Claire Heenan Doula | Pregnancy care centre

Claire Heenan Doula

Phone: +61 413 416 210

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25.01.2022 I am grateful to personally know the beautiful Aimee of Birth Aims - Blue Mountains Doula & Breastfeeding Mentor I have heard her tell her birth stories at various gatherings and I have learned so much from hearing them! I cannot wait to listen to this episode!!! Make sure you check it out for all the birth inspo you need

24.01.2022 A few goodies for my lovely client who had her baby recently Her gorgeous boy needed some special care and she has been faced with all the emotions and then some! If you have a friend or family member who has a newborn and youre not sure how to help, a few little self love items for Mum can mean a lot! I included: Motherhood tea Some sweets @ninasbees lip balm @therenegademama postpartum affirmation cards... Cacao buttons for melting in tea to provide healthy fats Alison Hansen Doula - her AMAZING bone broth A good chat and a foot rub in hospital New mothers deserve so much love, what can you do today for a new Mum in your circle? See more

23.01.2022 During my first pregnancy I found it a bit challenging to bond with my baby as I couldn’t quite comprehend I was really pregnant! It had taken a long time to get there and the idea of a real human baby was so surreal, most of the bonding happened after she was born This time, I’ve been loving bonding with this baby in utero. Some weeks this is 5 minutes of chatting, other weeks it’s daily but every little moment counts. Some things I’ve been finding really beautiful are: Ch...atting to bub as I go about the day Touching my belly lots and responding to movements from outside Singing to baby Playing guitar - they always kick when I do this! Belly dancing (not a professional haha just intuitively) Involving Shelly in communicating with bub Asking baby questions and journaling Talking through my vision for his/her birth out loud and visualising Yoga involving breathing with and moving with baby I’d love to hear other suggestions if anyone has some! What did you do/are doing to bind with your babe in pregnancy? See more

23.01.2022 Mothering mothers is an essential ingredient for the rite of passage that is birth and postpartum. Just as you swaddle, rock, soothe and warm your baby, you too deserve and need this sacred nurturing. It might be 5 minutes of meditation, or a solo walk in nature.. Maybe a long bath. Women are depleted postnatally as the dramatic shift in hormones causes emotional and physical changes that happen very quickly.... Specific postnatal nourishment, care and ritual can make all the difference in supporting women feeling depletion to feeling supported in what is usually a roller coaster of a time! This is a beautiful Closing the Bones ceremony I facilitated for a client at our last session - its always sad to finish my care but I know well stay in touch! What was your essential postpartum ritual or way of caring for you? Share in comments. See more

22.01.2022 WOMENS CIRCLE... Releasing into a space of love yet without advice or suggestion is powerful. ... In circle all of the knowing is within, and we are free to find that knowing in our own time. Ritual acts as a path to intuition, shedding the over-analysis chatter. Whats said here stays here forever. Confidential, sacred, respected. Nourishing food, music and authentic company always make for a magical time. The women in this image, the Full Moon and Imbolc circle, are all overflowing with stories of courage and discoveries. How lucky I am to be trusted to hold space for their wisdom. Thank you, as always, to the women who are as wolves in their wild truth. You all are the reason I do this work. See more

20.01.2022 Thanks Glenbrook Yoga Space for this beautiful image! Posting for anyone who needs reminding of the rainbows they create

19.01.2022 Pregnancy A new soul called to my womb I felt the spirit of you long ago Someone tiny with big big love A flicker of hope in a strange world... My baby who I innately know Ill hold you in my arms in 2021 Ive met you in visions and I know you Thank you for choosing me See more

19.01.2022 Siblings at birth - whats your experience? Id love to know! This gorgeous book by @alisha.bourke and illustrated by @spiritysol is so well written for helping kids to see birth as normal and something exciting for them to be a part of. I highly recommend it regardless of whether you are planning a homebirth or not! During this pregnancy I am reading books, talking about birth and watching birth videos with my daughter. She asks so many insightful and funny questions whe...n we watch the videos! She asks to watch one every day now! Whether she chooses to be involved or not, I feel that seeing labour and birth as my power, no matter how it unfolds, is one of the most important gifts I can pass on to her. I was there when my younger brother was born, a 10 pound bubba! I remember thinking it was all pretty boring at the time Looking back, that laid a deep foundation for me while I was a little kid that counter-acted what the movies wanted me to believe about birth as a woman. I had seen an upright birth in a birth centre with minimal fuss, no bright lights and lots of loving support. I am so thankful to my Mum for welcoming me into her space and giving me a real life basis to questioning the mainstream interventionist approach. See more

18.01.2022 It really was a beautiful day! I have loved being on the Homebirth New South Wales committee this year I’m so grateful for all the work done in all the years it’s existed!

18.01.2022 My beautiful doggo is already excited for the next Womens Circles in the MoonCourt! Spaces are filling up for the Full Moon evening circle on August 8th - link in my bio The next circle will be September 20th 10am-1pm and will be a special birth & postpartum circle for pregnant women and mothers. This one hasnt been released publicly just yet so if youre feeling called, let me know and Ill put your name down early on Circle is a safe container, a sacred sinking in, a ceremonious joining of hearts

18.01.2022 Skin to skin with Dad Aside from being a wonderful experience, skin to skin with the other parent has some amazing benefits: Stimulates the release of dopamine and oxytocin which helps establish a positive relationship early on Supports bonding - touch is a love language and babies having lots of skin to skin with both parents can feel secure, safe, loved Supports the other parent early on to have confidence in settling and holding bub Regulates babys temperature... Creates physical experience of rite of passage in what is a new and transformational relationship If you or your partner didnt have skin to skin for any reason, its never too late to start and recreate that experience Did your partner have skin to skin? : Taken by me, always shared with permission See more

16.01.2022 My baby is 3 today She loves hearing her birth story, I always planned on telling it to her every year however she asks to hear it most nights before bed. At the little age of 3 she isnt scared of birth, shes fascinated by it and is obsessed with birth videos Fear of birth is learned. Her birth was freaken hard work and other-wordly incredible. I certainly enjoyed the ride and the high of the hormones! She taught me what my body could do, what my mind could do to bring her to me. Thank you my darling for showing me the way I celebrate her today and all she is, and Im celebrating myself for birthing her and discovering such raw, wild and ferocious power within me

16.01.2022 A moment in nature The sand beneath my feet Mother Earth holding all of me Solitude a gateway for listening within Intention running through my every cell... Release flowing out with my exhale This brief moment that lasts in my soul Being on holidays this week has taken me from the mountains to the sea, I have always felt called to the ocean and grew up spending lots of time at the beach, but the mountains feels like home too. Where do you find these moments of rest and refresh? Share a pic if you like! See more

15.01.2022 There are 2 spaces now available at this beautiful circle! It had been booked out but two lovely women have had to unfortunately cancel their attendance. Check out the event if you'd like to come along and experience the remedial energy of being held in circle

15.01.2022 Having some of my incredible clients over for a gathering was pretty special! Although everyones experiences are vastly different, the rite of passage into parenthood holds similar themes and lessons. I think a big take away from the day was that parenting is so deeply multifaceted, wildly extreme in everything from joy to exhaustion. They are all beautiful people raising beautiful babies, and being the doula for these couples has been so wonderfully fulfilling. Thank you all for coming along! I love that this is my job

15.01.2022 Happy Fathers Day to my partner in life Henry, and to all the Dads! My daughter is 3 now but I just love this baby pic of her with her Dad Im especially thinking of all the men Ive witnessed become fathers for the first time as a doula. I have seen them faced with many challenges, especially during times of isolation with the restrictions; and they have been inspirational in how they have managed and thrived as new Dads. Men have a postpartum in a different way, and I have loved watching fatherhood transform the men Ive worked with on so many levels. Huge thank you to Henry for embracing fatherhood so wholly and for holding down the fort so often when Im births! You rock

14.01.2022 Another birth warrior I had the privilege of working with recently Her vision of how her birth would go was dramatically different to how it needed to go. This wonderful woman faced a medical diagnosis that ultimately led to a cesarean for her and her babys safety. This wasnt an easy decision for her, and I will forever admire her for discovering the beauty in a different plan out of necessity. This moment of her and her husband meeting their divine little boy brings tears to my eyes! Women are amazing Shared with permission

14.01.2022 How lucky I am to have these two women by my side in life Beauty in Birth and Alison Hansen Doula are the most loyal, authentic and loving people. I might be biased, hehe, but I wouldnt hesitate to recommend all that they offer to women. I know from experience how held I always feel by them If youre a doula out there feeling a bit isolated, feel free to reach out to us for a cuppa! As birth workers its vital to have emotional care for us to stay balanced, that same care we offer to our clients

14.01.2022 Check out this amazing giveaway that Laura Coleman Photography is organising! 12 Days of Christmas, 12 days of giveaways, and entering is super easy. When Laura asked me to join in I was honoured to offer a one-hour doula session that can be used either prenatally or postnatally. All the details are below, good luck!

13.01.2022 I am in love with these gorgeous traditional belly binding wraps from @ibu_ayurveda I will be offering sacred belly binding to my clients from August onwards! I can also offer this as a stand alone service so please get in touch if youre interested for yourself or a postpartum Mama in your life. I supply a stunning wrap for you to keep and continue using as long as you wish Honouring women in postpartum is something Im deeply passionate about! Postpartum must feel held, supported and loving as a transition beyond the rite of passage that is birth

13.01.2022 Pregnancy & Motherhood Circle I love the sacred energy of circle, I probably post about it a lot I also just love how down to earth it is when women gather and can speak freely and safely without being rescued or overwhelmed by advice, creating a chance for identifying their own power. Thank you once again to the women who made this beautiful circle so supportive and warm I am honoured to have been able to provide a space for birth stories to be told uncensored, heard and respected for all their multilayered complexities

13.01.2022 A warrior woman and her holding circle surrounding her with care, each of us knowing she could do it. This beautiful image was taken by Midwife Jo I have basically no photos of me in action as a doula as each birth is of course about the woman, so I love looking back at this and remembering how inspired I was and am by this amazing woman. She taught me about trust, surrender and the fierce primal force that is within us all as women. Also pictured is the wonderful Cara McDonald Midwifery Always shared with permission.

13.01.2022 A beautiful postpartum belly. Wrapped in love, wrapped in celebration and wrapped in appreciation for all this woman has done and does as a mother. Time just for her to sink into and find much needed rest

12.01.2022 This beautiful woman has decided to seek the support she truly deserves in her fourth trimester. My postpartum package includes a prenatal session tailored to you. For this beautiful client we went through: Dietary requirements/favourite foods Creating a postpartum nest Showing me how to use the washing machine / where things are in the kitchen The relationship between birth experience and postpartum... Breastfeeding guidance Me meeting big sister so shell be happy to hang with me while Mum has some bonding time with the new bubba Fourth trimester expectations And more! Imagine a world where every single time a woman had a baby, she had ongoing nourishing support and a community that honoured and revered her transformation? When we care for mothers, we care for the future for all. See more

12.01.2022 This incredible event is happening NOW! Jump on if you can and hear all about the Future of Homebirth in Australia.

11.01.2022 Breathtaking birth art, healing release, surrender. A beautiful client of mine created this in our recent prenatal session. She is having a homebirth, and I am truly honoured to be by her side. The foot print represents all the women who have walked the path of birth before, abundant with ancient wisdom. The triangle represents her space holders; her husband, her midwives and myself. What a meaningful reminder of the power of women that she has created!

11.01.2022 The stories that reveal themselves through birth art are always such messengers of wisdom. As first time parents, the couple who made these beautiful artworks are embracing the mystery and unknown with courage and acceptance. Some tears flowed as the clay told such an emotionally charged narrative of a Mama holding her baby for the first time. Inner beliefs became clear as a Dad created his picture of an ever-evolving family unit.... Birth art, like birth, will unfold full of other-realm meaning and lessons. Birth art, like birth, needs no critique; it is exactly how it needs to look. @ Springwood, New South Wales See more

10.01.2022 This is tonight! Are you curious about homebirth? Wanting to know how to go about planning one? Dont miss this incredible event!

09.01.2022 This is on tomorrow! I can’t wait! Who’s coming along?

07.01.2022 Such wonderful news!! As a woman and as a birth worker I feel so very grateful for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes for these options to be available

07.01.2022 Family holiday time is the best Being on call a lot means I have to be pretty careful about when I go away! Its so worth setting aside this precious time for family and making memories I have been loving watching my daughters face light up at every pelican and every ocean wave. Id love to see your family time pics too if you want to share in comments

07.01.2022 Are you pregnant, planning to be or in the postpartum stage? Or maybe you're a birth keeper or practitioner working with women? This sacred circle is a safe space for women to gather and honour the rite of passage that is birth and motherhood. All welcome, all stories welcome, all perspectives and beliefs celebrated. I hope to see you there

06.01.2022 Happy World Breastfeeding Week!!! Hello Mamas, I see you. I see the challenges, the sleepless nights, the cold cups of tea, the bonding, the love, the emotions, the pain, the questions and the determination. I witness you as you embark on your own unique breastfeeding path. Many of you know that my own experience was quite the opposite of this picture of me feeding against a tree just loving life. Some days were like this! Others were endless hours of pumping, supply li...ne lessons, lactation consultant meetings, mix feeding and ALL THE THINGS. To this day I am so bloody proud of myself for doing my best with what I knew at the time. And I am so proud of every mother out there doing her best. The theme this year is all about breastfeeding and the benefits for our beautiful planet. Id love to hear about your journey if youd like to share in comments! See more

06.01.2022 Did you know?? If you require an epidural for a medical reason or by choice, there are still plenty of ways to immerse yourself in labour and tools you can draw on for creating a beautiful experience. This is a photo of me doing acupressure for a client who needed an epidural. I was focusing on points in her feet that can facilitate relaxation, encourage the strength of contractions and influence babys position (all important things when physiological labour and upright la...bour isnt an option). Other things to pop in your basket for birthing with an epidural could be: Focusing within by using meditation, visualisations or breath Bringing your awareness to what you can feel in the body and where you can work with any sensations you feel Maintaining a calm, dimly lit environment and use of your own blanket (beautiful one pictured here!) Birth partner touch and massage Using supported upright positions if possible such as on all fours or leaning over the top of the bed Anything that feels intuitively right for you! Id love to know if you required / chose an epidural, what options did you call upon that were helpful for you? See more

05.01.2022 Isnt this just magical? A client of mine had an idea to write a little message inside the book I loaned her (Ancient Map to Modern Birth) for future clients to read and take strength from. She thought it would be a powerful thing for my next birth clients to then write their messages and keep the tradition going. I loved this idea so much and straight away gave the go ahead to write in the book! I have realised that quite organically a community is forming here and it just makes me so grateful to do this work. Thank you Annemarie for this thoughtful idea, I know many more women will borrow this book and soon write their messages

04.01.2022 Would you like to attend the August Full Moon Circle but dont have the funds right now? The beautiful Isabella of Bloom Birth has decided to donate her space! Isabella will now be out of the area, supporting a very special birth, and has so kindly offered her place to someone in need. Please send me a PM if youd like to attend! First in first booked https://facebook.com/events/s/full-moon-imbolc-womens-circle/527761708106753/?ti=icl

04.01.2022 I have been trying to find the words to write a post for this week as its Birth Trauma Awareness Week. This post says it all and more - the media is THE LAST place you will find true education about birth, the maternity system and your rights as a birthing woman. Please, if you feel you experienced birth trauma, know you are not alone. I am available if anyone needs to chat in a safe space.

04.01.2022 Reminder for my clients that tomorrow is our client catch up! If you are a past or present client, you are more than welcome to come along to a circle-style discussion and casual catch up at my place I sent a text out but just posting here in case any phone numbers have changed/emails don't always get checked etc. Thank you to those of you who have RSVP'd already Can't wait to see you all and your beautiful babies!

03.01.2022 I remember this moment of this beautiful clients labour so clearly. Her husband was using light touch massage as she dove into the zone of labourland. Leaning on the bed while sitting on the fit ball, surrounded by her chosen team and trusting the process. Light touch massage is so simple yet so effective! It helps with relaxation, comfort and encourages oxytocin to flow. This Mum also used a banksia aroma pod for diffusing oils - such a good idea as the scent remains subtle yet in reach when she wanted. Seemingly little things, yet significant to her feeling safe and protected and therefore essential for her labour. What little details did you love about your labour and birth?

03.01.2022 Happy Wednesday! Only a few weeks to go until the Sacred Motherhood circle! There are still spaces for this one, so if you're feeling drawn to be there, check out the event details below. This circle is a safe, protected and warm space for pregnant women, mothers and anyone who works with pregnant women and mothers too! You are all welcome. Babies are more than welcome to join us of course! I'd love to see you there

03.01.2022 The next and second last circle for 2020 is the beautiful Sacred Motherhood Circle. This circle is ideal for pregnant women and Mums, no matter what stage postpartum you're at! This will be a space for you to explore your motherhood journey so far and honour yourself for the incredible work you do and are doing! As women we can listen, hold and hear each other as well as carving out some sacred quiet time just for you. I'd love to see you there as we hold space for each other! Ticket link: https://events.humanitix.com/sacred-motherhood-circle

02.01.2022 All set for a beautiful Goddess Girls Circle today! Due to a couple of last minute cancellations, our circle will be lovely and intimate. If you were hoping to come when it was booked out, these spots are available if you are able to get here by 10.30 Today’s circle will focus on the intuitive mind/body, creating a moontime plan and the transition from maiden to menarche. Can’t wait!! I really do believe that if we provide spaces for girls to find stillness, listen to their inner voice and find body literacy then that can flow into their lives in so many areas, especially in birth (should they choose this path some day)

01.01.2022 The Sacred Motherhood Circle We gathered together in celebration of our oneness and our differences. We listened. We released. We unloaded what we were carrying alone. Then we literally set alight anything weighing us down - at this particular circle the mum guilt story was percolating so naturally we set fire to that shit. Intentions were set, intentions for real action and wild self compassion. Thank you to the women who came!