About Rachel
I am Rachel, a paediatric and specialist family nurse, parenting consultant and a mum of 2 boys! I am originally from Zimbabwe and have lived in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. I have worked professionally in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Nepal, Bangladesh and currently Switzerland.
I started off my career in 2010 as a paediatric nurse in Oxford working on a specialist surgical ward caring for children and their families as they faced major and often life-threatening illness.
I soon realised two things: that children are the future of our communities, and that parenting is one of the hardest jobs in the world. So, if we want to raise healthy, whole children to build a better world, parents must be supported. I then undertook specialist training to develop the skills and knowledge needed to work with families in the community and to empower parents to thrive in their roles and to grow healthy, whole children.
I qualified as a specialist family nurse in 2014 and I have since supported hundreds of parents as they transitioned to parenthood, and I then journeyed with them through the joys and challenges associated with family life. I have subsequently completed further training in child brain development and infant mental health and am a certified GroBrain practitioner (accredited by the Association of Infant Mental Health in the UK).
​I have two wonderful, challenging, and exhausting boys of 3 years old and 8 months old. One of my greatest ambitions in life is to be the best mum I can be to my boys and yet every day I am reminded of how challenging and tough achieving this can feel. Despite all the theory, all my training and all my experience I still find being a mum hard – I know first-hand that putting the theory into practice can be incredibly challenging.
This means that my approach is not as an all-knowing guru but as a parent who understands that we are all just doing the best we can with what we have got. My hope is that I can support, empower and inspire you on this crazy, beautiful, intense and challenging journey we are on.​
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So, whether you are looking for someone to help guide and prepare you as you transition to parenthood, just need reassurance and support in your role as a parent or are facing a specific parenting challenge; my qualifications, professional and personal experience mean that I have a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips that I am able to use to equip and empower you, wherever you are on your parenting journey.
About Deborah
Hello, I'm Deborah. Originally from the UK, I've been living in Switzerland with my
family since 2017. My path over the years has led me to becoming a doula and an
emotional support for parents, especially through pregnancy, birth and post natally.
My professional background was in IT, working in Service Management and
Business Partnering roles within corporate environments back in the UK. However,
becoming a parent started to reshape this. I encountered first hand the delicate
challenge of work-life balance, magnified with the birth of each of my three children
and navigating life with type 1 diabetes.
The journey is never easy. Treading the fine line between personal health and
professional responsibility became too much. I decided I needed to take a break, to
focus on my own health for a while and to take care of my family.
During this period, I continued and developed an old passion—Pilates. Training as a
Pilates instructor not only offered me a way to stay physically and mentally resilient
but also sparked a joy in helping others and working closely with and supporting
women.
The adventure of moving to Switzerland in 2017 marked a new chapter. I became full
time mother and expat family transition coordinator!! Supporting my family in
adapting to new languages, culture, multiple schools, friendships, everything really.
As my children grew, I knew I wanted to pursue more for myself. In 2022, I embraced
this, training as a doula and baby massage therapist. I've come to understand that
pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period are monumental, transformative
experiences for women and their families. They're not just about practical
adjustments but deeply emotional journeys. From the anticipation and uncertainties
of becoming a parent to the awe and challenges of childbirth and beyond, these are
times of immense change and emotional exploration.
As your doula, I'm here to walk beside you through each step of this incredible
journey—pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. My support is tailored to your
needs, from helping you prepare for birth, exploring your options, and answering
your questions, to being your advocate and support during childbirth, and providing
the care and understanding you need afterwards. The significance of emotional
support during these times cannot be overstated, and I am committed to being there
for you, ensuring you have the space to embrace this new chapter with confidence,
peace, and joy.
I look forward to supporting you and your family during one of the most exciting,
challenging and beautiful times of your life.
