How do I choose the right doula for me?

Lauren is an Endorsed Private Practice Midwife with an excellent reputation in Brisbane for supporting women and families as they journey to—and through—one of life’s most transformative transitions. She works with a whole-family approach, preparing parents not only for pregnancy and birth but also for the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual shifts that come with parenthood and welcoming a new baby.

As a First 1000 Days advocate and nervous system-certified practitioner, Lauren is passionate about equipping families with the tools to build healthy bonds and secure attachments, promoting positive early childhood experiences. This critical period lays the foundation for healthy infant brain development and long-term emotional wellbeing. Lauren empowers parents to connect with their own intuition rather than looking outside themselves for answers.

Lauren provides a variety of Medicare-rebatable appointment types, including:

• Pregnancy care for women alongside their chosen care provider – whether booked to birth through the public system or a private maternity hospital. Lauren is a strong advocate for collaborative models of care and can offer:

  • Shared care with private obstetricians across two clinics in Brisbane

  • Support as part of your care team alongside GPs or hospital clinics

• Birth Mapping appointments – helping you explore your preferences and decision points along the way

• Routine postnatal care – including mother and baby checks, breastfeeding support, perinatal wellbeing, and birth debriefing

• Postnatal in-home care packages – servicing inner north Brisbane and surrounds

• Baby Massage education – 1:1 sessions or private small groups for three or more friends

• Closing the Bones Ceremony – a deeply nurturing postpartum ritual rooted in traditional cultural practices, used to honour and support the profound transition into motherhood

In addition, Lauren offers ‘Mothering the Midwife’ Retreats, designed to support the wellbeing of those who hold this professional responsibility. These one-day retreats are created for nurses and midwives to reset their nervous systems, reconnect with themselves, and maintain balance to help prevent compassion fatigue and burnout.

I’m Paula, an Endorsed Midwife and the founder of Pause Postpartum, a private midwifery service supporting families in the early weeks after birth. With extensive experience in pregnancy, birth and postpartum care, I’ve seen how much more confident families feel when they are truly supported, and how this positively impacts their postpartum experience.

Pause Postpartum was created to offer evidence-based, individualised care after birth, promoting an environment where new parents are supported, educated and encouraged through the postpartum period. From feeding support, newborn care and settling, physical check-ups, or holding space for the emotional aspect of this huge life transition, we are establishing a new standard of postpartum care.

We offer home visits for the first six weeks postpartum, as well as online sessions, which are eligible for Medicare rebates. Birth debriefing sessions are also available, grounded in compassion and tailored to what you feel ready to explore, this can be a powerful way to reflect on your birth experience.

Offerings include:

• Postpartum planning sessions and resources
• Postpartum home visits
• Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding support
• Newborn care, maternal health checks and emotional support
• Birth debriefing
• Medicare rebates for eligible visits

Danielle Brooker is a Mama, Joy Activation Coach, writer, avid self-help reader, lover of travel, adventure and exceptional coffee. Through her private coaching programs, digital courses, Mama Joy Summit, writing and podcast, Danielle teaches ambitious, busy and always-on Mamas ‘in the thick of it’ to move from the mess to the magic of this season of life.

Her signature program BEYOND focuses on the ‘forgotten season’ of motherhood, teaching Mamas to put core foundations in place to support their thriving well beyond the traditional ‘postpartum’ period. Danielle works intuitively, blending a foundation in human behaviour, neuroplasticity-based coaching and strategy, with somatic principles, emotional context work and soul practices. She shares, “I moved across the world to a new city, 6 months pregnant, in the middle of a global pandemic. All to take action towards my dreams. It was tough. And it was rewarding. I birthed my baby at home, with my partner holding me, literally.

Entering motherhood was everything and nothing like I imagined. It’s pushed me beyond any emotional capacity I’ve ever been asked to experience. I’ve been on my knees sobbing on the bathroom floor not believing I could get up again. And I’ve been bursting with so much joy I thought my cheeks would explode.

Motherhood is one of the most courageous acts. I’m here to take your hand and show you back to your place of safety and strength, so you can fully expand into this season of life. So you can live your most joyful life and feel your most vibrant self.”

She’s the author of Freedom from Busy and has written for and been featured in publications such as Forbes.com and Breathe and is on a mission for Mamas to reclaim this powerful season of life and live in their fullness. Danielle currently lives in Sydney with her daughter and partner, dreaming up the next adventure for their family.