Bilingual Doula, English Speaking Doula in France
This page is for English Speakers and Expats, living in France (or other French-speaking countries) and looking for Pregnancy & Birth Support in their Native Language.
Welcome! My name is Amelie Patrux Eddy.
I am a Doula (birth & postnatal support) and a Yoga & Prenatal Yoga Teacher as well as a mother.
A Doula is a trained birth support companion. Luckily most women who come from England, the US, Canada, Australia, … know what a doula is, so I won’t spend too much time explaining WHAT IS A DOULA but check my page here if you are not too sure !
I have been offering compassionate, personalized & evidence-based support to families, both in English and French for a number of years. First in Sydney, Australia and then in Paris, France.
In Australia, I also worked as a childbirth educator that I am not able to do here in France. I worked for the She Births program as their doula program manager and worked as a social-worker doula with FACS supporting vulnerable families (social service in NSW). I have supported hundreds of families through their journeys.
I am South African, Australian and French and just love supporting couples and families in their native language (when it comes to childbirth, you want to be able to roooaaar like you want right?!) I have a very good international birth knowledge so can help you understand the differences between the different healthcare systems (when your girlfriends back home are telling you one thing and health professionals in France another …)
THE CHALLENGE OF GIVING BIRTH WHEN YOU ARE AN EXPAT’
It is not easy for a woman or a couple to find themselves welcoming a baby when they live on the other side of the world !
- First, there is the French medical system that is so different from the American, Canadian, British, Irish, Australian systems.
- There is the fact you’re living so far away from your family and friends during pregnancy and after.
- During medical appointments or on the big day, you can have difficulties expressing your needs and wishes to the French hospital staff that don’t speak a word of English.
- Then when you get back home with a brand new bub, the absence of your ‘village’, of your community, your mom, sister or best friend can really be felt.
- To all that we can add all the other question marks and anxieties that come with this new adventure.
| EXPAT’ TESTIMONIAL : EMILY & MANI “Amélie made us feel very empowered, equipped and ready for our birth with all preparations and tools she shared with us. Having just moved to Paris from Australia we were very thankful to find such a caring bilingual, bi-cultural doula. […] We could not have felt more cared for and supported with everything she provided. She quickly became a very stabling presence for us before and after the birth of our baby boy. Amélie is a wealth of knowledge, shows great empathy and will make you feel very at ease. She was a great help with unexpected pregnancy symptoms through to help with breastfeeding and helpful tips to care for our newborn. She helped us with labor prep, a birth plan and was a rock for us in our first weeks discovering parenthood and how to care for our little boy. We are beyond thankful for her time and care and would highly recommend her if you are thinking about having a doula join you on your birth journey.” Emily and Emmanuel Hastings, Australian couple living in Paris, France |
WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU :
As a Doula, I offer compassionate support and evidence-based information. I have a very wide range of experience in all type of settings (public and private hospital, birth centre, homebirth, both in France and overseas) and support all types of birth (caesarean, VBAC, vaginal birth with epidural, minimal intervention, …)
My focus is to support, educate, inform and empower expectant parents and birth partners to feel more confident to welcome their child. To provide an affirming experience. I have both experience and knowledge of the birthing process and the medical system. My intention is to work alongside your medical providers for the best possible outcome, never against.
Asking the silly questions and preparing yourself emotionally to welcome your baby with a person that doesn’t only speak the same language but that also understands your cultural references, changes everything !
If you are a couple expecting this child, then both of you will be attending the sessions. When the partner is willing to take an active part in the labour process, I will enhance and support his/her role as your primary or unique birth companion. Partners are able to participate more fully once they understand the importance of their role and have a whole set of tools in their bag !
- I offer one-on-one private and totally personalized virtual sessions
- Every session is about 2 hours
- We will go through all your questions
- We will also practice real life tools for childbirth : breathing techniques, massage and touch, visualisation and hypnosis, rebozo, acupressure, …
- We will talk about your own birth, birth-heritage stories, hopes and fears
- We will look at your birth team, birth choices and where you are birthing
- We will prepare an individualized birth plan based on your preferences and options
- You will be able to contact me through our private Whatsapp group in between our sessions
Locally, where I live in Brittany, France I also offer face-to-face doula support, perinatal counselling, prenatal yoga classes, birthpool rental, blessingways and closing-the-bones ceremonies and other women circles.
I support LGBTQI+ Families in Birth as well as families with diverse backgrounds and stories by providing a respectful and culturally appropriate care to all my clients with the best of my knowledge.
| EXPAT’ TESTIMONIAL : PAYTON & LUKE “Amélie is an incredible person with such a gift—she was born to be a doula. She is kind, nurturing, and so very supportive. I am so incredibly grateful for her unwavering support and guidance. I was able to achieve my “dream birth” and deliver our son without medication in the water. We moved to the Paris area in August, and I was due to give birth to our son in November. […] We do not speak French so to be able to have her help was such a huge relief. She helped me ease the intensity of labor through her many different suggestions. She also helped us set up a meal delivery service for postpartum so I wouldn’t have the stress of having to prepare meals for our family right after giving birth. Having Amélie’s support was so beneficial for us. If you have the opportunity to work with her, I highly suggest you do. She is so knowledgeable in all things birth and postpartum, and she really works hard to help meet the needs of each individual. Every woman should have a doula, and Amélie is truly one of a kind! She is such beautiful person, and I will forever be grateful for her!” Payton Brock, Luke Fischer & baby Ford, American couple living in Nanterre, France |
Give me a call, send a text or an email and we’ll discuss it all directly together ! I am looking forward to meeting you !