Meet Anna

Hi, I'm Anna. I am a postpartum doula and motherhood support mentor, guiding new and experienced parents through pregnancy, the fourth trimester and beyond.

My journey to this work began after the birth of my first baby. I enjoyed a beautiful early postpartum and wanted everyone to experience the same! By four months postpartum however I was feeling anxious, and by eight months postpartum I was struggling in a haze of sleep deprivation with a baby who still seemed to spend more time feeding than sleeping. By her first birthday we were in lockdown, and my plans to return to my pre-baby job went out the window!

It took a long time to feel healthy again, and every piece of learning I have done along the way has been as helpful for me as it has been for my clients. Over the past six years I have dived deeply into the worlds of birth, postpartum and respectful parenting. I have read approximately 10235 books, listened to 78923 podcast episodes, and written 3857049572 words on the topic. These numbers are made up, but I think you get my drift!

I have undertaken further studies including training in

• Postpartum doula care, including breastfeeding support and biologically normal baby sleep, with Newborn Mothers Collective;
• Birth mapping with Catherine Bell, a method of birth planning where all potential birth pathways are considered ahead of time, so you and your birth partner are on the same page whichever turn your birth takes;
• Birth story listening with Birth Story Medicine, a style of emotion-focused birth debriefing devised by Pam England that aims to reduce distress or difficult feelings associated with experiencing or witnessing a birth;
• the Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification with sociologist Dr. Sophie Brock, a thorough education program exploring the social conditions of motherhood, how we can maximise our agency within them and how we as individuals and a collective can agitate for change.

I combine this with my knowledge from my tertiary allied health studies and previous work in exercise physiology and rehabilitation, family health programs and disability support to ensure parents get the help they need.

Fancy qualifications aside, my primary work is to make sure mothers and parents feel heard, seen and supported through the highs, lows and sticking points of their child-raising journeys. When you know you are believed, respected and supported, half the battles you are fighting are already won.

I work with parents across the globe, and around the corner. I am fortunate to live and work on Awabakal Country, and work to serve families through my in person one on one and group services in Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and surrounding areas. Many of my consults can be done virtually though, and I have successfully supported parents in NZ, the UK, Italy and the USA.

As an author, podcaster, speaker and writer, my words reach thousands of mothers and parents every year. Inclusivity and social justice are important to me, and I take my responsibility to provide evidence-based information seriously, so you can make the decisions that are best for your unique scenario. Accessibility is important to me too, which is why I offer concession and single parent pricing, and have created a suite of free resources as well as my "Anna Asks" podcast and archive of hundreds of blogs.

My book "Mama, You're Not Broken: Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" is the book I wish existed when I had my first child. If you are struggling, I can almost guarantee it will help you see why this is so, why it's not your fault, and how to move through feelings of failure or guilt.

I am really looking forward to meeting you, and assisting you in whatever way feels right for you.