About Aimee
About Aimee ~ Who am I?
Daughter~Sister~Mother
Doula~Lactation Consultant~Space Holder
Birth Advocate~Academic~Birth Activist
My vision is that every family will feel informed, supported, empowered and connected throughout their journey. I support your goals, whatever they may be.
What’s Different About Aimee?
Lived, personal experience of giving birth in hospital, at home, via caesarean and vaginally (after caesarean).
Capacity to understand and interpret current scientific research (thanks to a doctorate from my ‘past life’ as a researcher)
I am passionate about women’s birth choices and rights. Consequently, I have volunteered with Maternity Choices Australia, Doula Network Australia, the Australian Breastfeeding Association and Nurturing Mothers Advocacy Australia and have coordinated Homebirth Australia and Homebirth New South Wales.
Heavily involved and connected within, the pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting world.
I’m a Blue Mountains local and therefore have connections with a range of birth workers and practitioners.
I’m passionate about informed choices and thus believe every woman should be supported to birth where and with who they feel safest! Additionally, they should be supported to feed their babies how they decide, and held to raise their babies their own way.
Wherever and however you give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body and your spirit for the rest of your life.
Ina May Gaskin
- Bachelor of Science (Advanced) – 2011
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) – 2012
- Doctorate of Philosophy (Plant Physiology) – 2016
- Certificate IV in Breastfeeding Education (Counselling) – 2017
- Birth Doula (via Life Options) – 2017
- Spinning Babies training – 2018
- Sacred Menarche Practitioner training – 2019
- Reconnected Parenting Course – 2020
- Doulas At A Distance (Penny Simkin) – 2020
- Birthing on country (ACM) – 2020
- How to lead birth circles (Virginia Bobro) – 2020
- Birth trauma awareness (Doctor Erin) – 2020
- Skills in perinatal mental health (COPE) – 2021
- When survivors give birth (Penny Simkin) – 2021
- Calmbirth educator training (Calmbirth) – 2021
- Lactation Consultant (IBCLC – IBLCE) – 2021
- Treating babies with craniosacral therapy (Jonathan Evans) – 2021
- Infant Massage and Baby Yoga (Birthlight) – 2021
- Making amazing space (Birthwork Downunder) – 2021
- Tongue tie symposium (Gold Learning) – 2021
- Possums NDC for providers and educators – 2021
-
Childbirth Physiology (Dr Rachel Reed) – 2022
- Clinical Support of Infant Sucking Skills (Gold Learning) – 2022
- The Birth Map (Catherine Bell) – 2022
- Scar Healing (Janelle Gullan) – 2023
- Optimal Maternal Positioning (IBirth Professionals) – 2023
- Birth After Caesarean workshop (Hazel Keedle) – 2023
- Product Launch Formula (Jeff Walker) – 2023
- First Aid Certificate (St Johns) – 2023
- Cultural Appropriation of Rebozo (Mujer de la Tierra) – 2024
- NDIS worker orientation module (NDIS quality and safeguards commission) – 2024
- Supporting Safe & Enjoyable Meals (NDIS quality and safeguards commission) – 2024
- Reclaiming Childbirth Collective (Dr Rachel Reed) – 2024
- GOLD Lactation Online Conference (GOLD) – 2024
- And ongoing CPD hours through lectures, memberships and online learning in all areas as linked above
- Counselled >900 mums through breastfeeding difficulties
- >5000 hours providing pregnancy, birth and postnatal doula support
- Birth attendance at >120 births
- >4000 hours providing breastfeeding assistance
- Shared Calmbirth with 90+ families
- >100 hours birth planning sessions
- Multiple volunteer roles in birth & breastfeeding advocacy
- Facilitated and coordinated several mother’s groups
- Supported first time, caesarean, VBAC and twin mums, homebirths and births in private/public hospitals
- Personal experience of caesarean, homebirth, Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) and HBAC
- Over 10 years personal breastfeeding experience
- Health Consumers NSW representative with Nepean-Blue Mountains LHD
- Panel member for midwifery continuity of care with Blue Mountains District ANZAC hospital (2024-present)
- Participant for Homebirth New South Wales at the state Birth Trauma Inquiry (2024)
- Nurturing Mothers Mentor with Breastfeeding Advocacy Australia (2022-present)
- Vice President of Homebirth New South Wales (2022-present)
- Coordinator of Homebirth New South Wales (2020-2022)
- Committee member with Maternity Choices Australia (2019-2021)
- Newsletter coordinator with Doula Network Australia (2020-2021)
- Coordinator of Homebirth Australia (2019-2021)
- Breastfeeding counsellor with Australian Breastfeeding Association (2017-2022)
- Editor of Birthings magazine – Homebirth New South Wales (2017-2020)
- Led a nation-wide consumer rally for women’s birth rights (2018)
You can listen to Aimee on these podcasts and podcast episodes
How can I help you?
As your doula or lactation consultant
I can provide you with support in different ways:
Physical
Massage, spinning babies techniques, acupressure, positioning, breathing, relaxation techniques, breastfeeding support…
Emotional
Listening while you talk; we’ll laugh and cry together and I’ll be there with you!
Informational
Current research, hospital policy and procedures, contacts, reading materials, options and alternatives. We can map your preferences so you can advocate for yourself whether it is for birth or breastfeeding.
Spiritual
I can help you feel held and connected, and will be guided by you as to how best to integrate your own beliefs into these experiences.
Cultural
I can support your cultural needs and traditions, guided by you in how to best support you.
I don’t take your partner’s place! Instead, I facilitate an environment in which your partner can be more involved, providing you both with necessary support.
I support your goals for birth and beyond. Above all, I envision that every family will feel informed, supported, empowered and connected as they grow, birth and nurture their own babies.
Birth Doula and Lactation Consultant Services
Birth Doula
Feel held and supported with continuous care throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. We’ll meet, work through your fears and hopes and create a plan, together. I am on call for your birth and come to you for appointments before and after your experience.
Lactation Consults
Work through your struggles and difficulties breastfeeding. Do you have questions or need support? Lactation consults are so much more than breastfeeding help! We can work through a feeding plan and touch on sleep and settling support as well.
Calmbirth Classes
Feel informed and empowered to make your own decisions! Let’s work through the physiology and psychology of birth together, map out your birth and clear any old, limiting fears to make way for positivity in your experience. Feel knowledgeable and prepared for your birth & postpartum.
Services related to birth Doula support and Lactation Consultations
Infant Massage and Baby Yoga
Spinning Babies
Support Groups