Audrey Laviolette – Audrey Doula

Through a personalised approach, I can accompany you from the desire to have a child through to welcoming your baby. Trust in the woman’s intuitive knowledge, the capacity of her body to carry life, to give birth and to nourish her child, the baby’s capacity to be born, and the partner’s capacity to be a conscious actor with his or her partner and child are the principles that guide our sessions. We will consider the needs of mum, partner, baby and possibly siblings throughout the different stages of your birth adventure.

All your questions find a place and we take the time needed to answer them: a session lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. I can meet you in Braine-l’Alleud (in front of the CHIREC) or in Rixensart (a few minutes’ walk from the train station).

With a degree in anthropology and a doula certification (2009) and certification in haptonomy (2023), I am the mother of 3 children. As a mother and an anthropologist, I started to question the way in which our society welcomes our children and to look for alternative and caring ways of giving birth.

Prenatal doula support

Wanting a baby: The story of your baby begins before pregnancy!

• ask yourself questions,
• share your expectations and concerns,
• discuss pregnancy monitoring and the different options available in Belgium today

For parents undergoing MAR (medically assisted reproduction), there are many questions. Repeated attempts can sometimes be very upsetting. So I welcome you on your journey, wherever you are at the moment, and we’ll take the time to share and find the side roads that lead to life.

Carrying life:

• changes in your body
• changes in your heart
• becoming a mum, becoming a dad, becoming parents together
• doubts, fears and sometimes even anxieties
• connect with your body and the child that is developing inside you.

Giving birth: birth preparation will focus on

• physiological understanding of childbirth
• birth map
• managing the intensity
• role of the partner during childbirth
• baby’s experience of the birth process

Welcoming life: During our meetings, we look ahead to

• your baby’s first hours and days/nights of life
• welcoming baby in the most favourable conditions for your family
• breastfeeding
• returning home
• skin-to-skin experience and co-sleeping
• body changes
• the (often unnecessary) baby care equipment

The subjects are probably inexhaustible… I will tailor our sessions based on your requests and your personal experience.

I have 13 years in prenatal doula support.

Labour & birth support

The presence of a doula during childbirth increases the mother’s well-being and reduces the need for medical intervention (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3647727/). Depending on your needs, I can accompany you throughout the birth process. I offer birth preparation for both mum and partner! During the birth, I also accompany the partner so that he or she can fully occupy the place he or she wishes to take.

Attends labour and birth:

• in your home: NO
• in a birth centre: YES
• in hospital: YES (accreditation in all CHIREC (CHIREC Delta, CHIREC Sainte-Anne Saint Remy, CHIREC Braine-l’Alleud). Other hospitals are accessible on request by parents.

Birth doula experience: I have 13 years of practice and I attended more than 40 births.

Postnatal doula support

It’s the start of a wonderful adventure! But how fragile we feel!

In the days and weeks following the birth, many changes will take place, not only in the mother’s body, but also in the couple and the family in general. We can then continue the prenatal support with a few postnatal sessions. The sessions will focus on: taking the time to put into words the labour of giving birth and the arrival of your baby, support with breastfeeding, baby’s crying, sleep and co-sleeping, the mother-child bond, etc.

Other related services and activities

I propose haptonomy sessions. Haptonomy is a childbirth preparation throughout pregnancy and birth based on the profound relationship between the three actors : baby, mother, father/partner. Its principal objective is to develop a sense of security and autonomy in each of these three partners by taking into consideration their specific needs. They will develop a deep support in every step of the process (pregnancy, labour, delivery and after birth).

I also offer specific hypnobirthing practice sessions.

I usually offer a session on breastfeeding for parents who want to breastfeed their child, and I provide support in the first few weeks after birth, sometimes up to several months after pregnancy.

For several years now, I’ve been organising women’s circles at all stages of life (pink circle for young girls, blessing way for pregnant women, ceremonies for miscarriages and pregnancy bereavement, ….).

https://www.haptonome.be/haptonomie-grossesse/

Training & certifications

• 2009 « Être doula en Belgique »
• 2023 « Haptonomie – Préparation affective à la naissance »
• Member of Association Francophone des Doulas de Belgique (AFDB)

Pricing

70€/session

(+10€ for transport costs)

450€/ complete birth support

Testimonials

“Audrey … Our Doula…

These 2 words resonate with me… gently.

Every moment spent in her presence was nothing but happiness.

It was for our third child that I had this wonderful encounter, one of the most beautiful of my life.

And even though I had the experience of being pregnant and giving birth, I was surprised to prepare for the arrival of our little one and realise that I had never asked myself certain questions.

With Audrey, the experience of preparing in FULL consciousness resonates in my memory of Blu’s arrival among us.

Thank you, Audrey.”

Laure, Blu’s mum

“I was about 6 months pregnant when I heard about Audrey. During the follow up of my pregnancy, Audrey gave me very many beneficial advices on how to over come the fear of putting to birth my baby. This was my first pregnancy and I was filled with fear and scared of every changes I had to go through. At 7 months when I started having false contractions and sometimes painful, Audrey taught me how to practice several  exercises that reduce the pains. During the 9th the contractions became more painful and lasted longer. With a breathing techinique taught to me by Audrey, I was able to go through this moments and during delivering safely. She was also present with me during delivery and that made me feel more secured and reassured. After putting to birth she visited me again few times to make sure I was doing great with my baby. Every visit I had with Audrey helped me reduce the fear of putting to birth  and I was privileged to be benefit every advange from her.

I recommend Audrey to every woman who thinks she needs assistance during her pregnancy and/or delivery period.

Ones more thank you very much Audrey.”

Arlette, mother

“When my wife told me about the possibility of pregnancy support from a doula, I was really sceptical. I didn’t see what it could do for us as a couple preparing to welcome a child, and even less for me as a father-to-be. As time went by and I had sessions with Audrey, I slowly came to understand that my role was really important in this pregnancy! It helped me to know what was going to happen during the nine months and above all to prepare myself for the day of the birth and after the baby came out.

And I really enjoyed discovering, step by step, what the baby might be feeling in the womb until she came. I was really able to play my role as a father-to-be and husband and I feel a great deal of satisfaction in having been able to support my daughter and my wife during the birth. I’m convinced that without the help of a doula I wouldn’t have been as well prepared as I was. Before, during and after the birth, I had real support tools and that means a lot to me today.”

Maurizio, dad