisdom and ability guides their decision towards a more natural birth - if all else is well for this thinking pathway. There are always exceptions, and I'm very open to choices posed by these.
My role as a doula is to facilitate information provision for a mother and her family. It is important that fathers-to-be also feel supported in their role, and siblings too - and it is my role to help support them in this crucial time as a family with carefully sought resources, so that the pregnancy and birthing experiences are positive for them all.
At the crucial time when a baby is being born, it is my role to mother the mother - make her feel unexposed, maintaining the sacred birthing environment so it is conducive to the birthing experience, whilst also supporting her partner and reassuring them of her status and development so they are informed supportive of the birthing mother too.
Related skills and qualifications:
- Registered Nurse (Children and Young People) - 2001 - 2013
- Integrated Diploma, Baby Massage and Baby Yoga - 2011
- Integrated Diuploma, Toddler Yoga and Massage - 2012
- Doula Preparation Course, Paramana Doula - 2013
- Pregnancy Yoga - 2013
® London Bliss Doulas 2013