Hear from some happy birthchoices + village for me clients …

Alice was my doula for my second pregnancy/birth. She was so incredibly informed herself and dedicated a lot of time to sending me resources to keep me informed on topics that were relevant to me in the lead up to my birth. The birth map/birth choices plan that we produced before the birth was so comprehensive it covered many possible scenarios and ensured I had done the thinking/decision making before labour and birth. My birth itself was a bit of a marathon and Alice was there every step of the way; supporting and advocating whenever it was needed. She is a wonderful doula, I would highly recommend her to anyone who would like to go in to their birth feeling informed, empowered, supported and nurtured by their birth team.

— Nava

Alice, thank you for being the person I needed in every aspect of the pregnancy and birth. From settling the anxious voice in my head, to supporting me in making the call to have a homebirth, providing me with the evidence to silence my unwelcome intrusive thoughts. Knowing I had you in the room gave me the confidence I needed to go for the birth I desperately wanted, needed, and we bloody did it!

— Madelaine

We had a birth choices consult with Alice towards the end of first trimester of our first pregnancy earlier this year. It was probably the single most useful and clarifying appointment I’ve had throughout my whole pregnancy! Can’t stress enough how much value you get out of just one session. Alice is incredibly knowledgeable and evidence-based while still being warm and a joy to chat to. She patiently walked us through our options, followed up with useful resources, and kept in touch until we eventually picked our private midwife (based on Alice’s recommendations), who has been such a gem as we navigate the pregnancy and birthing world!

Our fertility journey had been challenging and Alice was particularly compassionate on this front, which made us both feel so comfortable. She made sure we didn’t feel like anything was a stupid question - even when my husband asked when the doctor would arrive to deliver the baby if we had a home birth (lol). Wish everyone could access a service like this to demystify the overwhelming early stages of a first pregnancy!

— Tessa

Alice and Elysia are providing such an incredible valuable service, which I hope many more women find and use! Early in pregnancy there are so many decisions to be made which will impact the trajectory of your care, and it can be hard to find the right care providers to answer your questions, provide resources and explain different care options in a non-biased way. I was lucky enough to stumble onto birthchoices during my first trimester and had a consult with both Alice and Elysia- they were so kind and incredibly knowledgeable. They provided me with support, guidance and resources to help me make decisions about curating the best care team for my pregnancy and birth. They also had lots of resources and data about the safety and suitability of home birth for me to share with my partner. I’m glad I can continue to get Alice and Elysia’s wisdom and insight through their podcast as well.

— Hannah

Alice was such a wonderful support during the first couple of months after my baby was born. I felt comfortable with Alice straight away because of her ea sy going, friendly, straightforward and non-judgemental nature. I relished her visits as they gave me the chance to have a few hours sleep while she looked after my bub and cooked delicious nutritious meals that my body was craving. Alice’s evidence based approach to mothering and babies’ needs put my mind at ease about a number of early concerns like breastfeeding and baby’s sleep, and she was happy to refer me to a great lactation consultant for more detailed help. Alice really helped me find my feet and feel ‘set-up’ for early parenting. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

— Deb

Alice from Village for Me was our guiding light, confidant and constant source of support during our early post partum.

Our journey into parenthood started on shaky ground, with our little one requiring 4 days in the special care nursery. Alice arrived at the hospital armed with delicious, healthy treats and a listening ear. She was there to debrief about our birth and provided so much support to help with breastfeeding, which had stalled due to our baby’s situation in special care.

Once we were home and feeling at times uncertain in our new role as parents, Alice was always there with comforting words and reassurance. She made everything feel ok, even on the hard days when we were in a puddle of tears. When she came to our house, she would bring warm, nourishing meals and would effortlessly settle our baby in her arms, while we chatted and laughed. It was so reassuring to have Alice there, knowing she was providing us with evidence-based, trusted advice.

We feel so lucky to have Alice’s warm, loving and supportive care in our lives in our early postpartum.

— Natalie

I will never forget the significance of having Alice as our postpartum doula. Her care, support and knowledge for new parent — especially motherhood — life is outstanding. Alice helped us set a solid foundation as a new family unit and helped give me the confidence to be the mum I want to be.

She gave me the space to rest, recover, heal and feel all the feels which made me feel seen, heard and understood - which is priceless as a new mum.

Alice's cooking is so wholesome and delicious, we still talk about it! I'll never forget the lightness I felt in the house and myself after she'd left.

Don't think twice about it, invest in yourself and your family and book a time to meet with Alice, you deserve it and you won't regret it, she's amazing.

— Cate

Alice was a key source of support for my partner and I as we navigated the early days of parenthood, cooking for us and caring for our daughter while we had some much needed downtime. Alice helped me grow in confidence as a first time Mum and quieten all of the noise that was distracting me from following my instincts. As time goes on and I see others experiencing parenthood for the first time, I can see how much Alice helped us. Thank you Alice!

— Zoe

Working with Alice was one of the best decisions I made to support me through my fourth trimester. We knew she was the one for us straight away because of her practical approach and calming energy. Two things that were highly valuable during a vulnerable time.

If I could, I'd have her come over and chat and cook for me every week! We are still eating her leftovers out of our freezer. It was a pleasure.

— Camilla

Alice was so nurturing, helpful and a much-needed reassuring presence during the hectic newborn days. We especially loved that her baby-wearing allowed for a shower/nap for mum, the delicious food she cooked fresh, and her lending library. Thank you, Alice!

— Kyla

Alice is warm, knowledgeable and an incredible cook. I was introduced to Village for Me following the birth of my second child. Alice’s beautiful food not only nourished me but my whole family, and was of enormous help particularly while also juggling a toddler.

— Amber

Alice was a breath of fresh air during the challenging initial weeks after having our first baby. She was a great sounding board, superb cook and blended seamlessly into the household. The small investment made a big difference. We highly recommend Alice.

— S & C

I knew it was going to be tough having a newborn and a 16 month old but the adjustment hit me harder than I had anticipated.

Alice arrived with bundles of healthy, filling and delicious food. She swooped in, unloaded the dishwasher, filled the fridge, made me a cup of tea and looked after both my toddler and newborn, giving me a much needed break.

I then realised just how much I needed it. We chatted and debriefed on my birth and my challenges of that moment — support and comfort I had desperately craved.

Alice just got it, she understood it all without much even needing to be said — a kind, supportive and deeply understanding ear. Thank you, thank you for the support, I’m forever grateful and cannot recommend Alice and Village for Me enough.

— Madelaine

In the first few months postpartum, looking after yourself (particularly as a first time mum) tends to fall to the bottom of your priority list (well at least it did for me!) There is so much happening with your body and you also have this beautiful, little human to care for who is entirely dependent on you. Having the additional support of a doula made a world difference.

Alice was amazing in my first few months postpartum, not only with the practical things like food drop offs and pharmacy runs, but also providing helpful tips and guidance on postpartum healing and caring for a newborn. No question was too hard. And I felt she was always available for me.

— Catherine

During the pandemic, my family wasn't allowed to visit Australia and support me after the birth of my son. I decided what was best for me was to hire a doula to assist me with the transition to motherhood.

Having a doula helped build my confidence in being a mother. Alice passed down her knowledge as a mother herself and as a trained doula to teach me how to navigate the wonders of motherhood through her own experience and research based techniques.

Having a "village" to support you though postpartum is vital for raising a child. So often care is focused around the new baby but there is often a lack of support for the mother who needs just as much education, nourishment, and rest. Whether or not you have family to support you through your postpartum, a doula can guide you into motherhood with evidence-based approaches so that you can find what works best for your family.

— Maribell