Vanessa Denayer - VANESCENCE DOULA

I’m Vanessa. An optimistic, passionate and creative soul dedicated to supporting women through the life changing experience of giving birth and rebirthing as a mother.

I’m a Brussel based doula, mum of two kids whom I gave birth to in 2016 and 2019. Motherhood has been, and still is such an initiatic journey for me.

After being an architect for over 15 years, my “matrescence” (the physical, emotional, hormonal and social transition to becoming a mother) brought me to a quest for personal and professional meaning. It gave me the courage to move towards a life mission more in line with my heart vibration.

Through my own life experiences of conscious pregnancy, powerful home birthing and sweet golden postnatal month, I immersed myself heart and soul in the world of perinatal care, in such a way that I felt the call to train myself as a broad-spectrum Doula with the Quantik Doula school (founded by two canadian midwives).

So here I am since 2022, embracing the beautiful colors of being a DOULA through the name of VANESCENCE.

I do provide emotional, physical and logistical support to women and co-parents through the small and big life transition, such as welcoming a baby, becoming parents and creating a new family.

I’m present for them at every step of the way from the desire to have a baby, through all the pregnancy journey, at the time of birth, during the immediate postpartum period,  in the waves of  the“Matrescence” and later on the road of motherhood/parenthood/family life but but also if a terrible loss happen in the path. Well, a doula for life !

About my doula posture :

• I‘m offering a quality of BEING at your side more than doing things or telling you what to do and think so you have plenty of space to move at your own pace and according to your own values. Emphatic and deep listening are at the heart of my practice with a great capacity of unconditionally welcoming your emotions and respecting what you’re going through in a caring, non-judgmental way.
• I believe in the sovereignty of the mother and father to be. My wish is to make you fully actors of your own experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood filled with confidence, awareness and power. Therefore I do pass on my knowledge and resources so you can make your own informed choices.  I want you to feel free, respected and fully connected to your intuition telling you that you’re the only one who knows what’s best for you, your baby, your family.
• My approach is human based. I do adapt my offers to meet your current needs. Additionally to the heart of my doula practice, I can offer you care for body & mind (massage, rebozo…), rituals and celebrations (mamablessing) but also mother or family’s circle.

Book a free 30 minute discovery call to get to know me. It would be an honor to be your Doula.

Prenatal doula support

I provide emotional, physical and logistical support to women, co-parents and families during preconception (natural or medically assisted) and throughout the 9 months of pregnancy.

My support is complementary to the midwives and doctors who provide medical follow-up.

I offer long support packages with several meetings. Their number and frequency varies according to your needs and your pregnancy stage. Book a free discovery call so we can discuss what’s best for you, and I’ll send you a tailor-made offer.

A prenatal session with me lasts 2 hours, during which I can offer according to your needs:

• A heart to heart listening space where to express safely your emotional experience;
• Information and resources to help you make conscious decisions;
• Guidance in reflecting on the birth wishes in order to experience childbirth with respect. We talk about physiology of birth (the birth vortex), needs of the woman giving birth, tools that help during childbirth…;
• Body relaxation care (massage, rebozo, meditation, rituals) during the process of physical and psychological transformation;
• Preparing the nest and the family organisation for a smooth postnatal period. We talk about mother and baby’s needs, body changes, breastfeeding, baby’s rhythms, babywearing, the couple…;
• Mama (or family) Blessing celebration;

Labour & birth support

Attends labour and birth:

• in your home: YES (in Brussels)
• in a birth centre: YES (Le Cocon, in Erasme hospital, and at Pass-ages, in Forest)
• in hospital: YES (Saint-Pierre, Erasme, Saint-Jean, Sainte-Elisabeth or Saint-Anne St Remi, UZ Brussels)

Birth doula experience:

I haven’t supported a birth yet but I would be so honored to get your confidence to be your birth doula.

• I hold the space by being grounded, confident and supportive.
• I’m a reassuring and encouraging feminine presence who knows your story.
• I support you and believe deeply in you, your strength and your courage to birth your baby and its placenta into the world.
• I am at the service of the woman who is giving birth, but also of the co-parent.
• I offer emotional as well as physical support (massage, physiological position, acupressure points, comfort, relief from the intensity of contractions, help with relaxation, etc.).
• I provide logistical help : setting up the birth area, creating a cozy, reassuring atmosphere, preparing snacks and meals…

At the hospital, I am the guardian of the birth bubble.

• I ensure that the families’ privacy is respected, so that they have the best possible environment for the natural process of childbirth to run smoothly and the baby to be welcomed gently.
• I take great care to ensure that your wishes for birth are taken into account, that your autonomy is preserved, and that your choices and consent are respected at every stage of the birth process, so that your experience of childbirth in hospital is one of sovereignty no matter what happens during the birth.

Postnatal doula support

I provide emotional, physical and logistical support to women, co-parents and families throughout the postnatal period (up to the child’s 1st birthday).

I offer practical support for women during their golden month, when they are recovering from childbirth and bonding with their baby. I’m the little fairy who’s part of the village that’s sorely lacking in today’s lifestyles.

I come to your home in Brussels for a 2-hour visit during which I can offer:

• Presence, non-judgemental and sympathetic listening to your emotional experience;
• Sharing and unraveling the birth story;
• Well-being and body regeneration care: massage, yoni steam, pelvis closing, rebozo ritual care, guided meditation… to take care of the mother who is taking care of her baby;
• Preparation of nutritious & comforting meals and snacks;
• Logistical and domestic help as required;
• Support for breastfeeding or bottle-feeding;
• Relay allowing parents to breathe, take a shower, eat quietly, sleep, get some fresh air…
• Passing on useful information on a variety of subjects: the mother’s postpartum needs, the baby’s rhythm, breastfeeding, lochia, sleep and co-sleeping…;
• Placenta ritual;
• Motherhood celebration (women circle to honor the mother);
• anything else you may need at this time of life.

Other related services and activities

☆ I do offer pre and postnatal care:

• • massage adapted to your situation : preconception, pregnancy (any stage), postnatal, mother in general, loss. More than a massage, it’s a whole time for you to be fully heard.
  • rituals for pregnancy in consciousness.
  • rebozo relaxation for pregnancy or postnatal time.
  • matrescence care for mother in postpartum (knows as Rebozo care or closing the bones ceremony)
  • golden month care, a ritual to take care of the young mother 40 days after the birth.

☆ I facilitate women’s circles for:

• • women (mother or not),
  • women expecting a baby  who want to experience pregnancy in consciousness,
  • mothers and their babies who want to come out of loneliness and connect with other mothers.

☆ I create conscious celebrations such as:

• • the first birthdays of your baby/you as a parents/ the family
  • birthday for kids,
  • the Mamablessing to honor the pregnant woman and give her love and strength before her initiatic initiatory rite of passage of (re)birth as a mother,
  • the Golden Month to celebrate the new mother who gave birth and is taking care of her baby,
  • family gatherings around the Wheel of the Year.

Training & certifications

• Large spectrum DOULA – Ecole Quantik Doula – 2021-22
• Séminar “Approche quantique de la naissance : L’enfantement entre science et sacré” – Quantik Mama – 2021
• “Transmission soin rituel Robozo” – Mayra Martinez, mexican midwife – 2021
• “Facilitatrice d’espaces sacré” – Maternité sacrée-2021
• “Rituels de Grossesse” – Laurine “Un espace sacré pour les femmes” 2021
• “Massage périnatal et accompagnement émotionnel” – Les Ptits bidoux – 2022.
• “Accompagner le deuil périnatal” – Laurine “Un espace sacré pour les femmes” – 2022
• “Accompagnement émotionnel et corporel des émotions avec le rebozo” – Elsa Uzan – 2022
• “Ecoute active” – Olivier Bernard du CEFEM -2022
• “Traditions ancestrales de la naissance en Europes” – Celia Doula – 2023
• Member of “Association Francophone des Doulas de Belgique” (AFDB) – 2023

Pricing

I can offer one-off doula support (2h):

• prenatal in Molenbeek = €83 or at the Pass-ages birth center = €97
• postnatal home visits in Brussels = €97 (additional travel costs are to be added depending on where you live)
• online pre or postnatal support (1H30) at 78€

I can propose to you a tailor-made offer for a number of meetings (degressive rate) based on your needs. Here are some suggested packages:

☆ Pregnancy with consciousness package (without birth presence) – from €332 to €727 including: minimum 4 and up to 9 or more prenatal appointments (including preconception) spread out according to your needs throughout your pregnancy.

☆ Sovereign Birth package – €945 including: 3 prenatal meetings during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy +1 birth presence at home or birth center or hospital (600€) including the 4 weeks on-call duty + 1 postnatal home visit.

☆ Honored postnatal package for postpartum support only – from €485 to €680 including: 1 prenatal meeting during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy + 4 to 6 postpartum visits at home.

☆ Maternity with serenity package at €1,600 including: 5 prenatal meetings + 1 birth presence at home or birth center or hospital (600€) including the 4 weeks on-call duty + 6 postnatal home visits + The golden month ritual care as a gift (worth €183).

Testimonials

“Vanessa is THE person every mum and parent should have to support them during pregnancy and post-partum. Gentleness, kindness, patience and serenity are all words that characterise her. Vanessa accompanied us during my last pregnancy, helped me prepare for the birth I was dreaming of, listened to me and understood me, and helped us prepare for the post-partum period and the golden month. She was invaluable, even though this was my 3rd pregnancy. She followed us through the post-partum period, each time with the right words and soothing gestures. Meditations, comforting little meals, the little attention that are so important in these postpartum moments. She also offer me my rebozo care, an intense and incredible moment, charged with great symbolism. I met up with her again 1 year after the birth, for a massage and meditation to help me get through this 1st year and close a chapter. My only regret is that she wasn’t there to support my first two pregnancies. So for all that, a huge thank you!
~ Sarah

“Vanessa helped us prepare for the golden month and then accompanied me through the post-partum period. Her visits were always filled with gentleness and I was treated to comfort food (which gave us good nourishment and relief during the first month), herbal teas, exchanges, listening and massages which did me a lot of good and allowed me to have time just for me during this period when all my time was devoted to my child. Thank you so much for that, Vanessa! Just after I went back to work, I treated myself to a 3-hour “Matrescence ritual care” with another doula. Talking time, warmth, meditation, 4-hand massage, herbal bath, rebozo, it was the whole package and it was so good!
~ Corentine

“A few weeks after giving birth to my son Ezra, I asked Vanessa to come to my house for a postnatal massage. And she gave me much more than just a massage… For a few hours, I was in a gentle bubble thanks to Vanessa. As a young mother, a little tired, with a heart full of love but also full of knots, questions and worries, I was able to relax in the heart of my home, where Vanessa came to meet me. She listened to me, massaged me, fed me, celebrated me. When I think of her smile, her gestures, her little attention, the time I spent with her, the space she created for me in front of my fireplace, where I was able to find myself, all I can say is sweet, sweet, sweet. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
~ Alison