Accompaniment in pregnancy, birth, postpartum and matrescence

Be held, as you hold

Pregnancy, birth, postpartum and matrescence invites us to meet ourselves deeply within all of the highs and lows. It is an unfolding experience that touches all parts of our story and invites us into presence with all that we are and all that we are becoming.

Surrounding our experience, we are also impacted by our family imprint, cultural expectations of motherhood/parenthood and the medical institutions delivering our care.

Whilst we receive medical care, we are often left to navigate our emotional landscape alone. Yet all women/birth givers deserve to be held, supported and accompanied within this time.

As a birth doula, postpartum professional and matrescence coach, I offer to support you for your whole journey or in moments along the way. So you can be held, whilst you hold your baby in your womb, your heart or your arms.

The Listening Mama way

The principles of trauma-sensitive care, accompaniment and matrescence are my approach to support.

Trauma-sensitive care

Many women and birth givers have experienced abuse or trauma within our lives, which impacts our unique experience of pregnancy, birth or postpartum.

By bringing a trauma-sensitive approach to your care, we focus on what you need to feel supported, safer / safe enough, and autonomous in your experience.

I particularly support survivors of sexual assault /complex trauma and provide peer support at Dear Dusk.

Accompaniment

You are invited to be supported, cared for and companioned in your pregnancy, birth, postpartum and/or matrescence through the practices of presence, deep listening and bearing witness.

At times, this creates space to explore a deeper relationship with your experience of motherhood / parenthood, living into your deep story and all this time has for you.

Matrescence

Rather than focusing just on the birth, my approach zooms out to your matrescence - the transition into and through motherhood / parenthood.

This invites an exploration of how your personal, social and structural stories shape the different values, decisions and plans you make throughout your perinatal journey.

With the framework of matrescence, you are invited to acknowledge who you were, who you are becoming and how to integrate these parts into an undivided mother/parent.

Resilient support

I offer resilience-centred accompaniment for a season of your life during pregnancy, birth, postpartum and/or matrescence. Each journey includes a mix of:

  • Exploration and planning sessions in preparation for the future

  • Reflective sessions responding to what arises in the present moment

  • Voice message support throughout the journey

  • Resources and reflective invitations

I meet you where you are at and explore what feels most important to you a the time. Guided by the principles of resilience oriented, trauma sensitive care, we may explore some of the following areas:

    • Reflect on what a resilience-oriented trauma-sensitive perinatal experience looks like for you and your unique story

    • Identify what you need to feel safer / safe enough in the medical space and how to communicate this to your support team and care providers

    • Create a postpartum plan that explores physical, emotional, relational and psychological safety

    • Recognise your tools for self and co-regulation and contextualising how you can use them in the pregnancy, birth and postpartum space

    • Write your family values and manifesto - recognising how you view mother/father/parenthood and how you want to show up on your own terms

    • Debrief previous pregnancy or birth experiences and how this informs your values, needs and choices moving forward

    • Identify your pregnancy, birth or postpartum care preferences and your ‘if this, then that’ thought process

    • Explore your resources for labor and birth support - within yourself, your birth support and care providers

    • Reframe pregnancy and birth as something that is happening with you, rather than to you

    • Explore your circle of support and who you would invite to care for you in various ways

    • Map out the resources you want to meet the various challenges that may arise and create a support plan

    • Understand ways to advocate for yourself and communication with your care providers

    • Recognise your inner tool-kit for birth and parenting by exploring your strengths, passions and experiences

    • Explore matrescence / patrescence and your unique transition into and through motherhood / parenthood

    • Debrief your birth, reflecting on how you feel and begin to process your experience

    • Celebrate all that you have navigated and honouring the end of this season

HEY THERE

I’m Dusk Liney

She / Her

Personal - I am a neurodivergent, queer (#bi) mother living on Bunurong Land in Melbourne’s west. I come from a lineage of strength, love and joy. I am a survivor of childhood sexual assault and complex PTSD, living a life that centres my resilience.

Professional - I am a birth doula, postpartum professional and matrescence coach. I bring a gentle approach, informed by my training as a spiritual companion and contemplative circle facilitator.

Educator & advocate - I am a trauma-sensitive maternal care educator, advocate and peer support for resilient mothers and parents, particularly survivors of SA and trauma.

I apply a resilience-oriented, trauma sensitive approach to everyone I support, because everyone benefits from this kind of care.

In-person support within 1 hour of Melbourne’s west. Online support available worldwide.

Doula Services

  • This package provides pregnancy, birth and postpartum care, including:

    Doula support

    • For 3 months to up to one year

    Doula sessions

    • 3 x Prenatal sessions (2 hours each)

    • 4 x Reflective sessions (1 hour each)

    • 2 x Postnatal visits (2 hours each)

    • Voice message support

    Birth attendance & support

    • On Call from 38-42 weeks

    • Back-up Birth Support

    • Birth attendance and support

    Cost

    • $3300 AUD

    Please note: This is available to people within 1 hour of Melbourne’s West or additional travel fee applies.

  • This package provides pregnancy and postpartum care, including:

    Doula support

    • For 3 months to up to one year

    Doula sessions

    • 3 x Prenatal sessions (2 hours each)

    • 4 x Reflective sessions (1 hour each)

    • 2 x Postnatal visits (2 hours each)

    • Voice message support

    Cost

    • $2500 AUD

    * Please note: this package does not include physical birth attendance for labor or birth. Depending on location and availability, this can be added for $1100 AUD.

  • This package provides matrescence coaching and care, including:

    Matrescence doula

    • For 3 months to up to one year

    Matrescence sessions

    • 6 x coaching sessions (up to 2 hours each)

    • Resources & reflective exercises provided

    • Voice message support

    Cost

    • $1650 AUD via zoom

    • $2000 AUD in person

  • Reflections from doula fams

  • "Inviting a doula into my pregnancy and birth drew out an inner strength and power in me that I didn't even fathom I had."

  • "It was having someone to hold my hand, heart and space that I needed during such a vulnerable time. I cherished each second of the support."

  • "My doula helped support me to remember the power is within myself and not in anyone else’s hands!"

  • "Having a doula was like being held by generations of Motherly spirit. A soft and gracious landing place for all of my fears and worries, and a reflection of all the joy and goodness."

  • "My doula set me on the path of discovering a deep trust in myself which has seeped out into every aspect of my life."

  • "Having a doula is like being held. While I’m holding and caring for my new baby, my doula is holding and caring for me. Nothing compares to that kind of support!"

  • "A doula brings depth into the process and journey of how you want YOUR birth to be."

  • "The ultimate continuity of care that I craved in my first pregnancy."

Explore support

Reach out

Fill out the enquiry form and I’ll check my availability.

Let’s connect

Book a complimentary meeting to explore options for support.

Reflect on your needs

Receive a further details on the various support packages I provide.

Build your support team

Decide on who you will invite to accompany you in your journey.